poltergeist in my drawer

i have this drawer that likes to slide open...a lot. I could approach this very logically and say my office is on a slope and therefore the drawer gravitates toward openness more easily. I could even say the drawer is old and thus the track used so much that the drawer slides open due to lack of adequate tension to keep the drawer in place. But that's no fun. I'm more inclined to think there's a band (yes, not just one) of miniature poltergeists (polter-gei?) that enjoy continuously opening my drawer. I could even really stretch out this hypothesis by concluding that when random things happen such as my computer turning off (more than likely microsofts fault), or papers fly of my desk (when your papers are piled in the form of Mt. St. Helens this tends to occur)...that too could be my poltergeist friends. yup. that's it. I'm haunted. darn. My grandfather sometimes tells me stories of poltergeist, only he pronounces it "polter-geest". This makes me think of poultry. But i digress. oop....there it goes again! Must go tame my "geest" now.

Dead Guy, of the Rogue variety

They had Rogue Dead Guy on special at Pittsburgh Cafe last night. $2 Drafts. So after a couple dead guys, we chowed down on some burrito's and then got pumpkin ice cream from Dave and Andy's. I'm on good flavor sensory overload. Plus at the office earlier we had ordered in Thai for lunch. I think i may have to eat something really bland today, just to change it up. What a random food consumption day...thai, beer, more beer, burrito, ice cream. (plus coffee to start, which incidentally, i've had none of yet today. Must fix that...) Oh, it's raining today too. I hope it clears up, so i can ride tomorrow.

CONSERVATION can even help economic growth!

Conservation of species and preservation of biodiversity are more important than people think. I believe it's imporant to preserve ecosystems for the sheer love and respect of life's natural diversity, but it helps us too. It's a shame that our consumer driven self-absorbed world is every day closer to causing more and more mass extinction, and most people fail to even recognize the plight. So, it's promising that scientists can actually provide tangible proof that helping the environment will in turn help the economy, so i read this morning...

What do bees and forest conservation have to do with your morning cup of coffee? A lot, according to a new study by a WWF scientist, which found that pollination by wild bees resulted in greater yields and healthier coffee beans from trees planted near patches of forest. The research, released this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that conserving tropical forests -- where bees nest -- may provide huge economic benefits to nearby coffee plantations and increase profits for farmers in developing countries.

"The study illustrates that there are compelling reasons for conserving native ecosystems," said Taylor Ricketts, principal author of the study and director of WWF's Conservation Science Program. It also tells us that "the goals of conservation and economic development are more aligned than we thought. Protecting natural ecosystems can benefit both biodiversity and local people."

The study, which is the first to quantify in such detail the economic value of pollination services from tropical forests, shows that 7 percent of a Costa Rican farm's annual income -- $62,000 -- comes directly from the "pollination services" of adjacent tropical forest. Coffee plants within about a half mile of tropical forest increased their yields by 20 percent and those plants visited by bees were 27 percent less likely to produce deformed beans. The research also indicates that the value of tropical forest is likely greater than other land uses for which forests are often destroyed.

Honeybees and other native species are in decline all over the world due primarily to habitat loss, and this report illustrates the economic consequences of these declines. But it also opens the door to conservation by demonstrating its potential economic benefits.

"Linking coffee production to forest conservation could provide powerful conservation incentives in some of the most important and threatened regions on Earth," said Ricketts.

I'd like to visit Australia - but not get bit

In Australia there are random "Big" things to visit. Like a "Big Koala" and a "Big Lobster". Yes, large creatures erected for no other purpose except there are so many wide, empty expanses in Australia, that any passerby would most certainly stop at the "Big Lobster" for a meal, and maybe even purchase souveneirs. Imagine, nothing for miles, and then all of a sudden on a long flat stretch of nothingness you come across a giant lobster. Australians are a funny sort - Bill Bryson describes them as an interesting mix of America and Britain. American like laid-back ness, only they play cricket and drink tea, and have statues of Queen Victoria. I'm learning a multitude of Australian factoids from Bill Bryson's travel writing. It's fun to learn about a place in the narrative form...the engaging stories leave a distinct impression, which seems to be reflected in my retention rate. He tells of historical facts, personal encounters, and the land..not to mention the massive array of creatures inhabiting the arrid landscape. I like that he gets into the nuts and bolts of what makes Australia - including a bit of everything, because they have things considerably more dangerous than the well known crocodile. Australia has a phenomenal amount of deadly creatures inhabiting it...included the Inland Taipan Snake - believed to be the most toxic of all snakes (one bite delivers enough venom to kill 100 people). They also are home to one of the most poisonous spiders (the funnel web). And though Australia is a mecca for dangerous and venomous creatures, it's more a badge of honor than a fear. Crazy. I'd definately like to check this place out for myself.

Ole

Ever eaten a reallly early lunch (11am-ish), then come home from work late (6 or 7 o'clock-ish), and you're so hungry you eat the most random things? Like, a piece of pita, a granola bar, and a frozen waffle? Or a couple spoonfools of peanut butter right out of the jar, cuz you just can't make it to the bread before you start gnawing your arm off? I do that sometimes. I kinda laugh about it after...and occasionally really good things occur from this phenomenon. Like tonight, i was just impatient enough to want anything, but my stomach could be held at bay long enough to quickly make something hot. I started by chopping some red peppers and throwing them into a frying pan with red hot olive oil (so hot you kind of have to hop back when you toss the peppers in, or you'll suffer olive oil burn - i like to live dangerously). I had planned on charring them real quick and throwin 'em on a tortilla shell with cheese. Bam, instant dinner in a few short minutes. But somehow, I found myself mixing cumin and cilantro in the pan, then a couple other random seasonings (like season all - I daresay you could season rubber with that stuff and it wouldn't be too shabby) and then adding in some salsa, and some black beans...and simmering it all together for a little while. At the end i threw in about a handful of shredded colby and monteray jack. It wasn't the most attractive in dinner cuisine, but man, it was a tasty dish. It's amazing...you can turn almost anything into a mexican dish with cilantro and cumin. I love making mexican...ooooh, I especially love burritos. Anywho, I generally like to cook and am even quasi good at it sometimes...but the tastiness that arose from tonights festival of crap tossed into a pan really surprised me. I'd even make it for people to eat (as opposed to making it for people to not eat...hrm). So now it's time to fold up some laundry and let my tummy settle as i revel in my one-night gourmet chef-dom.

accomplishment is good

I almost have a paper draft done. Yes, this is the one i hoped to have finished last week - these suckers aren't as easy as they seem though. But i see the end! Oh first author paper - you will be mine very soon. I'm a whirling sphere of ambition and caffeination today (pretty much like any other day i guess...only with an extra twist of motivation).

I'd like a latte making pet monkey

I'm a blog-a-holic today. I think my hands have a mind of their own...i'm making tables and all of a sudden I'm blog-surfing, and finally, back at home-blog-base... the land of caffeination and blathering about nothing ( a far cry from the land of milk and honey...though funny how both milk and honey are both possible coffee additives...). Just thought I'd mention there's a new employee at Starbucks and she made the best latte I've had in months. I guess it just goes to show that even though a monkey could make a latte, some monkies do it better than others. the end (i really think so anyway...i believe my brain will turn into a gelatinous gooball if i blog anymore today).

DAMN WAL-MART!!

Today's food for thought from America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places:

"With historic villages and downtowns, working farms, winding back roads, forest-wrapped lakes, spectacular mountain vistas and a strong sense of community, Vermont has a special magic that led National Geographic Traveler magazine to name the state one of "the World's Greatest Destinations." Yet in recent years, this small slice of America has come under tremendous pressure from the onslaught of big-box retail development. The seriousness of this threat led the National Trust to name the state to its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 1993. Back then, Vermont was the only state without a Wal-Mart. Today it has four – and it now faces an invasion of behemoth stores that could destroy much of what makes Vermont Vermont. To highlight the threat to this vital piece of America’s heritage, the National Trust for Historic Preservation today named the state of Vermont to its 2004 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. During the 1990s Wal-Mart located three of its four Vermont stores in existing buildings and kept them relatively modest in size. Now, however, the world’s largest company is planning to saturate the state – which has only 600,000 residents – with seven new mammoth mega-stores, each with a minimum of 150,000 square feet."

BOOTS!

Ooooh, I almost forgot I scored some free snowboarding boots this weekend. It's really funny cuz they're my nephews friends old ones. I fit into 13 y/o boy snowboarding boots. Those kids have big feet though. So I walked around lead-footed in my newly acquired boots for a bit yesterday...like a kid at Christmas. I'm like that with those sorts of things - new toys of the outdoor variety especially (at the right time, coffee can induce much the same behavior though...) I'm the hand-me-down snowboard queen!! woo! So i'm excited, I have boots and a spare board to use - it's okay if it snows now. (well, lemme get my new jeep tires first - then it can definately snow)

The Weekend in Review

So i guess it's good I'm generally a non couch-potato-ing around the house on the weekends kinda gal...though it makes for an extensive and jumbled Monday morning, err afternoon, post. Though to start, I'd like to pat myself on the back due to my 8am work arrival this morning. I've already managed to do more than 2 and a half solid hours of work. good work. ROCK ON! The traffic sucked though...the road bikers definately have it made. If i had a road bike, it would be a bit of a far trek, but definately worth biking it to avoid the massive amout of traffic on Fifth Ave. Atleast i got some Mt. Biking in this weekend. It was a fantastic weekend for it. We took about a 3 hour ride in North Park. It's not bad there...not a whole lot of technical stuff, but a couple cool parts, some wooden bridges, nice climbs. Lots of beautiful red and yellow leaves scattered about...and the first long/steep climb was on the road...so i had a nice warm up. We ran into some "no biking" signs in the natural area :o( . It bums me out when that happens. I also stopped for a break after one of the hill climbs and saw a man decked out in hunting gear sitting up in a tree (fairly high up) ...thankfully it seems he was hunting something other than mountain bikers. I could NEVER be a hunter. Hunting for sport in itself just seems so masochistic to me...for food yes, but just shooting things "for fun"....ugh. UGH!! Anyways...so some North Park biking on Saturday, then a nice big bonfire out in Irwin Saturday night...and some shoe shopping (not for me...i think my shoe collection is getting outta control), and riding around the neighborhood yesterday. There, i was moderately brief in rehashing the weekend. I had all sorts of random thought-provoking mind children this weekend...I'm not good at recounting those kinds of things after the fact though. Maybe they'll be reborn later and I'll share (I think this is why i did the whole "live" beehive post a few weeks back). okay, Lunch time...PB&J with raspberry jam!! mmm, the old standby. :o)

I have a green brain on my desk

I do. I have a brain on my desk, and it's green. It's also small and squishy...like those stress toys.
Contents of my desk also include a coffee travel mug, a coffee thermos, a coffee cup, and an empty starbucks coffee cup. I like coffee. There's also my computer and various articles and such. Work type stuff...y'know. I like work too. PLUS, my handy Japanese wood block calendar. I love those prints. No Hokusai though (of "The Wave" fame). I'm feeling very simplistic today, thus the limited vocabulary and short sentences. Feeling Mellow also. Though the mellowness is post-work beer induced. Well, almost-end-of day-beer induced. Myself and three others meandered over to Pittsburgh Cafe for a beer. To be precise, a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for myself, a Great Lakes Eliot Ness for co-worker #1, a XXX for co-worker #2, and a Coors light for co-worker #3. Yes, co-worker #3 drinks Coors Light. Coors Light drinkers of the world should really branch out and try an IPA every so often. They may surprise themselves and actually discover they like beer. Real Beer. Well Crafted and flavorful beer. mmm. We even sat outside. It's rather nice out there despite the chill and the looming murky cloud cover. Time to finish work and depart for the evening. Let the weekend begin.

Star-lunch?

It's happened. I had starbucks for lunch today. I was happily going about my brain-related business and worked myself right through lunch. Then i worked right through 2 o'clock. hrm. So I ended up with a coffee and a scone from starbucks. woe is me, i now eat meals from starbucks. I'll try not to make that a habit. I have a headache too...gee wonder why. My eating habits have sucked this week. I had ice cream and coffee for dinner the other day. It's funny cuz I'm the token healthy eating girl around here. The sprout-eating, power drink totin, energy bar for a snack girl. I think i'm just worn out this week and unwilling to expend brain cells on choosing what to eat...so i just open a door (be it refrigerator or cabinet) and just kinda gnaw on whatever happens to be right in front of me, or what falls out first. In some cases this actually works - like last night it was a boca burger on wheat toast with some hummus (a wee bit better than the ice cream dinner). Sometimes...i'm eatin a couple slices of pumpkin bread (I made 2 gi-normous loaves of it on Monday), and a huge glass of milk. Whatever fills the tummy i guess. I think I'll motivate, and actually cook tonight. I smell a stir fry on the horizon. YIP!

Kerry-mondium

So on my way home around 6ish last night i decided to take the through-Schenley Park-behind CMU way. It was kinda cool to see random large buses, along with lots of flashing lights and cop cars. The winding Schenley golf course road which is usually devoid of all manner of motor vehicle (but filled but many pedestrians/bikes/golfers)...was definately not empty yesterday. From Phipps Conservatory all the way to the top of the hill there were cars lining the street. By god, it looked like there was a rally or something goin on.

A window washer just washed my windows. Then, he went across the way and washed another office's windows. We sat here (we being myself and three other people) and watched the washer climb out the window and wash windows from a little ledge. Who knew a mundane job such as window washing could be mildly entertaining as well as able to provide a full 5 minutes of entertainment for the washees. Speaking of window washers, someone just told me window washers in New York City make a heckload of money (y'know, cuz the buildings have a lot of windows are a talllll)...but i'm wondering if this is really true, hrm. I can't find evidence of this anywhere on the net.

AND, I'm glad not all Catholics are crazy...like the ones who are voting solely on the abortion issue. I'm catholic, but not of the church going religious sort. Primarily because Catholicism of the heart rather than the institution is more my speed...but also cuz some of the more nazi like people scare me.

Poopsie Girdlebuns - don't ask, just read

Just got this as an e-mail, and well, I found it slightly and subtly amusing...

Children laugh 146 times a day, adults laugh only 4 times a day.....no wonder we're so unhappy. What's your new name??? Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you need some silliness to break up the day. Here is your Wednesday dose. Follow the instructions to find your new name. The following is an excerpt from a children's book, "Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants" by Dave Pilkey. The evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names .

Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name: a= poopsie b=lumpy c = buttercup d = gidget e = crusty f = greasy g = fluffy h = cheeseball i = chim-chim j = stinky k = flunky l = boobie m = pinky n = zippy o = goober p = doofus q = slimy r = loopy s = snotty t = tulefel u = dorkey v = squeezit w = oprah x = skipper y = dinky z = zsa-zsa
Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name: a = apple b = toilet c = giggle d = burger e = girdle f = barf g = lizard h = waffle i = cootie j = monkey k = potty l = liver m = banana n = rhino o = bubble p = hamster q = toad r = gizzard s = pizza t = gerbil u = chicken v = pickle w = chuckle x = tofu y = gorilla z = stinker
Use the fourth letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name: a = head b = mouth c = face d = nose e = tush f = breath g = pants h = shorts i = lips j = honker k = butt l = brain m = tushie n = chunks o = hiney p = biscuits q = toes r = buns s = fanny t = sniffer u = sprinkles v = kisser w = squirt x = humperdinck y = brains z = juice

For example, George W. Bush's new name is Goober Chickenshorts. Remember that children laugh an average of 146 times a day; adults laugh an average of 4 times a day. Put more laughter in your life!!!

Kerry and Bon Jovi

So the John Kerry Rally hits town today. I should probably go, as I'm a mere walk away - but I'm just not in the mood for a propaganda and bon jovi filled afternoon. I'll show my support at the polls - and that's where it counts. And that's also where i won't be seeing Bon Jovi...darn.

So my coffee's cold already. I have one of those unnecessarily large coffee cups. These things aren't what they're cracked up to be cuz the large surface area (compared to you regular everyday Joe mug) means coffee gets cold a lot quicker. hrm. And microwaving coffee
sucks. So this is my morning, cold coffee and the expectation that later this afternoon droves of people will be flocking to CMU making it pandemonium getting home. I should start strategizing now.

Tim Hortons - I first drank this coffee on Prince Edward Island. When we went to PEI this summer, we drank Tim Horton's every day (sometimes 2 and 3 times...they have an all night drive thru!!!!). I'm drinking out of this very travel mug today...Tim isn't cockey like that dumpster.

Baltimore Cockey-ness

Baltimore 10/2/04
A sign a bit too tame for Leno - but i found this dumpster amusing,
especially since the last 2 digits you must dial to get cockey are 69.

The PPA may suck...but the Steelers Don't!!

Ben Roethlisberger guided the Steelers to a 24-20 victory against the Cowboys yesterday, becoming the first rookie quarterback to go 4-0 since Phil Simms on the 1979 New York Giants and the first Pittsburgh quarterback to win in Dallas since Bradshaw in 1982.

Phones and Parking - urgh

I finally changed my phone plan. I've had my cell phone since '99 and just got a new one last month. So today, I FINALLY changed my ancient calling plan...after about 5 months of outrageous phone bills. Yup, I shoulda just changed it after the first one. It's that "I'll do it later syndrome". A large phone bill ranked low on my priority list in comparison to everything else...but it only took my a 5 minute phone call to change it. Unbelieveable. I coulda saved myself a couple hundred bucks. oh well. It's done now, and I'll try not to procrastinate on my daily domestic responsibilities anymore. hrm. Atleast I do my laundry regularly. heh.

So my pet peeve right now is the Pittsburgh Parking Authority. I believe there is an evil heathen living under the city that runs the PPA. It's like a mafia with parking ticket devices. I've gotten probably about 20 or so tickets in the past 2 years (less than one a month). On Friday, I was a good little citizen...i parked at a meter and faithfully kept that sucker filled all day. BUT I STILL GOT A TICKET. Unbelievable. I know legions of people that do this. It's a good way to save a dime here and there if you park regularly in overpriced garages. Apparently they're trying to say I "overparked" because it's a 2 hour parking area. Yeah Right. That crap holds up for off street parking, but as far as I'm concerned there is nothing written on or around the meters saying you must move once 2 hours expires. THIS IS THE WHOLE POINT OF A METER. If you need to stay longer than two hours...you have the joy and priveledge of paying the city more money for that particular space...if you would have needed a space for less than the allotted meter time, then you'd just park in a 2-hour non-metered space. I despise the parking authority. I wish our city would go suck money from somewhere else. I'm already bitter about having to pay a huge amount of money to park down here...and now this. grrr. I don't even care if it really is a rule you can only park for 2 hours...CAUSE THAT WOULD BE A STUPID RULE! OOOhhh, PPA, you're not gettin my money this time!!!

Iams Cruelty

I don't have a cat or dog at the moment, but THIS is terrible.

Funny Stomach Noises

My stomach is making consistent rumbly noises. They're not hungry rumbles, I'm pretty sure i'm not hungry. It sounds like an airplane hovering. Is it possible this is my stomach protesting too much coffee? I only had one grande Coconut cream flavored coffee this morning (black flavored coffee, yup - got it at kiva han). Maybe there's a minature flying ship hovering in my stomach...like in that wierd Martin Short movie Innerspace (a wee bit of an obscure movie - the kind they used to replay on HBO all the time...i don't have HBO anymore-i know way too much useless triva-and I like rambling on incessantly about nothing...). Hrm.
Tomorrow to Westminster I will go for Homecoming festivities. It's been about...oh, i guess around Homecoming '01 since I've been up to partake in the 'ol alma mater homecoming festivities. I'm not so much the type to be all into the whole gung ho alumni thing, but friends are persuasive, and Jake's never seen the place...plus it really is beautiful up there in the fall ('cept it's gonna be all nasty and rainy tomorrow - urgh). It'll still be cool to hang out though.

Ah well, maybe i'll go feed my stomach and see if that's what the rumbles were about after all :op

Ode to Coffee...

A night at the Improv

So last night I checked out The New Generation of Comedy Tour at the Improv. And lemme tell ya, those guys were AWESOMEly funny. Definately an overabundance of sex jokes - but with a bunch of 20 something guys, that's not surprising...and they were damn funny so it's okay. Two of them are from Pittsburgh, so they did some kick ass Pittsburgh jokes (Italian day at Kennywood, Pittsburghers bein in such a hurry we just throw everything on a sandwich together and run...that kinda stuff, but it's funnier when you see it live) I got a tip from my friend up in Manhatten that these guys would be in town and I should go. Actually the guy in charge of it all, Zach Miller, went to high school with my friend...so she was trying to get people there. It was cool to see someone I recognized from the old days on stage doing his thing. And a few years back he won "Pittsburgh's funniest man" at the Improv. Sweet. I love going into things not expecting much, and getting superb entertainment. If these guys come to town again, definately worth checkin 'em out.

Check out the cortex on that brain...

Brains - so much stuff going on, and we're still not quite sure about the how or why of it all. This is why i love my job...i want to know what's really going on up there and how it translates into behavior. The highlighted areas show higher activation of the serotonin 1A receptor. Imagine...all these circuits are responsible for what makes us human. This thing right here - it's why we talk, walk, express emotion, and the list goes on...

Last Night at the Hive

The time is about 6:48pm. It's Tuesday evening and I'm at the Beehive. I have this handy wireless chip in my laptop, but for some reason it doesn't want to work. It hasn't wanted to work ever since our database manager had his way with it. BUT, ever the optimist and not willing to give up that easily, I've decided to utilize my handy dandy notepad. woo! It's just much more entertaining to comment on this place when i'm actually in it. I guess it's like that with most anything. Key moments are captured in the actual moment. So, here i am realtime (well, when i post it'll be more like "there i was, last night" - but you get the idea). So, we're situated near the back of the smoking section (my PhD seeking friend and work buddy is
a smoker)...by the pinball machines. There's something glorious, by the way, about a coffee house that has pinball machines, AND board games, AND a pool table, not to mention some yummy looking munchies (i'm always hungry when i get here, yet not really wanting to spend the extra money on food, as i already spend too much on coffee, or Chai, my current palette quenching substance...anyway, since i generally don't eat here I can only assume the food is yummy). There aren't any quasi intellectuals behind me today (cuz to do that, they'd have to be sitting on the pinball machines)...so no loud and obnoxious over-analyzations being unessessarily piped into my head space. YAY! I'm actually getting work done. I got to about an hour before i decided it was time for some Shannan Like observations. So there's a crew of young men to the left of me. They've been searching this place for the last 20 minutes looking for a certain beloved board game. I don't know what it is, but it must be beloved because they're all jumpy about it. They settled on a game called Stratego instead - but it was evident from the moment the very first game piece emerged from the box, they couldn't be more disturbed with attempting this unknown thing. And so, they've just gone to put it back (and i assume, to hunt some more for the one they want - i imagine they might start going table to table looking for the offending party that is partaking in their game. hrm). There's a girl wearing toe shoes that just did a few toe stand thingies. I wonder if she's breaking them in, or maybe she wears them all the time for just those occasions when she may want to stand on her toes. Pretty Pink toe shoes peeking out from black pants covered in chains and buckles is a contrast that seems more suited to Rock Opera, or some exhibitionist display, rather than a coffeehouse. Then again, this isn't just ANY coffeehouse. Ah, she's a dance major (i'm not so much listening as my ear is getting in the way of their voices). It's time to get back to my work. Maybe i'll get to see more dancing later...or find out what the hell this mystery game my obsessive coffee drinking friends are looking for. For now - back to my Serotonin Receptors. I just adore those wacky receptors.

(Hrm. i must say this is a handy method...i'm entertained without the distractions of useless information at my fingertips...perhaps i should leave the wireless chip in it's disabled state for just such occasions when i would better benefit from a notepad, leaving me with nothing else to do when i'm done making social commentary but return to work...)

update: It's 7:15pm and my young game searching friends have departed. This could be because they've finished their coffee, or just were unable to accept their ultimate fate of gamelessness. And, i've seen some more dancing, and stretching. It really is kind of funny to see an impromptu ballet of delerium on a Tuesday night.

Tree Frogs

Heh, I like these silly frogs. The pointed noses are a bit much though...I can't seem to remember ever seeing a tree frog with such a large nose/mouth area. I have the strong urge to color them brightly in orange, green, and red. A black and white tree frog just seems wrong.

Cigarrettes - worse than they thought

So I'll follow up my long-winded weekend update with a bit of research news. This makes me kinda glad i don't spend quite as much time in smoke-filled bars as I used to. Makes me also a bit more respectful of non-smoking sections. It seems people have a right to not have their DNA mutated, wouldn't ya say? (disclaimer: I'm not one of those crazy cigarrette nazi people, but this suckin on nicotine just doesn't seem too healthy...then again i drink coffee like it's my job...but i somehow think inhaling smoke on a daily basis is a wee bit worse than casually sipping 2-3 cups of coffee in a day, but i'll shut up now and give you the hard research...)

"Just one puff of a cigarette could damage a smoker's DNA, the first step to cancer and heart disease, researchers said on October 1, 2004. It obviously takes more than that to cause disease, but the team at the University of Pittsburgh were surprised at how little smoke it took to do the initial damage. William Saunders and colleagues studied the effects of real cigarette smoke on human fibroblasts, common cells found in the connective tissue that holds much of the body together. They exposed batches of growing cells to liquefied cigarette smoke and saw the chromosomes that carry the DNA were pulled apart from both ends. 'Double-stranded breaks are considered the most mutagenic type of DNA damage because the broken ends can fuse to other chromosomes in the cell,' Saunders said in a statement."

Lotsa Stuff

Friday - the Tour of Hope made it's way across the Roberto Clemente Bridge and into PNC park. It was pretty cool to see Lance...he even tossed on his Pirate and Steeler Jerseys as they were presented to him, gave a brief speech on the importance of cancer research , and did a Q and A session (questions taken from letters, etc that had been sent in prior to the event). And, it was a bright and sunny day, which made sitting in PNC Park looking out at the Roberto Clemente and our fine city - a very pleasant Friday afternoon (pictures are living in my digital, so some day they'll make it on here). After that, we had a nice outside dinner at FatHeads down in the Souf-Side. They have Oktoberfest beers now too....woo. Two thumbs up on the Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest, another two for $1 off happy hour beers. Since already in the southside, we meandered on over to a friends place in the southside. A few beers later we yet again venture out to North Oakland for an apartment gathering involving Sam Adams, Foosball, and Darts. I kinda suck at Foosball - but it's fun, so that's okay. So now, it's 3am and we're tired. whew.
Saturday = sleepytime. I like to listen to my body when it seems to be saying things like "If you get up, I will ensure that you feel weary and miserable ALLL day" ...so i woke up and ate breakfast - then retired to the couch for a nap. I think somewhere around 3pm I made it to the shower. But we did manage to get our butts up for Ligonier Days. Albeit, we got there at 7pm, but we still made it. The weather was getting chilly, but definately more of a brisk chill - the kind you love about fall nights. We wanted Apple Dumplings, but the dumpling booth was already abandoned for the night. Sadly, I ate a gyro. Yes, a meat filled gyro. Woe is me. I'm the worst quasi-vegetarian on the planet. So, in order not to make myself crazy I think my philosophy is going to be...primarily vegetarian, but meat sometimes. I dunno - i'm still wrestling with this one. I somehow feel good that i eat veggies 95% of the time, because atleast that's acknowledging that vegetarianism is my primary eating habit....and if i eat meat once or twice a month, it won't kill me....or my morality. I think, anyways. hrmm. I was so deadset on leavin the 'ol meat behind. Though, things are evolving all the time so i guess, why should i be any different?? m'kay - I'm not going to obsess about it, so onward.
Sunday - So somehow i found myself awake and in the shower at 6am. A miraculous feat. Even moreso, I found myself at Eat'n'Park an hour later chompin on a Smiley Belgian Waffle (which, by the way, that smiley is kinda wierd on the waffle - it's like maybe they've gone a bit overboard with thematic food preparation). So we went out to Brady's Run for a bike race with a few other guys. Not being a Mt. Bike racer, i spectated (very well, i think). I didn't get to do any riding this weekend...but oh well. The weekend was chock full as it was...next weekend perhaps. So the rest of the day consisted of some Steeler game watchin (go STILLERS), some Quizno's chompin (I like to "chomp"), and some Incubus listening. The original mission was to take my 12yr old nephew to his first show (his choice: Incubus), but he ended up grounded and unable to go. We (Jake and I) went anyway, and it wasn't a bad show, but i definately wouldn't have bought the tickets without the over-arching purpose of taking the nephew to his first show. So, I've managed to spew out a bunch of weekend crap without any real social commentary, so i think it's time to rest my hands. Maybe i'll return later with something thought-provoking and exciting! (or not)
THE END.

Lunchtime observations

1. The Everything Bagel from Brueggars. This is a mighty tasty bagel, especially with veggie cream cheese and green peppers. It's a bit irritating that the sesame seeds roll off in all directions all over my desk, but that just means i need a bigger napkin (and to eat at the lunch table - sometimes i like to eat and surf though)

2. Funky Sneakers. I just saw 2 guys walking down Forbes with some real funky sneakers on...the kind you'd see in a store window and say, "wow, funky"...bright reddish for 1 guy, and bright yellow and navy adidas for the other. It was funny to see them walking side by side...like they'd just gone shoe shopping together and decided to strut down Forbes showing off their kicks. Even funnier...guy #2 had this god awful black and green psychadelic shirt on. I think he may have just discovered he's gay, and hasn't quite gotten his gay man style ironed out yet. I dug the shoes though...they even looked okay if he's a straight man (but he's got to dump the shirt).

3. Tour of Hope. Lance Armstrong rides into PNC Park today! woohoo!

Flu Vaccines and Goo

My mom has the sneaking suspicion that terrorists are behind the inability to supply the US with adequate flu vaccine this year. Now, that may sound crazy, but since my mom's not generally an alarmist (or a crackhead)...I thought about it and considered that indeed it would be an insidious form of bioterrorism to somehow sabotage the US supply of flu vaccine. A warning of sorts. The way the world is today, I'd buy it. Then again, I think I'm just in a Conpiracy Theory kind of mood today ( not in a freaky Mel Gibson bad movie way...in a stealth, FBI good guy way). At any rate, since i have better things to worry about than what plots are being hatched against us by evil fear loving humans, I'll just say okay...that sucks, and move on. Plus, the tour of hope comes through town tomorrow and i'd much rather focus my energies on improving the world and celebrating something such as hope, than dwelling on the very many ways the whole world could one day crumble around us. Some days, I feel like that wierd goo from the movie Ghostbusters II , the pepto-bismol pink and thrives on anger goo, is flowing through the veins of far too many people...if only we could pull a Ghostbusters and make the goo happy, we'd be in business. Anyways, here's what the CDC reported...

"On October 5, 2004, CDC was notified by Chiron Corporation that none of its influenza vaccine (Fluvirin®) would be available for distribution in the United States for the 2004–05 influenza season. The company indicated that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom, where Chiron’s Fluvirin vaccine is produced, has suspended the company’s license to manufacture Fluvirin vaccine in its Liverpool facility for 3 months, preventing any release of this vaccine for this influenza season. This action will reduce by approximately one half the expected supply of trivalent inactivated vaccine (flu shot) available in the United States for the 2004–05 influenza season." - Center for Disease Control

Coffee Talk

The Beehive amuses me. I was there again last night sipping on my medium latte while perched in front of my laptop (we tried large coffees on Tuesday night, but just can't seem to make it to the end before they get cold). If you're counting, this week I had two straight days of incessant work (about 11 hours each day)...the end product should be a paper draft ready by next week, or so I hope. Overhearing conversations at places like the Beehive, or anywhere for that matter, is incredibly amusing. The funniest part is that I actually try to block them out, as it interferes with my own thought bubbles. My thought bubbles shouldn't be trifled with - especially when they're on a role (wow, some anthropomorphism going on there - maybe my thought bubbles should also make gurgling sounds and try to steal my coffee. hrm, or not). Anyways, you know those people that like to hear themselves talk? The beehive is their breeding ground...and I always get stuck with the really loud ones that use an excessive amount of inflection right behind me. I often times think some of them are going deaf...or regularly envision themselves on the 50 yard line of Heinz Field trying to yell up to the peanut gallery seating. Seinfeld would probably call them loud talkers, maybe coffee house loud talkers...cuz coffee house loud talkers are a bit different from your run-of-the-mill movie theater loud talker. Anyways, I'm sure i look like the nerdy laptop toting scientist with my charts and graphs and stack of articles that resemble greek more than English...but I'm not deathly afraid of sentence fragments, nor do i frequently overemphasize stupid big words. The loud talkers make me laugh though, so since they seem to serve some greater purpose (good fodder for jokes and blogging)...they can stay :o) By the way, I've got mint chocolate coffee from Kiva Han today - one of my favorites. :o) :o) (yes, that deserves 2 smileys - no question).

Tired and Wired at the same time

I think I'm tired of eating fake meat already. There are just so many other tasty foods that put my fake meat to shame. Veggie and Boca burgers for instance...much better. My body thanks me for those. So i'm eating my sandwhich reluctantly as I fidget around in my chair all hopped up on my morning java. I watched the debate last night. Here's how it went.... blah blah blah blah "IRAQ" blah blah blah blah "You're a liar", blah, "That's a distortion", blah blah "IRAQ".... and i think that about covers it. Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating...a little. As usual here's the humorous take on it: Klein Blog

I'll have some Emerson with my Coffee...

What is Success
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty,
To find the best in others;
To give of one's self ;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch, or a
redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm,
and sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived -
This is to have succeeded.

UPDATE: I read somewhere that this is not Emerson's quote, can't remember who it is though.

Fall Mornings

Cold mornings have arrived....refreshingly cold though. These are the kind of mornings that make me appreciate a hot travel mug of mocha java as I do my half-asleep, half-awake shuffle out of the house. The weather is still mild enough to maintain an unzipped jacket, non-shivering, "i think I'll sit outside today" mentality. Fall is such a sensory season. Not that the other three aren't, but it seems the air holds aroma more robustly in the fall. A hot apple pie isn't nearly as inviting wafting through hot summer heat, or crawling through frigid ice and snow, as it is floating through an autumn leaf infused breeze. I think the onset of coldness may call for a mid-week bike ride (depending on how dilligently I finish my work tomorrow...). I feel winter nippin at my heels (i do like winter though). But tonight, to the Beehive i shall go for the typical study/work night. A mug of frothy chai, the chattering of pseudo-intellectuals (stereotypical coffee house variety), and because it's the beehive - even the periodic sound of pool balls colliding. Gee, i love that place :o)

Fire Drill = Coffee Break

I blame todays excessive coffee indulgence on the EVIL fire drill. When a loud, continuous, irritating bell accompanied by something similar to a strobe light drives hordes of workers onto the sidewalk, what choice do we have but to assemble and march on down to starbucks? That's a no brainer. So in todays coffee travels, I ordered up a pumpkin spice latte. Tis the season after all. However, I definately enjoy the gingerbread latte much more and will remain a solid hazlenut and carmel fan until the gingerbread arrives. The pumpkin is just kind of odd-tasting. I imagine since it's new, it's probably not quite tweaked yet - but i'm not in the mood to give 'em another try on this one. I need assurance that my afternoon coffee will be nothing but a blissful warm and caffeinated experience. This quasi good pumpkin spice just isn't doin the trick. i like my coffee way to much...but that's fairly evident by this point.

Ah, and for those equally a slave to the bean, you may enjoy Shannon Wheeler's Too Much Coffee Man. I recently discovered that Shannon has a Live Journal where he posts comics. If only I could walk around with a giant coffee cup on my head too.

The Mad Hatter Rides Again

No, that's not me being clever and displaying a flare for creativity...that's me reminiscing about last night's Bela Fleck show at the Byham. A nice name for a post, and an even nicer name for a bela fleck composition (written by the sax player, Jeff Coffin). I am in a seriously zoned out getting lots of work done in a crazy focused way mood today...thus I'll be brief in my lunchtime banterings.

I spent the weekend in Baltimore visiting friends...it was definately good times, in a mellow way. Lot's of late night bullshittin', some time spent wandering around a festival at Fell's Point (near Inner Harbor), and a couple good meals. A tavern lunch, and a fantastic Sunday Brunch at this little French place in Baltimore..."Crepe du Jour". The crepes were mouth-watering in their goodness. A crepe florentine (spinach, cheese, tomato) for the main course, followed up with a crepe St. Germain (carmelized apples...YUM)...for dessert. But, I have to say that nothing really compares to the musical stylings of Mr. Bela Fleck and his Flecktones back in Pittsburgh last night. The Byham is a smaller venue, which makes for an even more personal experience. The bass player (victor wooten) had a killer solo at the start of the second set, and we had the pleasure of seeing an alto and tenor sax played at the same time. It was a mellow night with a mellow crowd being completely blown away by amazing jazz/jamband talent. And it's nice when the crowd can shout out the random "we're not worthy" and receive a reply...without voices simply getting lost in a sea of smoke and incoherent screaming. An excellent show. "Live art" indeed.

Debate...yes, i paid attention to the debate

I like this...

"When Kerry is talking, the cutaway shot to Bush is hilarious - he looks the way a dog looks when he sees his reflection in the mirror - sort of confused, sort of curious, possibly ready to attack.
By the way, is there a dog running for president? Because right about now, if you showed me a smart-looking terrier, he'd have my vote".

Heh, after reading a few serious debate reviews, I definately found a comedic take on the debate refreshing...

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/blog/09/30/klein.blog/

Fake Meat is Funny

I have a "meatless" turkey sandwhich for lunch today. This stuff just cracks me up...it doesn't even remotely resemble turkey in flavor or appearance. I like it though. I just find it humorous that someone even tried to make a form of fake turkey, seeing as how this fake meat is made for the vegetarian population, who by definition are not very fond of meat. I can see the plan forming... "OF COURSE, it's BRILLIANT...we'll concoct a rounded meat looking food stuff! It shall be pretend Meat, and the Veg-heads will love our non-meaty goodness!!"
I mean, it's not like people were sitting around yearning to have something to call turkey, and we already understand these non-meat slices are meant to emulate lunch meat..without the word turkey attached to it. So call 'em soy slices and be done with it. And if necessary, add a little lable saying something like "this fake meat is meant to most closely resemble turkey". That's my stupid morning rant, and yes, i eat fake meat :o) So add it to the list of vices...coffee, beer, more beer, way more coffee, AND fake meat. (oooh, and did i forget to mention ben and jerry's...that's goooood too...better than fake meat)


"it's the diet coke of meat, just 1 calorie, not quite meat enough"