Friday, October 31, 2003 AD It's Party Time Unfortunately I'm in a rotten mood and don't really want to go to any stinkin' party. Bah! Humbug! But I spent 18 bucks on materials for my costume and I'm not going to let that go to waste.
I'll probably end up having a blast despite myself. ;-) Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/31/2003 07:15:00 PM
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Links to This Post The Reformation Polka Lyrics by Richard Gebel. Sung with gusto (and beer, for those who like the stuff) to the tune of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."
When I was just ein junger Mann I studied canon law;
While Erfurt was a challenge, it was just to please my Pa.
Then came the storm, the lightning struck, I called upon Saint Anne, I shaved my head, I took my vows, an Augustinian!
Refrain Oh, papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!
When Tetzel came near Wittenberg, St. Peter's profits soared,
I wrote a little notice for the All Saints' Bull'tin board:
"You cannot purchase merits, for we're justified by grace!
Here's 95 more reasons, Brother Tetzel, in your face!" (Repeat refrain.)
They loved my tracts, adored my wit, all were exempleror;
The Pope, however, hauled me up before the Emperor.
"Are these your books? Do you recant?" King Charles did demand,
"I will not change my Diet, Sir, God help me here I stand!" (Repeat refrain.)
Duke Frederick took the Wise approach, responding to my words,
By knighting "George" as hostage in the Kingdom of the Birds.
Use Brother Martin's model if the languages you seek,
Stay locked inside a castle with your Hebrew and your Greek! (Repeat refrain.)
Let's raise our steins and Concord Books while gathered in this place,
And spread the word that 'catholic' is spelled with lower case;
The Word remains unfettered when the Spirit gets his chance,
So come on, Katy, drop your lute, and join us in our dance! (Repeat refrain.)
Thursday, October 30, 2003 AD Start With Broccoli Lucy Zoe commented Wednesday about the "Brussels Sprouts Syndrome" and her determination to try again to read Austen. For anyone in that position, I'd highly recommend watching some of the better Austen-based films as a means of working your way up to the novels. The BBC/A&E production of Pride and Prejudice is the best of the best. Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility, Gwynneth Paltrow's Emma, this 1970s BBC Emma, and Amanda Root's Persuasion are also good, if not perfect. Avoid this Mansfield Park like the plague. It is the worst adaptation I've ever walked out of after only 15 minutes. The 1940 P&P with Greer Garson is also too flawed to be worth consumption. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/30/2003 04:30:00 PM
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Tuesday, October 28, 2003 AD The Golden Rule and The Golden Arches*
One of my favorite pet peeves is the lousy service one gets these days at fast food joints, retail stores, etc. Some of these young punks they employ have all the personality of a vending machine. From the monotone "would you like to try a combo meal" to the smileless, eyecontactless exchange of funds and food, they are nonpersons and treat their customers as nonpersons.
Well, it occurred to me that it was completely idiotic to expect anything else of them -- they're just acting the way the soulless world has taught them to act -- but that I ought to expect a whole lot more of myself. So I really went for it last night, saying please and thank you and even yes sir in the most charming tone I could muster to the disembodied voice emanating from the speaker in the menu board. And when I got to the window I was rewarded with a big grin, a polite request for my sauce preference for my nuggets and even a yes ma'am to my response.
I think I'll try that every time!
*OK, so this story actually took place at Wendy's, but I've got a valid poetic license, so there! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/28/2003 08:43:00 PM
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Friday, October 24, 2003 AD Well, There's the Solution, Then! "I believe in the vows I took with my wife," said Michael Schiavo. "I want to spend the rest of my live with her and I'm going to do that" (quote lifted from Zoe). So we say, "Sure, Mike! We'll stop giving Terri food and water...and you too so you can fulfill your hearts desire of spending the rest of your life with her." Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/24/2003 06:18:00 PM
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Wednesday, October 22, 2003 AD James 1:27 If only the command to look after widows and orphans could be understood typographically, I'd be some kinda super-holy saint, lemme tellya! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/22/2003 08:14:00 PM
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Links to This Post My Scanner Arrived! Now I have four USB devices and two USB ports (is that the right word?). Three and two wasn't so bad as the third device is my camera and I can cope with downloading some photos without my Wacom tablet. But working with a scanner and a mouse is too ouchy for my wrist. Is it possible to install more USB ports? Is it something a layman can do?
On a related note, I have an appointment November 3 to get evaluated for carpal tunnel syndrome. Considering I've been having wrist problems for about five years now, I figure it's about time. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/22/2003 07:28:00 PM
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Friday, October 17, 2003 AD Tea I think I've drunk more tea in the last couple weeks than in my entire life previously. I've finally figured out how I like it -- fruity herbal teas with a goodly splash of lemon juice and a very generous dose of honey. We'll see if I continue my addiction once I'm over my cold and no longer need to drink the brew medicinally. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/17/2003 04:11:00 PM
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Links to This Post Sometimes Being Hard-Hearted Is a Good Thing! "Beautiful type comes from attention to myriad tiny details. It's built up a fraction of an em at a time, through hundreds of decisions whose geometry belies their gravity. It requires, as a colleague once wrote, a heart hardened against accusations of being too fussy." -- James Felici, The Complete Manual of Typography
I think I'm like the princess. You know, the one with the pea. Alas, such sensitivity just doesn't get the respect it deserves these days! *haughty sniff* Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/17/2003 04:07:00 PM
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Tuesday, October 14, 2003 AD I Need to Buy a Scanner Any suggestions? I need it for photos for Web and print.
10/15 -- Thanks for the input so far! How 'bout one of these?
1) Canon CanoScan LiDE 20 -- $44.99 + $8.41 shipping = $53.40
2) Visioneer OneTouch 7100 USB -- $58.98 + $10.34 shipping = $69.32
3) Canon CanoScan LiDE 30 -- $70.99 + free shipping = $70.99 (Buy.com lists this as their best seller. I wonder why....)
(The cheapest HP was a bit pricier, so I stopped with these three.)
I have no idea what to compare on these things. Any guidance is appreciated! :-) Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/14/2003 07:05:00 PM
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Sunday, October 12, 2003 AD Grab Another Hanky The Ivy Clan, including Dima (center, yellow T-shirt), newly arrived from Russia after his October 2 adoption! Woo-hoooooooo!!!!! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/12/2003 08:52:00 PM
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Friday, October 10, 2003 AD All the Interviews Are Done! Roy J -- Great great-grandparent stories!
Paul B -- I give him an interview and he gives me a scolding. Sheesh!
Bill C -- Can't remember another conversion story quite like Bill's!
Toni C -- Only 28 pairs of earrings? Amateur!
Jessie -- Too many cheater answers!
John B2 -- Another great story...this time conversion + calling!
Ellen H -- Leather pants?!?! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/10/2003 07:44:00 PM
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Thursday, October 09, 2003 AD God Is So Very Good! Grab a hanky and read this. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/09/2003 05:41:00 PM
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Tuesday, October 07, 2003 AD Trip Report Alas, I did not bring a camera on this trip, but Carmon had one and perhaps will have pics posted when she returns to California. Carmon and her son Pieter and daughter Rebekkah are on a whirlwind Eastern U.S. tour to visit family and friends. Since they'd planned a visit to St. Peter, I decided that was close enough for me to travel to meet them. The Friedrichs stayed with the Saenzes, while I enjoyed Sproulian hospitality.
Here are some random highlights of the trip, from my perspective:
Not once getting lost, breaking down or losing my cool -- a very noteworthy road trip non-event for me!
The beautiful mountain scenery in both directions
The Sproul Sprouts (An evening with six kids is so way better than an evening in front of the TV or online!)
Monday, October 06, 2003 AD Analyze This I had an upset stomach most of last week. This weekend I was fine throughout my entire trip to Virginia/Tennessee and back (musta been all that good food -- physical and spiritual). As soon as I walked back into my office, my tummy was in knots again. Hmm...couldn't be stress, could it? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/06/2003 03:44:00 PM
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Friday, October 03, 2003 AD Interviews I've prepared interviews for seven people (three two of whom have not yet answered their questions -- hint, hint!). If anybody else wants an interview, just pick five questions from the ones I've asked them. I can't come up with any more! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/03/2003 11:35:00 AM
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Thursday, October 02, 2003 AD The Dream Theme: Questions for Ellen 1) Have you ever had a recurring dream or recurring themes in your dreams? If so, describe them. If not, just tell us about a couple of the most interesting dreams you can remember.
2) What would be your dream job for when you come back to the States next year and what would be your dream career if education, talent, aptitude, etc. were no obstacle?
3) What would your dream guy be like and would you give up your dream job and/or career if you married him?
4) You've been lots of places, but of the lots more places to go where would you take your dream vacation?
5) What do you dream your life will be like in 10 years? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/02/2003 06:10:00 PM
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Links to This Post Getting Snoody An online friend mentioned last week that she'd decided to start wearing a hat to church. I've said for a long time that if someone with legitimate authority asked me to wear a headcovering, I'd do so gladly. Well, as the conversation progressed, I realized there really wasn't any reason not to do it now.
I've been wanting to do this for a while, so I've sort of had it all planned out in advance for the time I finally made the decision. I've ordered three of these, which I think will work better for me than hats, since I can never find hats that fit my fat head and don't look perfectly ridiculous on me. I have a pattern if I want to crochet more in other colors, and I have a pretty good collection of scarves and bandanas for variety.
I think the timing's right because I finally no longer feel nail-bitingly neurotic about the whole thing. Not that we should wait to feel comfortable before acting on our convictions, but there are times when acting on a less important conviction such as this might cause one to sin in other ways that are more important. If that makes any sense.... Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/02/2003 12:34:00 PM
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Wednesday, October 01, 2003 AD Ooh! Ooh! He's Back, Too! Ceci n’est pas une blog. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/01/2003 08:19:00 PM
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Links to This Post Yay! The ontobloggers' server has returned. Welcome back, y'all! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/01/2003 04:00:00 PM
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Links to This Post That Felt Good I just got through facilitating a meeting at work with a room full of mostly directors and VPs. We were making the 2004 master plan for the newsletter I edit. I was really mean to them -- made them stay on topic and stay concrete rather than drifting off into the ether as they are wont to do. And they left saying, "This is the best meeting we've ever had!" Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10/01/2003 03:44:00 PM
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