3.28.2009
3.25.2009
sf
I haven't written in here for a while because I have been too busy reading SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS!!!!!
This is kind of true. I am reading a Science Fiction book right now. And I haven't written in my blog for a while. Are the two related? I dunno. (I do know. They are not related).
This is kind of true. I am reading a Science Fiction book right now. And I haven't written in my blog for a while. Are the two related? I dunno. (I do know. They are not related).
3.16.2009
3.07.2009
Weather
Since my last post the sky entirely cleared up, and is now entirely cloudy and rainy again.
chrisalmond.blotspot.com: the world's best resource for olympia weather information.
chrisalmond.blotspot.com: the world's best resource for olympia weather information.
Weather
Every state I have been in I have heard people say, in speaking of the weather: 'You know what they say about_____(name of state), if you don't like weather, just wait 5 minutes.'
Marissa confirmed this is also true in Arizona.
The only state I have lived in where I haven't heard this is also the only state where it has been true, which is olympia. Since 11:30 Am it has gone from raining, to clear skies, to raining, to sunny clear skies, to now 1:55 pm, it is snowing.
Dave Bottom, I trust you have found this post to be funny and enlightening.
Marissa confirmed this is also true in Arizona.
The only state I have lived in where I haven't heard this is also the only state where it has been true, which is olympia. Since 11:30 Am it has gone from raining, to clear skies, to raining, to sunny clear skies, to now 1:55 pm, it is snowing.
Dave Bottom, I trust you have found this post to be funny and enlightening.
3.06.2009
net
The internet at my house has been down for a few days. And may be down for a few more days. I'm in a computer lab now but only have 3 more minutes on this computer. On sunday Marissa's mom is coming. I go through moments of intense dread to moments of feeling unconcerned. It isn't as if I have anything to hide or am ashamed of anything. It is just uncomfortable having someone over to your has that has only criticized you. And the criticisms are frequent. It is strange to be so frequently put down. 56 seconds left. Got to go! marissa and I made a pizza yesterday and it was delicious!
2.27.2009
Space Race.
I remember when I learned about the space race, both in elementary school and in secondary school, it was taught in such a way that felt as if we, as a country, were still patting ourselves on our back over our collective victory against the Russians.
It is humorous and strange to me that adults would teach this sense of group superiority to children. Not only that they would teach it at all, but especially teaching it decades after the event.
As a child I played sports and other team activities and I can understand the fun and excitement of getting wrapped up in feeling a part of a group that has succeeded.
I also understand that on an evolutionary level, groups and tribes were very important to our survival. One part of being a good member of the group is taking pride in the group's victories, but also, in an earlier time the groups victories had a strong correlation to our survival. If the group was strong and victorious, as an individual our likelihood of survival would be much greater, so it would be to our advantage as individuals to feel a sense of emotional investement in our tribe or teams victories.
But like so much of modern life, things that were useful to us in the savannas of Africa no longer serve the same function, yet because they are so deeply ingrained both biologically and culturally many hold on to them just as tightly.
I also realize that the struggle between the U.S.A's space program, and that of the USSR was more than just a struggle of national super powers, it was a test of idealogies. People saw the success of the space program as being anolog to the success of Capitalisim or Communism. If they were to show that Capitalism was superior to Communism being able to be the first to the moon could supposedly do it.
While I can understand the childhood pleasure of, and the biological factors for, I can not relate to the feeling of group pride. Particularly having the feeling on such a level that I would want to pass it on to young children on an institutional level.
I feel about as much attachment to the Russian engineers working in the space program of the 1950's and 60's as I do to the American engineers at Nasa of that time.(not much). Both groups of people I have never met, nor do I even know their names. Nor does either of their achievements have any correlation to my ablity to achieve. As good as they may be at engineering, I can take just as much personal pride from the achievements of Nasa as I can from from the Sun's ability at being very hot.
The Nasa engineers and the Russian engineers do come from the same species as me, which is something inherent in our nature, but our national identities are totally arbitrary. We should feel the same satisfaction at one countries success, particularly in scientific areas, as we do ours. It would be nice if we could be more concerned about the progression of the human race than particular countries.
One part of growing up and maturity, I feel, is being able to be happy for other people's achievements. As a child I was not able to do this at all. As a young adult I still cannot always do this, but have come much further along than I was before. The more comfortable and confident I am with myself, the less I need external factors confirming to me my own sense of well being, and the less I see the success of others as somehow taking away from me in any way. It is not as if we are in a competition. We are all in this together trying to be happy and figure out what in the world is going on. Our culture is very much about competition and being the best, which I see as emotionally immature, particularly when we as a country and people are still teaching in schools our children to think of our group as better than others.
It is humorous and strange to me that adults would teach this sense of group superiority to children. Not only that they would teach it at all, but especially teaching it decades after the event.
As a child I played sports and other team activities and I can understand the fun and excitement of getting wrapped up in feeling a part of a group that has succeeded.
I also understand that on an evolutionary level, groups and tribes were very important to our survival. One part of being a good member of the group is taking pride in the group's victories, but also, in an earlier time the groups victories had a strong correlation to our survival. If the group was strong and victorious, as an individual our likelihood of survival would be much greater, so it would be to our advantage as individuals to feel a sense of emotional investement in our tribe or teams victories.
But like so much of modern life, things that were useful to us in the savannas of Africa no longer serve the same function, yet because they are so deeply ingrained both biologically and culturally many hold on to them just as tightly.
I also realize that the struggle between the U.S.A's space program, and that of the USSR was more than just a struggle of national super powers, it was a test of idealogies. People saw the success of the space program as being anolog to the success of Capitalisim or Communism. If they were to show that Capitalism was superior to Communism being able to be the first to the moon could supposedly do it.
While I can understand the childhood pleasure of, and the biological factors for, I can not relate to the feeling of group pride. Particularly having the feeling on such a level that I would want to pass it on to young children on an institutional level.
I feel about as much attachment to the Russian engineers working in the space program of the 1950's and 60's as I do to the American engineers at Nasa of that time.(not much). Both groups of people I have never met, nor do I even know their names. Nor does either of their achievements have any correlation to my ablity to achieve. As good as they may be at engineering, I can take just as much personal pride from the achievements of Nasa as I can from from the Sun's ability at being very hot.
The Nasa engineers and the Russian engineers do come from the same species as me, which is something inherent in our nature, but our national identities are totally arbitrary. We should feel the same satisfaction at one countries success, particularly in scientific areas, as we do ours. It would be nice if we could be more concerned about the progression of the human race than particular countries.
One part of growing up and maturity, I feel, is being able to be happy for other people's achievements. As a child I was not able to do this at all. As a young adult I still cannot always do this, but have come much further along than I was before. The more comfortable and confident I am with myself, the less I need external factors confirming to me my own sense of well being, and the less I see the success of others as somehow taking away from me in any way. It is not as if we are in a competition. We are all in this together trying to be happy and figure out what in the world is going on. Our culture is very much about competition and being the best, which I see as emotionally immature, particularly when we as a country and people are still teaching in schools our children to think of our group as better than others.
give away
This is a repost from my sister blister's(in-law's) blog. I am doing this so I can get something for free.
okay so i entered a giveaway on my friend's blog, and the "catch" was that i had to do this same giveaway on my own blog... so here you go!
The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me. My choice. For you. (I know...a little scary, but maybe fun, huh?)
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like it .
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done by the end of March.
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a loaf of homemade bread. It may be a bag, a card, an apron (my next project). It may be a book, a scarf, a poem. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
1- I make no guarantees that you will like it .
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done by the end of March.
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a loaf of homemade bread. It may be a bag, a card, an apron (my next project). It may be a book, a scarf, a poem. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did it will then win a Fabulous homemade something made by me!
Ready, Set....
GO!!!Ready, Set....
2.26.2009
Tilt shift
These images are fake miniatures. It is a digital effect called 'Tilt-shifting'. It is very easy to do. Using photo shop or gimp, simply select the area you want to be in focus, then unfocus everything else. For obvious reasons it works best on photos taken from a distance. I have seen several examples online where someone tries to tilt-shift their room and it just looks like the photo is weirdly blurry. Though, I believe a realistic looking a bedroom tilt-shift would be possible if photographed correctly. Dave Bottom, I am hoping you found this enlightening and humorous. Alissa Skinner, you are dying to hear more stories about marissa's mom!
2.25.2009
Rain
Times when I don't have a lot to do I really enjoy how much it rains in Olympia. I love staying inside and reading books or doing the dishes or watching movies instantly on netflix, but when the sun is out I feel less comfortable not leaving the house.
I was reading that most suicides happen on days with really nice weather. I can understand that. Times when I have been bored and lonely have been exacerbated by the warm nice weather because it further reminds me that while conditions are perfect to be outside having fun with someone, I have nothing to do that sounds fun or anyone to do it with.
Not that I am at all lonely or bored now, nor have I been for a long while, but I still enjoy when it rains and I get to stay inside reading books in bed without any sort of inner restlessness compelling me to take advantage of the nice weather.
Though, I also do love it when the weather is good. Especially this time of year when the novelty of winter has worn of. I guess what I am saying is that I like rainy weather, but I also like good weather, but for different reasons, and when people kill themselves it is often when the weather is good.
I was reading that most suicides happen on days with really nice weather. I can understand that. Times when I have been bored and lonely have been exacerbated by the warm nice weather because it further reminds me that while conditions are perfect to be outside having fun with someone, I have nothing to do that sounds fun or anyone to do it with.
Not that I am at all lonely or bored now, nor have I been for a long while, but I still enjoy when it rains and I get to stay inside reading books in bed without any sort of inner restlessness compelling me to take advantage of the nice weather.
Though, I also do love it when the weather is good. Especially this time of year when the novelty of winter has worn of. I guess what I am saying is that I like rainy weather, but I also like good weather, but for different reasons, and when people kill themselves it is often when the weather is good.
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