Thursday, August 09, 2007

Fun with Flickr:

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Snape, Snape, Severus Snape

This cracked me up.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

I've always been told that

I've always been told that I don't really have an accent (though a southern accent will appear for a word or two once in a blue moon). I guess this proves it. Midland accent, another way of saying I don't have one! But the predominant one is southern, which makes sense since I'm from North Carolina. :) (Thanks Joe for the link.)

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland   "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The South
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The Northeast
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Monday, October 02, 2006

Two fun links for today,

Two fun links for today, courtesy of Tracy:

+ Pipe Cleaner Dancing Man

+ Lite-Brite

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

I love Milwaukee's racing sausages.

I love Milwaukee's racing sausages. And I love Washington's racing presidents (even though I just found out about them). What we obviously need are more racing characters!

"Houston. Do you go with Astronaut Races? "We have John Glenn in Lane 1, Neil Armstrong in Lane 2, Alan Shepard in Lane 3 and coming out of retirement again in Lane 4, the Rocket Man himself, Roger Clemens." Or Spacecraft Races? "Sputnik went out fast, but Apollo 11 and the Space Shuttle have closed the gap. And it looks like SkyLab is falling out of it." I don't think you could go wrong with either, really."

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

I'd seen this size comparison

I'd seen this size comparison of the planets before, but not with other stars included as well. Antares is, like, 200 times bigger than the Sun! Whoa.

Thanks Brian for the link.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

I'm going to a conference

I'm going to a conference in Colorado in a month, and am taking advantage of a weekend, a day of annual leave, and the plane-ticket-I-don't-have-to-buy to get some more quality hiking in my life this year. Jose is coming along, and since he has never been to Colorado, I want him to be able to help in choosing our destination. Though we may end up elsewhere, tops on my list is Great Sand Dunes National Park.

In searching for some info and photos, I came across Terra Galleria. This guy has some amazing nature photos. I highly recommend checking out the site.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Got problems? Solve them like

Got problems? Solve them like Zidane!

(Thanks Barbara for the link.)

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

I just took a moment

I just took a moment to watch the rest of the videos from Discovery's launch last week taken by the cameras mounted on the solid rocket boosters. The view is so cool. The links to each video are here. If you only have time to watch one, the separation composite view is the coolest by far.

Brian mentioned a good Q&A session with New York Times photo editor that's an interesting read.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Eva is the coolest 8-month-old

Eva is the coolest 8-month-old with a blog that I've ever met. ;)

Monday, March 06, 2006

Score! :) You scored as

Score! :)

You scored as Serenity (Firefly). You like to live your own way and don’t enjoy when anyone but a friend tries to tell you should do different. Now if only the Reavers would quit trying to skin you. Serenity (Firefly) 81% Deep Space Nine (Star Trek) 69% SG-1 (Stargate) 63% Moya (Farscape) 63% Babylon 5 (Babylon 5) 56% Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix) 56% Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda) 44% Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) 44% Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica) 44% Enterprise D (Star Trek) 38% FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files) 31% Bebop (Cowboy Bebop) 31% Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

Monday, February 06, 2006

For all you Super Mario

For all you Super Mario Brothers music lovers.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

It takes a lot of

It takes a lot of willpower for me to not buy half the shirts at Threadless. You can't beat stuff like this:

+ Squirrels are Nature's Ninjas
+ You Win Again Gravity
+ Legendary Design Failure
+ The Communist Party

Ok, more than enough blogging for one day.

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Most definitely worth seeing: Roving

Most definitely worth seeing: Roving Mars, a new IMAX movie.

We headed up to the Museum of Natural Science this morning for a special JSC showing. It was the coolest IMAX movie I've ever seen! Now, granted, that could be because I knew a bunch of the people in and I'm doing some work on a future Mars mission. But if the images of Mars that the Spirit and Opportunity rovers have taken looked spectacular in the newspaper and on your computer screen, they look amazing on a big screen. You can almost imagine what it would be like to stand there...

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

It May Look Authentic; Here's

It May Look Authentic; Here's How to Tell It Isn't is an interesting NY Times article about photo manipulation.

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Mars, in Glorious 3-D is another good NY Times article about a very cool new IMAX movie!

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Happy Trogday Trogdor! (Thanks Kevin.)

Happy Trogday Trogdor! (Thanks Kevin.)

Thursday, January 05, 2006

If you want to see

If you want to see some cool photos, check out these many, many shots from Argentina and Antarctica. I can hardly wait to go to Patagonia!!

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Three things that have caught

Three things that have caught my eye lately:

+ Candy Cane for Your Portrait
I love little projects like this. I would love to work up the guts to do something like this myself. I considered what Houston location would work well for something like this, since it would need to be a place that has a lot of pedestrian traffic. Sadly my little piece of suburbia wouldn't suffice, however, setting up outside, say, an Astros game would be awesome. Must file the idea away for next season. Baseball Card for Your Portrait?

+ Understanding Local Max
"You've got a very good job... To do better, you'd either have to move to another firm, move to another town, switch careers or go back to school. And all of them have costs and very uncertain returns, so you stay."

+ 2006 Winter Olympics medals
I think they are the coolest. Seriously. They're unique, they're simple, and they're extremely eye-catching. I like the way the ribbon runs through the center, and how there is text imprinted on the thin edge of each (not visible in the photo in that article). They're elegant.

And one irritation:

+ Why, for the love of all things good and wholesome, why won't my headset just stay on my ear? In the course of a 4-hour sim, the damn thing fell off my ear at least half a dozen times.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Well mine's not nearly as

Well mine's not nearly as fun as Becca's (I want to take over the world with evil robots too!) but ah well. Being good at anything ain't so bad either. ;)

Your Birthdate: March 26

You lucked out the the skills to succeed in almost any arena. Put you in almost any business or classroom, and you'll rise to the top. You're driven and intense, but you also know when to kick back and cooperate. Your ability to adapt to almost any situation is part of what's going to make you a success. Your strength: Your attention to detail Your weakness: You can be a little too proud of your successes Your power color: Turquoise Your power symbol: Arrow pointing up Your power month: August

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Some beautiful photos are on

Some beautiful photos are on display at the BBC News site to vote on for favorite of the year.

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Fun -- Make a Snowflake.

Fun -- Make a Snowflake.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Yet another hilarious movie summary:

Yet another hilarious movie summary: Serenity in 2000 Words. I especially love the part where everyone gets introduced.

JOSS WHEDON: Wasn't that a cool bunch of transitions? Now watch the intro scene designed for people who haven't seen the series! I promise you'll like it anyway!

SERENITY: *Flies through space, goes in for re-entry*

FANS: Woo-hoo!

PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN THE SERIES: Why is everybody cheering?

SERENITY: *loses piece off her nose*

MAL: What was that?

WASH: This is going to be interesting. By the way, if you saw the series, you know I'm the lovable, mild-mannered pilot with a deadpan sense of humor.

MAL: Define "Interesting."

WASH: (deadpan) Oh god, oh god, we're all going to die?

FANS SEEING THE MOVIE FOR THE FIRST TIME: LOL! Even if Whedon kills off a character, as he's been known to do, it couldn't possibly be Wash!

FANS SEEING THIS AGAIN BECAUSE JOSS WHEDON IS OUR MASTER: Whedon, you bastard!

JAYNE: I'm a badass with lots of big guns. If you saw the series, you know there's a town where they think I'm like Robin Hood.

ZOE: I'm a bigger badass than he'll ever be, even though I only have one gun. If you saw the series, you know I fought in the big war with Mal and then married Wash.

KAYLEE: I'm the cute, happy, earthy mechanic. If you saw the series you know I totally want to jump Simon's bones.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Yay! I got to be

Yay! I got to be who I wanted with no fudging of the quiz. ;) Kaylee's so cute. And -- bonus -- gets to hook up with hot doctor! Of course, a lot of this probably has to do with the fact that I am a vehement "YES" to "People you love don't seem to notice you, no matter how hard you hint..."

You scored as Kaylee Frye. The Mechanic. You are a natural mechanic, and you are far too sweet and cheerful to live out here. How you can see the good in everyone around you boggles the mind occationally. Still you don't seem to be any crazier than that, and it is a nice kinda crazy. Kaylee Frye 81% The Operative 63% Hoban 'Wash' Washburne 56% Shepherd Derrial Book 56% Capt. Mal Reynolds 50% Simon Tam 44% River Tam 44% Zoe Alleyne Washburne 38% Inara Serra 31% Jayne Cobb 25% Which Serenity character are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

I got tagged by Becca.

I got tagged by Becca.

7 things I plan to do before I die:
* Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
* Run another marathon
* Have something "significantly" published
* Get married (I hope, anyway)
* See Mt. Everest
* Visit all 30 baseball parks (16 down, 14 to go)
* Make a major career change

7 things I can do:
* Read an entire US road atlas in one sitting and not get bored
* Play the flute
* Make dinner entirely out of canned foods (thanks Dad)
* Wait patiently to leave an airplane (instead of crowding the aisle as soon as the plane stops moving)
* Sing along to REM's "It's The End of the World As We Know It"
* Roll my tongue
* Sit in front of a computer for 10 hours straight working on photos or websites

7 things I cannot do:
* Sit in front of a computer for 2 hours straight working on trajectory sims
* Write poetry
* Resist upgrading from a perfectly good piece of technology to the latest and greatest
* Run strong when it's hot outside
* Give blood without almost fainting
* Throw a ball farther than ~40 feet
* Keep plants alive

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
* Sense of humor
* Intelligence
* Sarcasm and/or wit
* Spontaneity
* Geekiness/dorkiness
* Lanky/skinny frame (I don't like muscle-heads)
* Independence

7 things I say most often:
* Dude.
* Rock.
* Anyway...
* Does it have lots of explosions and shiny things?
* Enough about that, let's talk about pumas.
* What?
* If you do that, I'll kick you.

7 celebrity crushes:
* Lance Armstrong
* Adam Everett
* the head of my directorate at work (purely a platonic crush)
*
*
*
* ...I guess I don't have seven.

7 people I want to do this:
* Becca already tagged a bunch of people, so I'll just say anyone who wants to. Katie will probably do it. Laurie or Cassie? Or Carter, Christina, or Chris, though I'm not sure many of them are the meme type.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Vote for Buzz!

Vote for Buzz!

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Hey, at least in the

Hey, at least in the middle of disaster, we can still make fun of Houston. Though funny, I also find it a bit in bad taste.

The Onion: Refugees Moved From Sewage-Contaminated Superdome To Hellhole Of Houston

HOUSTON—Evacuees from the overheated, filth-encrusted wreckage of the New Orleans Superdome were bussed to the humid, 110-degree August heat and polluted air of Houston last week, in a move that many are resisting. "Please, God, not Houston. Anyplace but Houston," said one woman, taking shelter under an overpass. "The food there is awful, and the weather is miserable. And the traffic—it's like some engineer was making a sick joke." Authorities apologized for transporting survivors to a city "barely better in any respect," but said the blistering-hot, oil-soaked Texas city was in fact slightly better, and that casualties due to gunfire would be no worse.

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Yet another cool Google hack:

Yet another cool Google hack: My Google Guestmap. Go ahead and stick your pin in and let me know where you're visiting from!

Monday, August 29, 2005

Becca put up photos from

Becca put up photos from the Ballunar Fest. (Mine are coming soon.)

Here's me putting weight on the balloon just before takeoff. Riding in the back of the truck is also very fun (and a good way to keep relatively cool, thanks to the breeze.) The morning after my first flight, there were lots of balloons, and then I was ceremonized in the driveway next to the yard where the balloon landed. When Becca lifted off, she got a blurry shot of us on the ground getting ready to begin the chase.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Just came across a couple

Just came across a couple fantastic images from the gap filler repair...

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Fun with Google Maps: Here

Fun with Google Maps:

Here is the route we ran for the first two checkpoints of the adventure race on Saturday.

And here is the route we biked for the middle 3 checkpoints.

And here is an approximation of the route we ran for the last 4 checkpoints.

Here is the location of the Houston Art Society's Inversion House that I finally checked out last night. It is very strange and very cool.

Monday, August 01, 2005

The article about the Keyhole

The article about the Keyhole Route up Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park appeared in the Denver Post today. I'm quoted in the couple paragraphs at the end! :)

Perilous Ascent by Steve Lipsher

The reporter quoted me literally word-for-word. I could've been more eloquent, but ah well. Cool!

The best reaction came from Rich, who also went on the trip (which was exactly one year ago):

"That is SOOOOO cool! But if I would have seen the pictures in this story beforehand, and read about how many people have died, I probably wouldn't have gone..."

Friday, July 29, 2005

My first go at the

My first go at the Thursday Threesome:

Onesome - If You - If you were given a million dollars, what would you do with it?

First, pay off my student loan and car loan. Second, put a sizeable chunk in savings to start earning interest. Third, buy all the camera equipment on my wish list. ;) Fourth, treat my family to a few things. Fifth, take six months or a year of LWOP and go on a trip around the world. Sixth, consider going back to school since I could do it without having to take out another school loan.

Twosome - Have To - What is it that you have to do today? Or is there something you're dreading to do this week?

I have to get my neural net trained at least once with the latest trajectory data. I've been dreading it despite working with it nonstop, because I'm afraid the results won't be what I hope to see.

Threesome - Go Away - Where's that place you've been imagining to take a dream trip to lately?

PATAGONIA! Ah... Mountain lakes, craggy peaks, exotic animals...

Friday, July 15, 2005

Google Maps Pedometer My reaction

Google Maps Pedometer

My reaction to finding this link via Melanie goes something like this: mouth open, eyes wide, trying to ooh and aah, but only a high pitched squeal coming out. This thing is SO. COOL.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Today's word of the day

Today's word of the day is ninja. Awesome.

I guess if I ever apply for another job, I should get rid of my blog for a while. Of course, you can never truly get rid of something on the Internet. So no jobs for me!

And of course, tomorrow is the big day. Go 114!

Thursday, June 30, 2005

This makes two movie previews

This makes two movie previews that Laurie has pointed to that I've been curious to see and just not looked for! Previews are out for Peter Jackson's next project: King Kong.

Other cool things I have found this evening while surfing (thanks to Mighty Goods):

Magnetic paint! My walls at home could be like my walls at work.

Dinosaur stapler! Rowr.

Kung Fu letter organizer! Hi-yah. Take that, stupid bills.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

So I've been passed something

So I've been passed something called the musical baton, thanks to Laurie, my Houston photoblogging friend. Here goes.

Total volume of music files on my computer:
Well, I am in Charlotte right now and my computer is of course in my apartment in Houston, so I can't look up exactly how much. So we'll go with my iPod. I have the 10GB version which currently is full of as much as I could fit on there: 9.2 GB, 2193 songs. I probably have another 4-5 GB on my computer that won't fit on my iPod. I'm just waiting for the hard drive on the iPod to die so I can get a bigger one. :)

Last CD I bought:
Momentary Setback, Marc Broussard. I just bought it a couple weeks ago, otherwise I would have had a seriously difficult time remembering the last time I bought an actual CD. I buy most of my music off iTunes now.

Song playing right now:
Nothing at the moment. If I were at work, I'd certainly be listening to something to distract myself, but I'm on vacation baby! To give a half answer to this one, lately I've been listening to new albums by Marc Broussard, Rob Thomas, and Green Day, among many other playlists.

Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me:

"Carolina in my Mind" by James Taylor because I'm a Carolina girl at heart. For me, this is #1 by a landslide.

"Have You Seen Me Lately" by Counting Crows, because it calms me down when I'm anxious or upset. Specifically, the version from the blue disc of the Across a Wire two-disc set.

"Leaving Town" by Dexter Freebish, because it became the anthem of my angst-ridden senior year of college.

"Sand in my Shoes" by Dido, because it is so true. Life was better before "I knew that I could get on a plane and fly away / from the roads where the cars never stop going through the night / to a life where I can watch the sunset / and take my time." Ignorance is bliss. ;)

"Ave Maria" by David Bisbal, despite the fact that it is a cheesy dance/club number, because after it gets stuck in your head at 4 a.m. on your way to start hiking the Inca Trail, the song kinda grows on you, and forevermore reminds you of fantastic travels.

Passing the baton to:
My sister, enjoying her last three days of bachelorette-ness.
Becca, because she loves blog games and quizzes as much as I do.
Jo, because she'll probably list some Hawaiian music and we can all expand our musical horizons.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

I totally need some of

I totally need some of this. Just think how cool and rugged my Xterra will look!

In keeping with yesterday's post: RENT movie blog!

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Saw this link on Laurie's

Saw this link on Laurie's blog. I remember hearing that it was being made into a movie, but I had totally and completely forgotten about it. It comes out in November and stars much of the original Broadway cast -- the original Mark and Roger, Collins and Angel, Maureen, and Benny.

By now, those of you who care will know what I'm talking about: RENT!

Friday, June 10, 2005

Whoa. This thing is freaky!

Whoa. This thing is freaky! (Thanks Christina for the link.)

Hee hee hee. Free Katie!!

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Here's an interesting NY Times

Here's an interesting NY Times article about one photojournalist's feelings and experience with the digital vs. film debate.

And for the second link to Dooce in two days, check out her slideshow from a recent trip to South Carolina. She takes good photos, but more interesting to me is wanting to know what she does to give them all that orangey glow.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Woohoo, astronaut spies!! I love,

Woohoo, astronaut spies!!

I love, LOVE, the fact that in the last photo in Dooce's latest entry, Chuck the dog is wearing barettes.

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

So I guess I can

So I guess I can blame my dad for being a bit overweight, since he has us drink so much milk when we were kids... ;)

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Woohoo, I'm on Jen's photoblog

Woohoo, I'm on Jen's photoblog today! :)

Thursday, May 26, 2005

In keeping with today's blog

In keeping with today's blog theme:

The True Life Story of Baseballs answers a question I've long wondered: how many baseballs are used over the course of one major league game? I'd heard it was more than 100, and this article confirms it. Between games, batting practice, and spring training, MLB uses almost 1 million baseballs each season, with the average "life span" of a major league baseball being about eight days (used in one game, then a couple days of batting practice, then a few days in the batting cages, then shipped to the minors or elsewhere as practice balls).

Predicting a Baseball's Path is a very scientific look at why pitches behave the way they do. Of course, it's all based on the spin rate of the ball as it leaves the mound, the direction of the spin axis, and how fast the pitch was thrown. Different grips produce different spins. The article also has a cool graphic of how a fastball, curveball, slider, screwball, changeup, and knuckleball move on their way to the plate, which finally straightened it all out for me.

This article also discusses the skills hitters need to pick up on what pitch is headed their way. First they can watch the angle of the pitcher's arm, and with good eyesight, can sometimes see the grip on the ball, or how the pitchers fingers roll on it. But the most important part is that good hitters have better-than-average dynamic visual acuity, or the ability to perceive moving objects, thus they can pick up the spin on the ball as it comes toward them. Hitters must figure out the speed and spin in 1/7 of a second. In the next 1/7, they decide whether to swing, and if so, when and where. Then they have another 1/7 of a second to actually swing. To hit a fastball, a batter begins to swing when the ball is still about 19 feet from the plate.

If you are at all interested in baseballl, they are both very good articles.

And finally, The Physics of Baseball, a website done by a UIUC Physics professor. I haven't had the chance to look through it much yet, but sounds interesting as well.

Friday, May 13, 2005

Apparently there is a Zero

Apparently there is a Zero G Room coming to Houston, about a mile away from my apartment. What is a Zero G Room? I hadn't heard of it myself, but it's basically a vertical wind tunnel -- think of it as a skydiving simulator. The video on their site (which is large, as a warning to those who don't have high-speed connections) is pretty cool. And apparently it won't be too expensive (though I'm sure there are some hidden fees): $35 for a 2-minute spin. Not cheap, sure, but not absurd either.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Run World, Run

Run World, Run

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

I just noticed that Karen

I just noticed that Karen posted a couple photos from her visit to Houston back in March, including sepia-toned surprisingly flattering photos of Becca and me and Cari and me, and one normal toned photo of Jason in his boxers.

Apparently we should all pay more attention to the numbers on fortune cookies -- they just might help you win the lottery.

And now we have the ultimate frivolous lawsuit. A Russian astrologer is suing NASA over plans to impact a comet, which could then "disrupt the natural balance of the universe."

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

This will do nothing to

This will do nothing to get Kent off my back about moving back to Atlanta. Though I don't think it's particular accurate; Seattle and Portland probably should have shown up on the list instead of Philly.

American Cities That Best Fit You:

65% Atlanta

60% Chicago

60% Honolulu

60% Philadelphia

55% Denver

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

"Lobbyists sent Tom DeLay golfing;

"Lobbyists sent Tom DeLay golfing; all you got was this billboard."

Ha!

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

a little bit of this, a little bit of that

David Ortiz offers an interesting perspective on MLB's steroid policy and why four of the five suspensions thus far have been players from Latin America.

The Astros have improved from their 0-6 streak to win their last 3 games, including an 11-4 stomping of the Pirates. Pettitte finally got some run support! So far this year, it's been feast or famine. Hell, Brad Ausmus, Mr. Rally-Killer himself, is on a 4-game hit streak, and has hit in 9 of the past 10 games. (Yet that still only raises his average to .250.)

This evil corn photo is really funny.

On the JSC Swap Shop this week I saw this ad: "I would like to find someone who can come over to my house in Dickinson and trim my Parakeets beak and feet. I can not catch them to take to the vet." Which begs the question, how is the someone who comes over supposed to catch them if the owner can't??

Friday, April 29, 2005

Bells from Everest is yet

Bells from Everest is yet another neat way to turn trash into art. A bit too expensive for my tastes though...

Thursday, April 28, 2005

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes?

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes? That is just...weird. And slightly gross. Ew.

Here's a great new blog: Plunk Biggio. "Dedicated to Craig Biggio and his (probably unintentional) Quest to break the all time major league career record for getting hit by pitches." Ha!

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

What's on Jesus' iPod? "After

What's on Jesus' iPod?

"After all, Jesus was a rebel. Jesus was the Original Liberal. Jesus was a devoted pacifist and a badass egalitarian and his best friends were all whores and dissidents and freethinkers and miscreants, artists of every shape and size and haircut and of course, were he walking around today, Jesus would be pretty much loathed and ostracized if not outright hacked to bits by the Christian Right. "Goddamn hippie liberal tree hugger," they'd sneer, waving scythes and Bibles. "What the hell?" Jesus would say."

"Jesus, on the other hand, is a monster music fan. You just know it. After all, Jesus was an agitator. Jesus protested. Jesus battled the demons of the status quo and he defied the sad dictatorial norms of his day and as such the Holy iPod is surely home to a huge number of songs of protest and resistance and hope, rebellion and triumph and joy. Just for starters."

"Jesus knows this Big Obvious Secret: All music celebrates God, because God is merely another word for life and life is merely another word for "hot divine energy force" and "hot divine energy force" is merely another word for, well, "Steven Tyler." So there you go."

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

JSC held its first Open

JSC held its first Open House in four years this past Saturday and there was a nice little article in the New York Times today. (Thanks to Christina for the link.)

Monday, April 25, 2005

Thanks Gavin. ;)

Thanks Gavin. ;)

Friday, April 22, 2005

For Jo.

For Jo.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Round the World by Bike

Round the World by Bike is an amazing thing. The trip reports alone will take me hours to get through, but are totally engrossing.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

I can't believe I didn't

I can't believe I didn't think of this! Virtual tourism courtesy of the awesome Google Maps.

Justin Ouellette of chromogenic.net (a photoblog I surf) wrote a great little article about how to Become Your Own Lab for $49.38. After reading it, I'm inspired to do it myself. I bought all the equipment for a bathroom darkroom when I first moved to Houston almost three years ago...and never used it. My laziness, and the proliferation of digital cameras in my household, has left the stuff sitting in my bathroom gathering dust.

Bat-Girl wrote a hilarious blog entry covering both the new pope and the Twins baseball game. My favorite lines:

"'I knew they could do it,' said Lew Ford. 'I mean, what are they? The Vatican or the Vati-can't?'"

"And over the course of the Twins' at-bats, as conversation progressed from the players favorite popes (Most popular choice — Gregory VII who totally excommunicated the Holy Roman Emporer after the H.R.E. got up in his grill)..."

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

I knew it!!

Your Inner European is Swedish!

Relaxed and peaceful. You like to kick back and enjoy life.

Friday, April 15, 2005

This looks like a good

This looks like a good flick. How come "limited release" doesn't include Houston? Grr.

Thursday, April 14, 2005

The Apollo 13 oxygen tank

The Apollo 13 oxygen tank exploded thirty five years ago today.

Also, the photo at APOD has been very cool the past two days.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

A cool optical illusion that

A cool optical illusion that I hadn't seen before.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

After getting to know Nancy

After getting to know Nancy and Emily (Becca's aunt and cousin), I can only imagine that Emily's brother/Nancy's son Graham is similarly cool. (Link is to an article about Graham and an underground paper he started after being fired -- for a silly reason -- from his job as editor of his high school paper.)

Sunday, April 10, 2005

Oh man, I finally got

Oh man, I finally got around to watching the latest Strong Bad email, Long Pants, at Jo's suggestion. And it is too, too funny.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

It's just a little thing,

It's just a little thing, seen only by those who care about the local running scene, but I doubt I'll get tired of seeing it: for the time being, the On The Run Racing Team webpage has a photo that I shot on the top of their announcements page.

I think I'm gonna like this race photography thing.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Not everyone will understand why

Not everyone will understand why I find this so awesome, but those who will just need to hear CRAZY NASA ANIMALS!!

Monday, March 21, 2005

what's in a name?

Becca linked to the NameVoyager which tracks baby names and how often they're used.

I never realized Sarah is such a popular name -- it was ranked #5 in the 1980s, #4 in the 1990s. #18 in the 1970s which is where I fall. Jennifer was #1 in the 70s, so that explains why I know so many of them! Betty, my mom, was popular in the 1940s. Crispin, my dad, isn't even on the list. David, Brian, and Katie (Katherine), my siblings, are all pretty high as expected.

My favorite thing about the site, though, is the interface. It's fun to type in different names just to see the graph bars slide up and down.

Friday, March 18, 2005

"it's blocking my view of Venus"

Those of you dying to play Marvin the Martian now have some help: How to Destroy the Earth.

As a preview, here is the list of things that will not destroy the Earth:

• Gamma Ray Burst.
• Armageddon, as described in the Bible.
• Paradoxes as described in Back To The Future Part II.
• Ceasing all thought (if the Earth is not observed, then how can it exist?).
• Detonating all the nuclear weapons ever created simultaneously, either all at one location or strategically placed around the globe.
• Proving that 1=0.
• Runaway fission at the Earth's core, as proposed by Tom Chalko.
• Gay marriage.

(Thanks to Irwin for the link.)

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Oh, I forgot to mention

Oh, I forgot to mention that to my shock and surprise, one of my photos was selected as a Photo Friday noteworthy image last week, for the "Obsession" challenge. How cool is that?

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Three links: This new twist

Three links:

This new twist on the Numa Numa Dance just proves my theory that everything is better with Legos.

Wil Wheaton makes the Times. If you haven't checked out his blog before, it's a pretty fun read.

Should running an ultramarathon be my next goal? (Answer: HELL NO.)

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Very, very cool: the Gigapxl

Very, very cool: the Gigapxl Project. The level of details in the photos is incredible.

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

look at this stuff / isn't it neat?
wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
wouldn't you think I'm a girl, a girl who has everything

Yes, it's another quiz. I just can't help myself.

You Are Ariel!

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

I must pathetically admit that this is probably accurate...

You scored Romantic Comedy. You love sappy shit. You're oblivious to what's happening as long as you have some guy for eye candy and a happy ending you wish you could happen in your own life. Time to rent some new movies. Romantic Comedy 70% Sadistic Humour 65% Sci-Fi/Fantasy 60% Artistic 50% Drama/Suspense 35% Mindfuck 30% Mindless Action Flick 30% Movie Recommendation. created with QuizFarm.com

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Peter, did you get that memo?

Slightly amusing, and slightly just...weird. Office Space, performed by Superheroes

Friday, March 04, 2005

allo, salut

More about that video of the guy dancing to Dragostea Din Tei, or Numa Numa Dance.

Friday, March 04, 2005

Gavin just called me an internet dinosaur

Both Nancy and Brian pointed me in the direction of archive.org to see if any of my early webpages are recoverable. So I went there, and put in the URL of my Georgia Tech webpage, hit the "take me back" button and...blocked. By the JSC firewall. Something about proxy avoidance. So I'll have to try it at home tonight.

It will be really cool if I can find my earliest Tech webpage. Finding my very first webpage, however, may be a problem because I'm not sure I can remember the URL.

Update: Holy crap! In trying to remember the very old URL of my first webpage in 1995/1996, I googled the two terms I remembered. Lo and behold, I found the link. The last version of the page, from 1996 right after I started at Georgia Tech, is still there. (Though the redirect to the Georgia Tech servers now fails, since I haven't been a student there in almost 4 years.)

AND I managed to guess the name of my very, very first webpage, a summary of my IB extended essay that I made when I used the essay as my senior exit essay for high school: The Race to the Moon. At the bottom is says: "This page was created by me, a senior IB student at Myers Park High School. Last updated on May 15, 1996."

The internet is amazing!!

Thursday, March 03, 2005

and to think I got in on the ground floor!

In 1995, Yahoo was started and I created my first webpage. Sadly, I think that first site of mine, as well as about 3 years of subsequent revisions, have been lost to the Internet ghosts. (Though, mental note, must see if I can find any trace of it anywhere, perhaps on a floppy? Eee gads, a floppy?!?) I currently have most of each version of my webpage since late 1998, and slowly, sloooooowly, I plan to document them here. Screenshots at least. There are a lot of sites out there saying that blogs didn't begin until 1999 or so, and that when they did start, it was with a dozen or so now-famous internet celebrities. But I'd like to think I was one of the unnoticed early bloggers. I started in late 1998, though at that time I wasn't posting as often or as much as I do now... One day, I will upload my archives. One day...

Anyway, what made me think about all that? Well, I can't believe it's been 10 years! Check out:

Yahoo! Netrospective: 10 Years, 100 Moments of the Web

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Care Bear stare!

This one is for Jo.

	Cheer Bear You're the Care Bear cheerleader! Your spunky personality and optimisim lifts everyone's spirit. Though you want everyone to be happy, you stand your ground on issues you feel strongly about and this can bring disunity among your friends. Despite this, you are a true believer in working together.
Take the Which Care Bear Are You? Quiz!

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

world in color

Whenever I picture events from the 19th and early 20th centuries, I always see in black and white. In my mind, it's as if color didn't magically appear until the 1930s or 1940s. I attribute the discontinuity to the fact that any old photos or movies you see are inevitably in black and white and shades of gray. When that's all I've seen from that time period, it's hard to picture things in color.

I came across this site today, displaying a collection of color photographs from World War I. At first I was skeptical, thinking that the photos may have simply be colorized. But after a little research, I think they may be genuine. Color photography first became practical in 1907 when the Lumiere brothers invented the Autochrome process. Considering that the process was invented by a Frenchman and the WWI photos appear to be taken in the trenches in France, I'm going to accept them as genuine, or at the very least, representative.

The Lumiere brothers also invented the Cinematograph, the first film camera that both recorded and allowed moving pictures to be shown on a screen to an audience. Pretty cool guys, eh?

Friday, February 25, 2005

mya hee / mya ho / mya ha ha

Jason sent me a link to a video of some kid dancing, which is extremely, extremely funny.

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Becca's tech-saavy relatives...

Two new additions to the blogging world: Nancy and Emily! Becca's aunt and cousin, respectively. Both were members of the great Peru adventure, and Emily also joined us for Longs Peak, if you will recall. They are both very cool.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Reason 31. 2004 NLCS Game 5.

Thirty reasons why baseball is way better than football. Some of them are pretty shaky, for instance, Bud Selig is supposedly a good commissioner? Baseball has parity because 5 different teams have won the Series...when basically the same 2 teams fight for the AL each year and the Braves always win the NL East? But others are funny:

12. SBC Park -- Stand on the walkway behind the right-field wall and take in the bay, emerald green field, San Francisco skyline and smell of garlic fries. There might not be a better place on earth.

21. Ticket prices -- Take out a second mortgage if you want to see your favorite NFL team. Better yet, come to the ballpark, where there are still good seats for under $20.

27. Billy Wagner -- He's 5-9 and throws 100 mph. Next.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

the pleasure and pain of...

IKEA!!

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

intelligent loner

You're like me! The intelligent loner. You're shy at times but friendly, and you are never weak and always independent. You are incredibly intelligent (wise beyond your years) and have a talent for many things (sports, music, art). You have a kind and warm personality and enjoy the simple things. Like hanging out with friends and watching movies at home. But you're sometimes quiet nature makes you a bit of an outcast and a mystery to people. No matter how pretty you are or smart or athletic, you just can't seem to break into the crowd and be noticed. Don't worry, try to be more outgoing and speak out when you have more to say. Don't hide behind your books and sports and computer, get out there and get noticed. You also have deep desires in life and feel vunerable and alone at times. Don't feel sad either, what helps me to express feelings and dreams that I can't say to people, is through my writing. Maybe you should try.
What kind of girl are you? (with pix!)
brought to you by Quizilla

Ok, so part of that is accurate. But the advice to be more outgoing and speak out when I have something to say? Don't hide behind my books? Try writing? Yeah, I probably don't need help with that. ;)

Monday, February 07, 2005

link-o-rama

Yesterday, Gavin wrote a fantastic blog entry on a subject everyone can relate to -- your mom selling or giving away something that you weren't tired of yet.

My mom still does this, actually. Last year, my sister bought me a "Luke Schenscher has a posse" shirt at Tech, when they were on their way to the NCAA championship game. She didn't get around to mailing it to me, but instead took it home after the end of the semester. As Katie jetted off to Europe for the summer, she told Mom to mail the shirt to me. Mom, instead, gave it to Goodwill. She didn't know what it was, and she gave it away!! I gave Katie $25 for that shirt, $15 plus shipping plus a little extra. I maintain that Mom owes me $25.

Another great blog entry today comes from Gabriel Rodriguez, the speedy guy who wins tons of local races (finished 7th -- overall -- at the Houston marathon and was the first local finisher) and works as a manager at my local running store. I've spoken to him only a few times, when I was at the store to pick up new shoes or something. He wrote an entry about his car history after a visit to the auto show, and it's a really funny post. I knew he was fast; I didn't know he was funny too! ;)

(Note, I found Gabe's blog through the new Houston Running blog by a guy named Jon Walk. I left a comment on his site last week and he emailed me back last night -- after reading my blog, he realized that he was running close to me during at least part of the marathon because he remembers hearing people cheer "Go Sarah!" He must have been feeling better at the end though; he finished about 4 minutes ahead of me. :) He was also kind enough to link to my blog, as I noticed this morning. That was unexpected. Thanks Jon! I'll have to find you at a local race sometime and introduce myself.)

Enter to win a trip into space with Volvo and Virgin Galactic. Virgin Galactic's site also has a page where you can indicate interest in getting a job with them in one of the following categories:

• Space Pilot (you'll need to be an experienced non-space pilot first)
• Rocket Scientist (technical, design, training, IT)
• Astronaut Advisor (marketing, sales and customer care)
• Ground Controller (Business project & facilities management)
• None of the above but I make great coffee