Matt Said, Jay Said LVI

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Matt coughs.  Jay sneezes.  You grab a surgical mask, and listen.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_Q5nO-b9AJewuZZqF23xgwMEffYfBxnFPObojNxvM9txdywygmWPjVLSzDfU4s9nE6Ws0n_xHE4VVzdftGmFUfyElKcy8VNsJvQWW-Kh17kkohxZrPBkGHApIB9oltjHnIbilKw7lJo/s1600/Sexy-Nurse.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_Q5nO-b9AJewuZZqF23xgwMEffYfBxnFPObojNxvM9txdywygmWPjVLSzDfU4s9nE6Ws0n_xHE4VVzdftGmFUfyElKcy8VNsJvQWW-Kh17kkohxZrPBkGHApIB9oltjHnIbilKw7lJo/s400/Sexy-Nurse.jpeg" width="225" /></a>Matt:  Hey Jay.  Thanks for doing a Thursday morning phone call instead of our normal Thursday night.<br />Jay:  No prob.  I have people covering my pre-existing conditions, er…appointments.<br />Matt:  This sore throat is a bitch. Hurts to eat, to drink, to talk.  Oy.<br />Jay:  Wow.  Should I list you as probable, questionable, or doubtful for Sunday’s show?<br />Matt:  What?  Are you suffering from Fantasy Football withdrawal?<br />Jay:  Not at all, why?<br /><br />Matt and Jay:  (Cough, Sneeze, Cough, Sneeze)<br /><br />Jay:  Hey?  In this Sunday’s intro and since you are not well, should I replace your singing with a file off the bench?  Say…Mitt Romney singing America the Beautiful in order to bolster our line-up?<br />Matt:  Our Line-Up?  Focus Man.  Dear God.  There is no Fantasy Football this ye---<br />Jay:  Oh wow…Man I don’t know where my head was at.  I am sorry.  Okay I’m good to go now.<br />Matt:  Okay.  It’s all good.<br /><br />Jay:  Man…Between my allergies, your whatever, and now this withdrawal thing, we’re a medical mess.<br />Matt:  No shit…It’s amazing how even simple medical maladies can screw one’s life up even for short periods.<br />Jay:  IKR?  I had to throw a half a plate of Lemon Poppy Seed muffins away, because I sneezed on them.<br />Matt:  Really?<br />Jay:  Well yes and no…I mean, I did sneeze on them, but I figured it was my own sneeze, so…I didn’t really throw them away.<br />Matt:  Understandable.  I guess you just considered them to be glazed at that point.<br />Jay:  Exactly. It’s a sin to waste food, y’know.<br /><br />Matt:  (Cough)<br />Jay:  Hey…This Sunday we could talk about all of this.  You know, how it sucks to get sick.<br />Matt:  It is that time of year.  Cold and Flu season is fast approaching…obviously.<br />Jay:  Exactly.  We could talk about the times we have been sick.<br />Matt:  Hospital stays.<br />Jay:  Hot Nurses.<br />Matt:  Funny diseases.<br />Jay:  Death Panels.<br />Matt:  The color of the gallon of funk they drained from my lung.<br /><br />Jay:  What color was that, exactly?<br />Matt:  I guess you’ll have to wait til’ this<i><span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2012/09/30/a-couple-of-sickos" target="_blank">Sunday at Noon ET</a></span></i> to find out!!<br /><br />Jay:  Aw Man, this is gonna be epic.  I may even impart what kind of Doctor I always wanted to be.<br />Matt:  I have an idea as to what that might be.<br />Jay:  Maybe so, but you won’t know for sure until this Sunday at Noon ET as IWS Radio presents…<i><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2012/09/30/a-couple-of-sickos" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">A Couple of Sickos.</span></a></i><br /><br />Matt:  I like it.<br />Jay:  Me too.<br />Matt and Jay:  I think we’re set.<br /><br /></div>

Matt Said, Jay Said LVI

Matt coughs.  Jay sneezes.  You grab a surgical mask, and listen.Matt:  Hey Jay.  Thanks for doing a Thursday morning phone call instead of our normal Thursday night.Jay:  No prob.  I have people covering my pre-existing conditions, er…appointments.M…

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Made to Crave - Chapter 6

Tonight I just finished Made to Crave!  Finally!  It was a 193 page book - it shouldn't have taken me so long to read it.  But my excuse, as will continue to be for everything that I lack these days, is because of school.  I wish I would have stayed more on track with the book so as to stay in the spirit of it all while I read it.  Ah well.  I'm finished and that's what counts.<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/08/made-to-crave-ch-1-reflections.html" target="_blank">Chapter 1 Reflections</a></li><li><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/08/made-to-crave-ch-2-reflections.html" target="_blank">Chapter 2 Reflections</a></li><li><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/08/made-to-crave-ch-3-reflections.html" target="_blank">Chapter 3 Reflections</a></li><li><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/09/made-to-crave-ch-4-reflections.html" target="_blank">Chapter 4 Reflections</a></li><li><a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2012/09/made-to-crave-chapter-5.html" target="_blank">Chapter 5 Reflections</a> </li></ul>Highlighted passages from this chapter:<br /><br /><ul><li>"How do you grow closer to God?"  "By making the choice to deny ourselves something that is permissible but not beneficial.  And making this intentional sacrifice for the sole purpose of growing closer to God.  After all, Jesus said, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"<br /></li><li>"Yes, I want to lose weight. But this journey is so much more than just that. It really is about learning to tell myself no and learning to make wiser choices daily.  And somehow becoming a woman of self-discipline honors God and helps me live the godly characteristic of self-control.  The fruit of the Spirit is a list of godly characteristics: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  In the end, pursuing self-control does help my heart feel closer to Jesus and more pure to receive what he wants for me each day...." <br /></li><li>"....live with the willingness to walk away when the Holy Spirit nudges you and says, 'That food choice is permissible but not beneficial - so don't eat it.'"<br /></li><li>Prayer to pray: "I need wisdom to make wise choices.  I need insight to remember the words I've read in Scripture.  I need power beyond what I can find on my own."<br /></li><li>When the apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:18-19 that "'their god is their stomach', he means that food can become so consuming that people find themselves ruled by it. [....we find that certain foods are impossible to wlak away from - we can't or won't deny ourselves an unhealthy choice in order to make a healthier one - then it's a clue we are being ruled by this food on some level.  Being ruled by something other than God diminishes our commitment and will make us feel increasingly distant from Him."</li></ul><br />Chapter 6 was titled "Growing Closer to God".  The reflection questions are:<br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>1.  What is your response to the idea that we grow closer to God when we deny ourselves something that is permissible but not beneficial?  Have you ever had an experience of denying yourself that helped you grow closer to God? Do you believe this could be true for you in your battle with food?</b></i></span><br /><br />I would definitely agree that we grow closer to God when we are sacrificing something that we've made a priority in our life.  It makes total sense.  I would say that people who experience addiction can attest to this.  If you're trying to kick that habit (smoking, alcohol, drugs, food, whatever!), you know how incredibly hard it is, especially taking that first step.  You <i>need </i>God's help to get you through those critical moments.  <br /><br />I cannot say I've had an experience where I've denied myself of something and it has resulted in a closer relationship with God.  Though, that is what I have gotten out of reading this book.  If I want to be truly successful at weight loss, I need to start asking Him for help - because I prove to myself almost daily that I'm not capable of doing it alone!   By seeking His guidance, the relationship will flourish from there.<br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>2. The apostle Paul lists self-control among the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).  Are there areas of life in which you experience self-control and feel that your self-discipline and wise choices honor God?  For example, in your spending decisions or how you manage your time? What insights about your strengths in those areas might help you to honor God and grow in self-control with your food choices?</b></i></span><br /><br />I have thought about this exact concept over and over in my weight loss journey.  I am so disciplined with finances & concentrating on my studies, why cannot I not be that disciplined when it comes to weight loss?  I don't live beyond my means financially.  When school is in session, I don't procrastinate with studying.  Why, when it comes to weight loss, can I not translate that same level of self control to my journey?  I don't know!<br /><br />The way I've approached school and money management is simple:  I will not fail.  I will not spend more than I make.  I will not procrastinate/not do my homework.  Failure to abide by my goals for those two things scares the crap out of me.  Yet, with weight loss.... ugh.  So, I know I have it in me to be disciplined.  I know how to do it.  I just have to figure out how to apply that to my weight loss journey.<br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>3. Have you ever had the experience of the Holy Spirit nudging you in connection with your food choices? If so, what was that like? If not, how do you hope the Holy Spirit might help you now?</b></i></span><br /><br />I think God is that little voice in the back of my head saying, "Hilary, you don't need to stuff your face with x, y and/or z."  Yes, I know I've heard that voice many times telling me I didn't need more of what I was eating at the time.  While there have been a few times that that voice was enough to stop me, sadly, more times than not, it hasn't.   <br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>4. As Christians, our calling - and our source of spiritual nourishment - is to do God's will and finish His work (John 4:34).  To what degree have consuming thoughts about food impacted your ability to pursue your calling and receive spiritual nourishment?</b></i></span><br /><br />I've definitely had days where I start off completely focused on my weight loss journey, ready to tackle the mountain of to-do's I have, and then something negative happens.  This could be a stressful situation at work.  A disagreement with Joel.  Whatever the case might be - something goes awry.  And then, sometimes, the way I deal with that negative emotion is to eat.  Then everything quickly goes south.  I can no longer focus on what I originally had planned to do that day because now I'm swimming in a pool of guilt for having just eaten away a day's worth, if not a week's worth, of Points.  This is just a small example.  I've had "fat days", where I just feel like such crap about myself, I cannot even get out of bed to go to work.  Now, I try not to make a habit of this (for so many reasons!), but it has been known to happen on occasion.  It's sad.  And it is getting in the way of living my life to its fullest! <br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>5.  Would you say you are spiritually well fed, spiritually malnourished, or somewhere in between?  Have you ever tried to use food to satisfy your feelings of spiritual hunger?  What was the result?</b></i></span><br /><br />I would definitely say I'm somewhere in between.  I've definitely eaten out of all sorts of emotions on SO many occasions.  And I'm doing that to try to find happiness.  The result is the similar to the phrase "Money doesn't buy happiness".  Well, food doesn't provide happiness either.  It just digs that emotional hole even deeper.  <br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>6. If we find certain foods impossible to walk away from, this is a clue that we are being ruled by food on some level.  Are there foods you can't or won't deny yourself in order to make healthier choices? Why are these foods especially important to you?  What thoughts and feelings arise when you think about potentially giving them up?</b></i></span><br /><br />My major problem is sugar.  I love sweets.  I've tried giving them up in the past and it does bad things to me.  And what I mean by that is, I've given them up entirely with the hopes of losing weight.  What ends up happening is that I just substitute one addiction for another.  So while I've given up sugar, I end up consuming larger quantities of other things that I normally wouldn't.  Then I really gain the weight! <br /><br />One thing I have to come to terms with about one of the main points of this book is "deprivation".  Lysa, in my opinion, says that if we deprive ourselves of certain foods, we then form a closer relationship with God (not automatically of course).  That might be the case.  I'm not opposed to a closer relationship with Him.  However, I don't believe that that is the answer for me.  Yes, I know I need to limit the quantity of food I eat daily.  Yes, I do believe there are foods that I should cut out of my life completely because there is just no nutritional benefit to them.  However, I don't want to give up sweets entirely.  I just want to learn how to have them in moderation.  I believe that God can help me achieve that as well.<br /><br />I don't know why sweets are so important to me.  When I think about giving them up for eternity, I'm afraid I'm going to miss out on some epic tasting food!  Frankly, it just seems wrong to live without chocolate.  I'm not even being funny!  It's how I feel! <br /><br />I just want to do the best that I can with what I've been given.  And right now, I am fully willing to admit that I cannot go it alone.

Made to Crave Made to Crave - Chapter 6

Tonight I just finished Made to Crave!  Finally!  It was a 193 page book - it shouldn't have taken me so long to read it.  But my excuse, as will continue to be for everything that I lack these days, is because of school.  I wish I would have stayed …

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Today's archidose #622

Here are some photos of the recently opened <a href="http://www.stedelijk.nl/">Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam</a> in Amsterdam, Netherlands, by <a href="http://www.benthemcrouwel.nl/">Benthem Crouwel Architects</a> (2012), photographed by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/">Matthijs Borghgraef</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/7999808241/" title="Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam by kwikzilver, on Flickr"><img alt="Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8037/7999808241_40cd47d15b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/8000076222/" title="Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam by kwikzilver, on Flickr"><img alt="Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8031/8000076222_5c4658fa41_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/8004102834/" title="Stedelijk Museum Bookshop by kwikzilver, on Flickr"><img alt="Stedelijk Museum Bookshop" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8321/8004102834_6146e5b948_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/8000437325/" title="Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam by kwikzilver, on Flickr"><img alt="Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/8000437325_04a0409bae_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/8001228334/" title="Escalators 2 by kwikzilver, on Flickr"><img alt="Escalators 2" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8436/8001228334_d838e7582c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/8003980085/" title="Escalators 1 by kwikzilver, on Flickr"><img alt="Escalators 1" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8031/8003980085_ba2e48b483_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthijs_borghgraef/8000522229/" title="The new Stedelijk: it's ON! by kwikzilver, on Flickr"><img alt="The new Stedelijk: it's ON!" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8317/8000522229_e1c2665773_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #622

Here are some photos of the recently opened Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in Amsterdam, Netherlands, by Benthem Crouwel Architects (2012), photographed by Matthijs Borghgraef.To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just::: Join and add photo…

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Think Before You Tweet

Today on social media I saw someone write gritty, gross details of her cat's stomach ailment and another person described the moves that she learned in her yoga pole dancing class <i>(with names too adult to share here.) </i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6CZFUUlKUAMHJwBlFOOkyY1QMcZMRLbD6lZJ-LvBVRfaqNFljM_23Uw56jeWZ8e8TZ4-D3SAaRhLohgEwQYt3bI9W1ao8TkJh_vpAFS_LWLsemQT1HnHVeCTcWsSUj3b743-u71BnOs0/s1600/bigstock-Blue-bird-32532500+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6CZFUUlKUAMHJwBlFOOkyY1QMcZMRLbD6lZJ-LvBVRfaqNFljM_23Uw56jeWZ8e8TZ4-D3SAaRhLohgEwQYt3bI9W1ao8TkJh_vpAFS_LWLsemQT1HnHVeCTcWsSUj3b743-u71BnOs0/s320/bigstock-Blue-bird-32532500+(2).jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br />I'm trying to understand why either of them would think those two things would enlighten or improve the lives of other people.<br /><br />These ill advised shares mar the timelines of otherwise interesting professionals.<br /><br /><h2><b>Don't make this mistake</b></h2>I am going to admit something here. One time, about two months after I joined <a class="zem_slink" href="http://twitter.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Twitter">Twitter</a>, someone sat next to me at an airport and unashamedly did the unthinkable right beside me! I tweeted about his flagrantly loud gastric distress and my shock. At the same time someone at a workshop in Virginia was talking about how useful Twitter was and was showing my Twitter stream as a good example of someone who was so helpful. <br /><br /><h3><i>And across goes my ill-advised Tweet.</i></h3><br />When I got the direct message, I was humiliated and deleted the offending Tweet but I couldn't take it back. I looked like an idiot and made someone else look dumb too. I'll never forget what I learned that day.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rmlQTLvrM8G6CFH7I7-WfhhcrCFa8TZom0OEchxmDJUNmElc7SZ7lBF_SQOXvnhcrm-mry_VNCNeyAF9Al0TNr8DPCFeU4oGaqhUfiXCRzx5vdJJazkPpBFlJ7bsPenG-44mvarPHJM_/s1600/bigstock-Tweeting-Birds-Doodle-5459231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rmlQTLvrM8G6CFH7I7-WfhhcrCFa8TZom0OEchxmDJUNmElc7SZ7lBF_SQOXvnhcrm-mry_VNCNeyAF9Al0TNr8DPCFeU4oGaqhUfiXCRzx5vdJJazkPpBFlJ7bsPenG-44mvarPHJM_/s320/bigstock-Tweeting-Birds-Doodle-5459231.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h2>Twitter is not a confidante. </h2>It isn't your long lost friend who lets you whisper secrets in his ear while you go stumbling through life. She isn't smiling and nodding her head in rapt attention at your every word. Neither is <a class="zem_slink" href="http://tumblr.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Tumblr">Tumblr</a> or <a class="zem_slink" href="http://facebook.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Facebook">Facebook</a> or any other social media tool.<br /><br />Like <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlton_Heston" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Charlton Heston">Charlton Heston</a> yelling in the movie <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.soilentgreen.net/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Soilent Green">Soilent Green</a>, I want to shout from the mountain top, <br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>"Your Twitter stream is people!"</i></blockquote><br />Social media is made up of many many people. It is a complex ecosystem that you cannot ever understand. <b>You never know WHO is looking at your stream. </b>Never. You know the sequence of events but you are the only one - others splash in and out of your streams like Hobbits heading to Mordor. Every tweet, status update, and post stands alone.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbX11Hn9wZqvnqQ8mFVigONMJGP5zOla9y6nwOMUnqvyOVctpUCFIxMy0lPvrdjrL4qjnLDP4elpuaGoW64z8FjXRFDJ1cqS5FsL6LR_ht_2gjin8G8eJT4Ink6Ie5aIRgSdZEI6Mnhw4/s1600/bigstock-World-social-media-network-19958630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbX11Hn9wZqvnqQ8mFVigONMJGP5zOla9y6nwOMUnqvyOVctpUCFIxMy0lPvrdjrL4qjnLDP4elpuaGoW64z8FjXRFDJ1cqS5FsL6LR_ht_2gjin8G8eJT4Ink6Ie5aIRgSdZEI6Mnhw4/s320/bigstock-World-social-media-network-19958630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Please learn from my humiliation. Cat barf and pornographic yoga poses don't belong in the stream of a professional and neither should you share it if a big guy sits next to you and makes a intestinal noise that would cause middle school boys to go into hysterics. If you have to talk about those things, join <a href="https://path.com/" target="_blank">Path </a>and friend just a few close people who love you enough to even share the more personal things about your life.<br /><br />The easiest way to negate your nobility is to throw mud on yourself.<br /><br />Yes, be a real person. You can share some about your life. But the unsavory and potentially disgusting parts of your life should be kept private. Your short lived desire for someone out there to hear and understand your situation isn't worth the long term impact you can have on your professional image if the wrong person is looking at your stream at the wrong time.<br /><br />I'm so lucky that the person who I disappointed respected me enough to tell me I screwed up so I could learn a hard lesson. Don't say that you've never done it because you might have but just didn't know.<br /><br />Tweet well and prosper.<br /><br /><br />Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-32532500/stock-photo-blue-bird" target="_blank">Big Stock</a>, may not be used without licensing from Big Stock<br /> <div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=97f52c4b-b5e5-4ba8-b2d1-89ce5b982f56" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

Think Before You Tweet

Today on social media I saw someone write gritty, gross details of her cat's stomach ailment and another person described the moves that she learned in her yoga pole dancing class (with names too adult to share here.) I'm trying to understand why eit…

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the souvenir treatment

As you might have guessed, I like to do a little bit of <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/09/thrifting-thru-south.html" target="_blank">shopping on vacation</a>. (last vacation related post, promise) But I never really gravitate toward souvenir type things. We've already got enough crap at home, we don't need any additional t-shirts or koozie holders.<br /><br />But there is one exception. Sea shells. For some weird reason I'm wicked psycho about seashells. It is physically not possible for me to walk down the beach without bending over every two steps to pick up a shell. It's great cardio. I even have a type of shell that I look for each year - this year was sand dollars. (told you - psycho much?!)<br /><br />This means however that each year, at the end of our annual beach trip, I have a huge basket of seashells that I can't bring myself to leave behind. So I also pick up these old glass canisters from the local architectural salvage thinking I'll store all my shells like some awesome organized person.<br /><br />And each year they sit in the garage of some awesome unorganized person.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOH8N0NZ67vAEczalWkFnlalTXLAdXn9gXquPA1fXneCH_YcNa05xvuTCCWYcMgcPB6DY3qoW4hdm6I0jyU_VWSW4evKfPSZ3CW9MDRPTs6ATCaZ8IxOLdJTBnvIvItgEyiNpZV5uhW2_/s1600/AntiqueJars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOH8N0NZ67vAEczalWkFnlalTXLAdXn9gXquPA1fXneCH_YcNa05xvuTCCWYcMgcPB6DY3qoW4hdm6I0jyU_VWSW4evKfPSZ3CW9MDRPTs6ATCaZ8IxOLdJTBnvIvItgEyiNpZV5uhW2_/s640/AntiqueJars.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />So this year, damn it, I was going to get these things cleaned and put in their place.<br /><br />First things first, I followed <a href="http://www.seashells.org/cleaningseashells.html" target="_blank">these steps</a> to clean the shells. I had to do them in batches and they took forever to dry, but otherwise not hard at all.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3rCJaRALryL67XjrBBYUnZ0Tijae8CQTXsX9AWr9ACbOR5XuPBYx6doPsr7LjJtCrj6PzecAdGy1OrMzHgLXh0Joi7f1Tc9M-E2IfVtSCe_GStr28T3vCh7SlQ37Fr2rF-IgXZZDkoB_/s1600/CleanShells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3rCJaRALryL67XjrBBYUnZ0Tijae8CQTXsX9AWr9ACbOR5XuPBYx6doPsr7LjJtCrj6PzecAdGy1OrMzHgLXh0Joi7f1Tc9M-E2IfVtSCe_GStr28T3vCh7SlQ37Fr2rF-IgXZZDkoB_/s640/CleanShells.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I wanted to add a label to mark each year but I didn't want to stick or spray anything on the canisters. So I went to Michael's and picked up some labels Martha made some for me, and grabbed the twine from the garage. (which ironically was right next the the shells on the shelf)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBTpaMwuPfG1ZEa3oyZIGEpfgg4HkGAwF_iszkGu-uayXlh7ITVpYeoMUe7NEIwWendm4ZzxVMC7vp2RVjOvxaval1dVG0tjOb8c_kzg0FEzsEEcAvbtXEj37TRqGFdwFuTqGYjt36fT7/s1600/supplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBTpaMwuPfG1ZEa3oyZIGEpfgg4HkGAwF_iszkGu-uayXlh7ITVpYeoMUe7NEIwWendm4ZzxVMC7vp2RVjOvxaval1dVG0tjOb8c_kzg0FEzsEEcAvbtXEj37TRqGFdwFuTqGYjt36fT7/s400/supplies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I didn't want anything to precious or perfect but rather relaxed and easy - just like vacation. So I just wrote the year on each label and tied them around the top of the jar with the twine.<br /><br />Voila.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowwyiy0h9a8HRh4rZH0Dt2JzbIUJbxHmprGyEaueqv8tBGCD6vf9xwFuLRvidGY4qRWodPbtko_CflsyZBI1MCsZSgMTL6fM6XhRrunGgin_efOZK-04-noznGql8aOR36wUSwW9iNab7/s1600/seashellcloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowwyiy0h9a8HRh4rZH0Dt2JzbIUJbxHmprGyEaueqv8tBGCD6vf9xwFuLRvidGY4qRWodPbtko_CflsyZBI1MCsZSgMTL6fM6XhRrunGgin_efOZK-04-noznGql8aOR36wUSwW9iNab7/s640/seashellcloseup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Each year lined up and ready to go.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGZbjU_JvK2bYxqGMWqTpC_vlzfK61zGHepKSRBpd8sZPgeX2xAKkgEpNjdoBWTjktJR02LWF6HqBwP3WJaKcMzKTwLix813T3_o48SxuuIOdduM5PDenqIGEKLk2AWDWfl_nRvCOVD_3/s1600/seashellsdone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGZbjU_JvK2bYxqGMWqTpC_vlzfK61zGHepKSRBpd8sZPgeX2xAKkgEpNjdoBWTjktJR02LWF6HqBwP3WJaKcMzKTwLix813T3_o48SxuuIOdduM5PDenqIGEKLk2AWDWfl_nRvCOVD_3/s640/seashellsdone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />For now they are living on the bookshelves in the <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/p/basement.html" target="_blank">family room</a> so I can look at them while I watch TV and remember good times. (the trips, not the tv show) Dynomite!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMwZU6WnNcklsVCJg426KE2WM3sh4KLJmwvXsTM_Z8UmQEzhA08s2kkIF4vA2jYE5Wei2MGuvDWymAC0LHQMRzQK9dNjM22odGfAMCywtSMttIaNXNdK6KjJckHIya3TjnS3MzqM1xO7G/s1600/seashellbookcase2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMwZU6WnNcklsVCJg426KE2WM3sh4KLJmwvXsTM_Z8UmQEzhA08s2kkIF4vA2jYE5Wei2MGuvDWymAC0LHQMRzQK9dNjM22odGfAMCywtSMttIaNXNdK6KjJckHIya3TjnS3MzqM1xO7G/s640/seashellbookcase2.jpg" width="590" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">btw - I HATE taking pictures in the basement. Crap lighting.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />What do you bring back from vacation? Does it end up in the closet? Have you found a special place for it?<br /><br />

the souvenir treatment

As you might have guessed, I like to do a little bit of shopping on vacation. (last vacation related post, promise) But I never really gravitate toward souvenir type things. We've already got enough crap at home, we don't need any additional t-shirts…

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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 09/28/2012

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://theweek.com/article/index/233980/the-casual-vacancy-5-reactions-to-jk-rowlings-adult-oriented-novel">The Casual Vacancy: 5 reactions to J.K. Rowling's adult-oriented novel - The Week</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">JK Rowling as a new adult fiction book amidst mixed reviews.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/literature">literature</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/authors">authors</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 09/28/2012

The Casual Vacancy: 5 reactions to J.K. Rowling's adult-oriented novel - The Week JK Rowling as a new adult fiction book amidst mixed reviews. tags: education …

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Arthurs Day/Marketers Day?!

<span style="font-size: large;">Really enjoyed "Tuesdays with Morrie" last night.  Thought it was an excellent production.  In particular I thought that Terry Byrne who played Morrie was brilliant.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">On the way home we drove through the city and up Camden Street.  It was crazy!!!  The Village had a live band on for Arthurs Day and 2FM were there recording it.  Every pub on the street was packed and there were people all over the place, even walking on the road. Traffic had come to a complete standstill.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">I think Arthur's Day has only been celebrated for the last few years - the cynic in me is beginning to see it as just one big marketing opportunity even though it is great for all of those less well known bands who get to play in all of the great venues all over Dublin.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">I think the whole concept of Arthur's Day just leaves me a little cold. </span>

Arthurs Day/Marketers Day?!

Really enjoyed "Tuesdays with Morrie" last night.  Thought it was an excellent production.  In particular I thought that Terry Byrne who played Morrie was brilliant.On the way home we drove through the city and up Camden Street.  It was crazy!!!  The…

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