reference A work frequently used as a source.

This is an entirely self serving post, but maybe you dear reader, will benefit from it.

I have been purging everything I possess. I am striving for streamlined efficiency. Unfortunately, I have not achieved that with my computer. In fact, I have lost an entire 80 gig drive in it somewhere. I know it's there, but my computer doesn't see it. I feel like I am in a Monty Python sketch when I try to get the computer to recognize the hardware. So, I am going to give my machine an electronic high colonic (If you don't hear from me again, I love you all.)

I have many websites that I have collected from friends, found on other sites, or happily stumbled across on my own. Unfortunately, I doubt that I will be able to find them all again, and it is doubtful that my laptop will have a floppy drive, so I am parking a large chunk of the contents of 'my favorites' from my web browser here for retrieval at a later time. So, without further ado, My Favorites:

Reference Sites:
Dictionary.com (yup, I plagerize it quite frequently)
Communecom (another dictionary link)
The Word Spy (a good reference for new/coined/recycled words)
Wikipedia (good non-partisan reference)
everything² (fun site, still havent fully explored this - I could easily spend several days here)
bibilomania (a virtual library)
The Ism Book (this was via headlessness)
Food Reference Website (fun to peruse, as well as reference)
Don Markstein's Toonpedia (It is so a reference site)

Education sites:
Journalism.org (I need to read this more)
Physics at Kenyon (Kenyon College is right here in Ohio - Professor Greenslade rocks)
Knatz.com (I really enjoy Paul Knatz.)
Golan Levin Homepage (all about exploring possibilities)
Toki Pona (This is my current foreign language elective)

Personal interests:
Snowdrift Farm Formulary (yes, I make soap)
Trailsource (I have a subscription.)
CinemaNow (The super lazy and very portable way to watch movies.)
Bookcrossing.com (I think everyone should do this)
Macrobiotics (dabble, but I need to do serious study)
Plants Database (longtime interest)
1000 Journals (very cool, via JH again)

Playground:
the5k.org (My very first 'play' site.)
No Effort Online (Home of Tales for the L33T. Chris Coutts, w00t!)
10 second films (making films for fun)

Political:
ACLU (the government is supposed to work for us; good managers stay informed)
Fair Trade Federation (speaks for itself)
Vegan Blog (moving towards this goal)

Just Because:
haiku contest (win free books)
Who's We Design Studios (The coolest design site I know - I like to just look at it.)
Anarchist's Cookbook (I periodically check to see if they are still up. It is one of my freedom of speech gauges.)
Polar Image (incredibly beautiful photos)

I hope you found something interesting or useful in all that. I'm off to do more deconstruction.

ethnicity Ethnic character, background, or ethnic group.

The tough minded ... respect difference. Their goal is a world made safe for differences, where the United States may be American to the hilt without threatening the peace of the world, and France may be France, and Japan may be Japan on the same conditions. - Ruth Fulton Benedict

I just saw the film Rabbit-Proof Fence, a historical drama from Australia. I highly recommend viewing it. Everlyn Sampi and Tianna Sansbury's portrayals of Molly and Daisy are incredibly real. Classed and judged on appearance and misguided beliefs, they simply wish to be allowed to be. The ending is bittersweet, but I won't spoil it for you.

I identify strongly with characters such as these. I too have been judged by my appearance. What I look like and what I am are very different things in the world of stereotypes. The notion that what you look like determines all you are and what you will accomplish angers me. I grew up next to an air base, and went to school with every ethnic mix you can imagine. I know from first hand experience that all races / nationalities are equal - they all have their respective artists, geniuses, and assholes. The color of someone's skin has no more bearing on their abilities than eye color, or hair texture does. It in no way makes one inferior, so why are there those who try so hard to convince us that it does?

catalog A publication containing a display of articles for sale: a catalog of fall fashions; a seed catalog.

Evil marketing ploys...

I have spent the past few weeks purging my house of possesions to prepare for my trip. I am very pleased that I am down to one room to sort - my bedroom, which more accurately should be called a library, because it contains a sleeping mat and several hundred books. Now, I'm being tested. The spring catalogs have started arriving! First came Crate & Barrel (love that store), followed by The Stash Tea Catalog (Ooooh, a dragonfly tetsubin teapot!). I am not purchasing anything, my resolve is still solid, and these catalogs are going right to the local laundromat (they let you leave reading material there - it is a good way to recycle magazines). Well... after I read them one more time.

bliss Extreme happiness; ecstasy.

I am now the very happy/proud/impatiently waiting for the batteries to charge owner of this.

It can do 5 minute movies!! Now, I am just a laptop away from having all I require for my trip. You will see pics, just as soon as I figure out image hosting (and the batteries finish charging). Happy day!

boredom The state of being bored, a state of ennui. The realm of bores.

Is not life a hundred times too short to bore ourselves? - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

I cannot believe I quoted from Beyond Good and Evil. I throw that book across the room every time I start to read it. He's so...wrong about most things. Hopefully, I will not be a bore with this post.

Boring Preface Story (sorry)
I used to work as an insulator. I hung fiberglass insulation (yes, it was itchy) in new construction, and blew insulation into walls & attics of existing buildings. The blown insulation was installed with a machine that looked like a huge blender/vacuum cleaner mounted on a truck. The two-person operation consisted of one person climbing into the attic, and applying the blowing insulation, while the other person stayed in the back of the truck and loaded the insulation into the hopper. The person in the attic had to communicate with the other by cupping their hand over the end of the hose, and sending a sort of Morse code. It was boring as heck in the back of the truck, but it beat the nightmare of the attic (dark, close quarters, blowing insulation...). It took two minutes to load the hopper, and 15 for it to empty. So, I got creative.

Not-So Boring Weird Story Used To Entertain Myself In The Situation Described In The Aforementioned Boring Preface Story (really sorry)
I used to do this skit in my mind to entertain myself: Mr. Bill was being treated by Dr. Ruth Westheimer for sexual repression caused by him being haunted by a talking apparition of Sigmund Freud (I liked the blend of the voices, ok?). Freud had the hots for Westheimer, and was always trying to get Mr. Bill to realize Freud's desires. It started something like this: (It is better if you do the voices - the links have audio samples. G'wan, nobody's watching you.)

Mr. Bill and Dr. Ruth meet in the green room of a late night talk show.
Mr. Bill: Dr Ruth, I am such a big fan of yours. I wanted to call your show, but was afraid I would be recognized - the distinctive voice, you know?
Dr. Ruth: Why, Mister Bill, that should not stop you if you need help. Everybody has problems, you don't need to feel ashamed. I'll tell you what, if it will make you feel better, you can come see me in my office.
Mr. Bill: Oh, yay!!! Thank you Dr. Ruth!

The next day, in Dr. Ruth's office.
Dr.Ruth: Ahh, there you are, come right in, please. Feel free to make yourself comfortable.
Mr. Bill: Thank you. I'm so glad you could see me, Dr. Ruth. I don't think I can stand it much longer.
Dr.Ruth: Oh? Stand what? Is Sluggo pressuring you to do things you are not ready for?
Mr. Bill: What? Oh, no, it's not like that...
Dr.Ruth: No? Ok, why don't you just relax, and tell me what's the trouble.
Mr. Bill: Well...I'm haunted... by something that tells me to do things I don't want to.
The ghost of Sigmund Freud appears; only seen by Mr. Bill
Mr. Bill: OHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
Dr.Ruth: Mr. Bill, are you ok?
Freud: Oh, quit whining. Ooh! Who is this charming woman?
Mr. Bill: He's back, he's back!
Dr.Ruth: Who's back?
Mr. Bill: Sigmund Freud! He's been haunting me.
Freud: Tell her she can call me 'Siggy'.
Dr.Ruth: ...
Mr. Bill: He appeared after Sluggo was mean to me during our date.
Freud: Ah HA!
Mr. Bill: I mean, 'a' date.
Dr.Ruth: Oh?
Mr. Bill: I was on a date with someone else.
Dr.Ruth: It is ok, you are not being judged. Even if you were to go on a date with Sluggo, it is nothing to be ashamed of.
Freud: Ohhh, she is such a vixen!
Dr.Ruth: What else do you remember?
Mr. Bill: I remember that Sluggo tore my arms off...
Dr.Ruth: Did you feel emasculated?
Freud: What a woman! Ask her out.
Mr. Bill: What?
Dr.Ruth: I mean, did you feel that he had taken your penis as well?
Freud: Whoohoo! The little minx! Put your arm around her...
Mr. Bill: Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Dr.Ruth: Sorry, you must try to relax. You are too tense.
Freud: I must have her!
Mr. Bill: Gnomi, please stop being bored!

(Ok, I'm tired of typing dialog. You get the idea, so make your own ending. According to Freud, repressed memories don't represent truth, but instead are symbolic representations of past events. Throw in a freudian slip, phobia, etc. Have fun with it, try different scenarios. It's an interesting exercise.)

beautiful Having qualities that delight the senses, especially the sense of sight. Excellent; wonderful.

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. - William Morris (Champion of the Arts & Crafts movement.

I have been a flurry of activity, recently - not that my five treasured (and probably bailed) readers would be able to tell from my silence. The trip this summer is closer to reality. I have the financial part mostly worked out, and I am preparing to give up my apartment.

The amount of things one can accumulate in a short time is amazing. I really like the sentiment expressed by William Morris, but I feel it is still too broad. I have a lot of beautiful things - I need to justify putting it in storage with another reason besides "It is delightful." Right now, I'm shooting for beautiful & useful. My sis in law keeps telling me to put everything on Ebay, but the thought just makes me feel dirty. I would rather just donate it all to a thrift store. I kind of like the idea of my treasures moving on to an uncertain future, just as I am.

addiction The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or or involved in something.

My nephew got an Xbox for Christmas, and my first obsession with it was to set the high score on Kabuki Warriors. Last night I spent 11 hours straight playing Oddworld Munch's Oddysee.

This is not new; I can trace the trend back through N 64 (the Legend of Zelda series which rocks, Pokemon Stadium and Snap for reasons that are still not clear), Playstation & PS2 (pretty much every game ever made for it, except Madden NFL), Sega (Sonic the Hedgehog, Bubsy), SNES (Mortal Kombat, Super Mario Bros.), all the way back to Atari 5200, 2600 (Frogger, Missile Command, Pitfall and Zaxxon), and Colecovision (aww, come on, you don't remember Blockade, or Qbert?).

My only venture into online gaming, Gameneverending, is currently under construction. I participated in the alpha testing; it was a very pleasant experience. The community formed by the players was delightful. I can hardly wait for it to be up again.

When computer gaming systems were introduced, there were detractors claiming the games were going to destroy families and turn our youth into slack-jawed adults with no employable skills. After twenty-five years, I think I'm safe saying they were wrong. When I play, I am analyzing and planning, solving puzzles, and thinking in new directions (It also is fun to occasionally kick some ass). Gaming is something my family enjoys doing together. It is a friendly competition, and the onlookers get to have a great time heckling the players. I have a photo of my oldest son standing next to the television showing his score when he beat Sonic the Hedgehog CD. It is not fanaticism, it is a pictorial record of his pride and pleasure in having accomplished something - like the pictures of him riding his first bike, or receiving citizenship and academic awards. Addiction? Maybe. Time well spent? Definitely. Game on, people.

spider v. to move in a swift, furtive manner.

I watched a shadow spider across the midnight lawn, trailing the end of a toilet tissue roll like a battle standard.

My brother Pookie is 6' 3", and weighs 265 lbs. But he can move as quiet as a cat, because he has been practicing all his life. Weasel and I can also move like shadows - we developed the talent out of necessity. We were always playing pranks, and sneaking into the house after being out all night. The vast majority of offenses were harmless; it was mostly relieving frustration and angst (Dealing with my dad can be an ordeal). The call of the night was irresistible to us. Even now that we are grown, the urge to run wild under cover of darkness is still there. When Pookie has bonfires at his house, a nocturnal game of hide & seek is inevitable.

There is just something about the wee hours. They are full of mystery and strange creatures. This, combined with the moonlight, or lack thereof, makes for an otherworldly feel. The witching hours hold much magic; take a walk some late evening, and allow yourself to become spellbound. You just might catch a glimpse of us darting about beneath the stars.

OULIPO An acronym for l'Ouvroir de Litterature Potentielle (French writers' group).

There is a conspiracy afoot. Oooh, I love games. I'm in!