A Taste of Morocco

Last weekend both of my sisters were home at the same time, which hasn't happened since Christmas. So of course we took advantage of that and had some family over for a party! It was quite the celebration! Emily entertained us with pictures and souvenirs from her trip to Morocco. Theresa announced that she had been accepted into grad school, another reason for celebration. And then of course, there was the turban photo shoot...

Coffee, Somalians, and Ham Radio

In this country a 27-year-old Caucasian male doesn't very often find himself in the minority. As I settle in for an evening of design work at the local coffee shop, I glance over the top of my MacBook to find a scattered population of Somalians and a loud cluster of Ham Radio Enthusiasts.

Now, don't get me wrong. If I have to spend time working in the evenings I would much rather have an interesting group of people surrounding me than have my cat (who would like to remain anonymous) pouncing on my overpriced/light-up keyboard. Or be surrounded by thirty 27-year-old Caucasian males, who would, by the way, provide about as much creative inspiration as a dog cleaning up after a particularly disastrous defecation.

Anyway, back to the coffee shop. It all started last Tuesday. I was busy putting together some logos for a client when, for a short moment, I thought an extraterrestrial was calling home from a deep-seated, leather upholstered chair to my right. Unfortunately I was wrong, however, not completely disappointed to find an older, Spock-like gentleman picking up a frequency on his hand-held radio complete with a four foot telescopic antenna. Jackpot. Who could have dreamed there were more on the way?

And so they came. One by one they carried their trinkets, books, and love for all things wired into the center of the coffee shop. Settling in amongst "real" peers for the first time since the Tuesday before to enjoy a long evening of radio jokes and machine speak.

Now, I should pause for a moment to clarify the minority reference above. Obviously I'm not Somalian. So, that leaves the Ham Radio enthusiasts. Hopefully it is obvious that I'm not a Ham Radio Enthusiast. Even if I were, I can guarantee you would walk into this coffee shop, look at the bubbling conversation over a disemboweled radio(?) and immediately place me in another category.

Moving on.

Tuesday night, a week later, same coffee shop. I had almost entirely forgotten "the radio people". Largely due to a camping trip over the weekend and about a thousand other things on my mind. Then, as I settled into my spot for the evening next to the big window, I noticed Spock sitting in the deep-seated, leather upholstered chair to my right. Glory. Whether it was the possibility of yet another evening lost in this strange world or just the coffee...I felt my heart race a little. I waited in great expectation as my favorites from last Tuesday stumbled in.

I was not disappointed. Nor was I unprepared. Knowing the great conversation that was about to take place, I slowly slid a piece of paper and pen out of my bag prepared to write down anything. Things were moving too fast, multiple conversations at once...books, drawings, bags of things I'm convinced were stolen from the CIA. And so, for the next half hour or so I obtained the following list of conversation topics. They are all accurate to the best of my ability, and have only been generalized minimally to fit in this post.
---
Terabytes

Radio panels

Cars

Incandescent light bulbs

Solar cells

Wind mills

BBQ

Colonoscopies

Cash for clunkers

Oil drilling

Terabytes
---

It was at this point that I decided to give up my little mission of recording their entire conversation, and focus my attention as much as I could back to my work. Their conversation peeked my interest only once more when they started discussing all the flaws of Adobe software products (which, I'm convinced, was for my benefit only). So, we'll see what's in store for me next Tuesday if I choose to visit the coffee shop. I'm sure, whatever I experience, there'll be Coffee, Somalians, and Ham Radio.

The Banister

In the summer of 1999 I attended Missouri Boy's State. Basically it was nine days of mock state government (city mayors to the governor). 1000 of Missouri's "finest" high school senior boys attended with mild to moderate levels of enthusiasm. By the end of the week, it was commonly known across campus that the theme had changed from "A Week To Change A Lifetime" to "A Week That Lasts A Lifetime".

One of the more memorable daily events (aside from morning Reveille) was the speaker each night. We heard speeches from known politicians such as Mel Carnahan, Jim Talent, and John Ashcroft. They all said the same thing. And I remember Ashcroft saying it specifically, "In life (dramatic pause) you will face many challenges...". They would then go on to list said challenges and present various "life solutions" such as education, hard work, etc.

Now, I've experienced ten years of life since that week that lasted a lifetime, and I've been through a lot. I've graduated from high school, attended, endured, and graduated from Truman; dated, become engaged, gotten my first job, traveled the country, gotten married, moved ten times, gotten a second job, and I've bought a house—which leads me at long last to the banister.

It is possible that I have learned more about life through the long and arduous installation of our balcony banister (see below) than I did through all of the a fore-mentioned life events combined. Truman prepared me for a lot, but they sure as heck didn't tell me how incredibly frustrating newel posts can be.

I am pleased with the finished product, but just pleased. I now have two more railings to go, and will tackle them as soon as I feel sufficient levels of sanity are at hand.

So, Mr. Ashcroft, whether it be the Bush Administration or balusters and newel posts, you were right. We will face many challenges. Thanks for the inspiration to push through.


If you couldn't tell from the tone...this was posted by Jason.

Nintendo Wii/iPod Nano Giveaway at Christian PF!

I recently discovered the blog Christian PF (Personal Finance), which is full of tips and advice about personal finance. This site seems like a great resource for anyone who wants to use their income wisely. The About page says it best:

To put it simply, I don’t think that God put us on this earth to amass wheelbarrows full of cash to bathe ourselves in. I believe there is a much better and higher purpose for our money: to build God’s Kingdom and help others.

If you're interested in learning how to be a better steward of your money, check it out!

And of course, be sure to enter the Ninetendo Wii/iPod Nano Giveaway in honor of two years of Christian PF. Happy Friday!

Big Sky Country

A few weeks ago we traveled to Red Lodge, Montana, for a spring getaway. It was great! We spent a lot of time driving around, just looking out the window at the amazing views. Montana is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and my photos can't do it justice. It was truly breathtaking.





Among the highlights of our trip:

• A self-guided tour of the area led us to a pottery studio in a little town. The studio itself was basically a two-room shed next to a creek. A reclusive potter's paradise! The artists' work was gorgeous, and it was fun to find such a neat place so hidden away.





• We stumbled upon a little place called Prairie Dog Town State Park. The name says it all. Prairie dogs everywhere!





• Our last full day in Montana, we (randomly) drove to Cody, Wyoming and visited the Buffalo Bill Museum. We were expecting a tourist trap, but it ended up being a really impressive museum (five museums in one, actually). We probably appreciated the aesthetics of the museums more than the content, but again, a fun surprise.





• The biggest highlight of the trip a was our two-day visit to Yellowstone National Park. WOW. Refer to all of my flowery language above about the beautiful landscape, and multiply that by ten. We only saw about a quarter of the park, but the variety of scenery in that area alone was amazing. Hot springs, valleys, mountains, forests, prairies... not to mention the animals! We waited on a lot of buffalo to cross the road, and saw all kinds of deer-like grazing creatures.










Jason got up close and personal with a bear!





This elk was nice enough to walk through the Roosevelt Arch into Yellowstone, so I could get this great photo.




Yay for Montana!

Sorry for the Delay....

New posts coming soon, I promise! Our internet has been acting up. But I hope very soon to post pics of our vacation, plus news of the latest house projects. Maybe even a post from Jason, if I can convince him! Stay tuned!

Woo.... New Design

After having this blog for several years, I've finally actually done something about they way it looks! Hurrah! It's a work in progress, so more changes to come.... Hope you like it!

Wordless Wednesday

Avoid Pesticides in Your Produce

I've been learning a lot about food lately, much of it courtesy the book The Omnivore's Dilemma. What I've been learning has been causing me to reexamine many of my shopping and eating habits.

This convenient little list from the Environmental Working Group highlights produce containing the highest (The Dirty Dozen) and lowest (The Clean 15) levels of pesticides. Organic produce can be expensive, so I appreciate anything that helps me decide whether the extra cost is worth it. Topping the Dirty Dozen list are peaches, apples, pears, and celery. Some of the lowest in pesticides are onions, avocados, and sweet corn.

You can download the list here (you have to enter your email address): Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

Chocolate, Tea Bags, and Tampons

Lately I’ve been receiving unsolicited advice from a lot of unlikely sources. There seems to be a trend lately to Dove Promise-ize your product, so that your consumers not only get their intended purchase, but also a little bonus wisdom for their day! It’s sort of strange. Do the makers of my tea think that I have so little personal direction that I’m searching at every turn, including on the paper tag of my tea bag? According to Jason, it’s a marketing ploy by companies to turn their product into an “experience.”

Here are some examples of the wisdom I’ve received lately:

• “Be a good listener to your friends.” Received via a Dove Promise
Dove Promises are probably the inventors of “let’s put happy sayings on our stuff,” after fortune cookies, but they used to be promises. You know, inspirational, motivational, warm fuzzies? Something like “Friends are the true joy of life,” or “You deserve this fifth piece of chocolate.” But my last Dove Promise was a little preachy for my chocolate tastes. Maybe it was because it was an Almond Dove Promise, not regular-type. Instead of a warm fuzzy, now I’m just paranoid that I’m not listening well enough.

• “It’s not life that matters, but the courage that we bring to it.” Received via Yogi Green Tea
OK, I don’t even know what that means. Maybe that’s why I’m not a yogi. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure life does, in fact, matter.

• “No distractions, just pure concentration.” Received via a Playtex Sport tampon
No, I am not kidding. Apparently this particular box of tampons was created to help sporty girls (which I am not, but they were on sale) get psyched for a game, or practice, or something. However, given the situation where one is actually reading a tampon wrapper (aka in the bathroom), this just struck me as completely hilarious. I actually giggled aloud, so good thing I was in a private restroom. Other wonderful bits of wisdom that sent me into hysterics included “You’ve got the power!,” “Focus on the goal,” and “I’m on your team.” Um, what?

Have you had any similar experiences? A famous quotation on your butter? Sound advice on your toilet paper? Perhaps tips for success on a bottle of shampoo? I’d love to hear any “wisdom” you’ve found in unexpected places!

Update: The Greatest Clock Ever

In case you missed it, I received the world's most amazing and multi-talented alarm clock as a birthday gift from Jason.

Well, on the flight back from Denver last weekend, I was perusing the SkyMall catalog. I love to see the latest completely unnecessary, yet so tempting products available to me while I fly. And nestled in between the adult-sized footie pajamas and the in-car seat belt for dogs was MY CLOCK!! So now I can pretend that I am one of those people who actually buys stuff from the SkyMall catalog.

Feed your addiction

If you are a design nerd like I am, or a lover of type and fonts, you will LOVE this game. Test your knowledge of fonts, and perhaps discover a few new ones. It is super-addictive, let me tell you. Spending my time at work playing a font game is work-related research, right? Just kidding. ;-)

Deep Font Challenge

I'm off to swoosh down the slopes in Keystone this weekend, wahoo! Have a wonderful weekend!
b

Mocha the Menace

Stuff the Cat Has Eaten (that he shouldn’t)
Whole wheat bread
Store-brand oreo cookie
Honey-wheat bagel
Marshmallow Mateys
Granola
Oatmeal banana cookies

Last night was the most recent in a string of carbohydrate binges, stealthily carried out in the dark of night by our cat. It was partially our fault for forgetting Mocha's penchant for baked goods. We left a plate of cookies on the counter, covered in plastic wrap. Jason was the lucky one to discover the mess this morning.

Mocha has never torn through more than plastic wrap, but I'm afraid he'll turn into something like the psychotic squirrels at my friend Christi's house, that chewed through tupperware to get at some cookies. Bread items really seem to bring out some kind of obsession in him. Clearly we can't keep anything on the counter anymore!

This is exactly the kind of thing that I find hilarious and annoying at the same time. I like having a cat that does weird stuff like playing fetch, falling off the bed, and eating cookies. Jason maybe doesn't appreciate it quite as much. ;-)

My New Ride

Last weekend we bought a new car! On Valentine's Day we went to the Walser Hyundai dealership, where we found this cute, zippy Elantra, almost new! It's fun to drive, nice interior, love the color. It has an iPod jack, which is state-of-the-art technology for someone who's been driving a car from 1998. It also has 6 airbags, and is VERY SAFE, for any moms out there. :-)

And now it's snowing for the first time in several weeks, so looks like I get to test out the tires on the way home. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Surprise, you've been eating mercury!

Last week, a study was released showing measurable amounts of mercury in many of the foods that you and I eat every day. The study tested over 50 foods made with high fructose corn syrup. Mercury is toxic in any amount, and especially dangerous for children and babies.

The worst part? The FDA knew about this for years, and did nothing. While Americans have been slowly poisoning themselves with trace amounts of mercury in their Coke or PopTart, some people have been sitting idly by. This is completely unacceptable.

I meant to write a full post on this, but I can already feel my blood boiling, so I will let you read another very well-written post over at Small Notebook:
Mercury Discovered in High Fructose Corn Syrup at Small Notebook

Also, you can read the full report of the study here: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

I would encourage you to contact your elected officials to let them know that you want something to be done about this issue. In the meantime, perhaps we should all eat a bit less (or no) high fructose corn syrup.

R.I.P., Camry

For those who have not yet heard, I had a little “incident” the Friday before last, in which I slid into the back of a truck with my car. I am totally fine, and was probably only going 15-20 miles per hour at the time—just fast enough to completely derail the rest of my (and Jason’s) afternoon. The truck I hit was virtually undamaged. I spent the next hour or so chatting with a 16-year-old gas station attendant, and using the store’s phone as my personal office (of all the days to forget my cell!). The 16-year-old gas station attendant was pretty good company, as he regaled me with stories of his “huge/sweet/awesome Chevy truck” and all the tickets he’s gotten for reckless driving. I think he was trying to make me feel better?

Anyways, long story short, the damage was just enough to total my Camry. Being that it’s a 1998 model, the cost of the parts to fix it exceeded the value of the car itself. And so, on Friday afternoon, I said goodbye to my wonderful car. It’s going to the salvage yard in the sky. I’ll miss that car...tear....

On a brighter note, I was able to get a much better deal with the insurance company than originally offered, and we’re pretty satisfied with the outcome. And so, we will be shopping for a new (used) car in the very new future. Woo! We may simply get a newer Camry, or we might branch out. Some other options we’ve thought about are the Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Hyundai Sonata, and Honda Accord. Any recommendations?

The Greatest Clock Ever

My birthday was this week, and my very sweet husband got me the ultimate in wake-up experiences: The Peaceful Progression Wake-Up Clock. If you know me very well, you know that I am not a morning person (some might say that’s putting it mildly.) My morning thought process goes something like, “Dangit, it’s time to get up? Maybe I can press snooze one more time… do I really need to shower before work?”


So I’ve always thought it would be nice to have an alarm clock that wakes you up peacefully, slowly, gradually… kind of like when you’re camping. “Light, and the sound of the outdoors…ahhh, I think I’ll get up! What a lovely day! It’s only 5 am? No matter!” This is how I pictured myself waking up with such a clock. Probably with flowers and birds and happy music.


The wonderful, fancy, spaceship-shaped clock that Jason gave me wakes you up gradually over 30 minutes, using light, sound, and aromatherapy. At the end of the 30 minutes, a buzzer goes off. We’ve had three days to try it out so far, and this clock is obviously smarter than we are. I hope for much smoother wake up experiences in the future, but this is how it’s gone so far:


Morning 1: After much debate about whether the “alarm time” meant “actual time we get up” or “time that the 30-minute cycle beings,” we chose wrong, and were awakened at 6:30 instead of 7 am. Jason immediately woke up to our chosen combination of light, “birds chirping,” and “Stress Relief” (scent). I however, didn’t wake up until the buzzer. I stumbled out of bed, reset our trusty old alarm clock (sitting next to the new one) and went back to be for half an hour. Fail.


Morning 2: The clock was set correctly this time, and we both woke up more or less peacefully, and laid in bed listening to our digitized chirping birds, as the smell of Stress Relief wafted through the room. However, we had accidentally set our old alarm clock as well, which has a much more piercing sound. All of our peaceful progressions were ruined by the sound of the old alarm. Fail.


Morning 3: Clock set correctly: check. Old alarm turned off: check. I woke up peacefully to light, sound, and aroma, and merrily hopped out of bed at 7. (Or, stumbled less angrily.) Success! This clock is fabulous, once we got past the learning curve.

Holiday Recap, Part I

Well, I’ve been terrible about updating our blog lately, but that just means that we’ve had a full past few weeks. Now that Christmas and New Year’s are over and done (except for our upcoming Christmas visit to Newtown!) I hope to share some photos and highlights of our holidays.


Christmas was fantastic! We celebrated a record-breaking four times in four days (in four different locations). It was tiring, but fun. Here are the highlights of our Christmases so far:


Christmas Eve: We celebrated at Mom’s house, with Swedish meatballs and our favorite Christmas cookies. The food was delicious, as always. We also played the traditional game of Scrabble…. How I love Scrabble! It's a good thing my sisters are as obsessed with it as I am.


Christmas Day: It was a new experience for Jason and I to wake up in our own house on Christmas morning! We enjoyed cinnamon rolls and coffee, and watched the cat get high on his Christmas catnip. Later, Mom and the girls came over, and we had a relaxing afternoon. We crocheted several hats to send to newborns in developing countries, as part of the Knit One, Save One campaign. It was a cozy afternoon by the fire, and Theresa and Emily spent the night at our place.


Day After Christmas: Jason, Theresa, Emily, and I drove up to celebrate with Dad’s side of the family. We ate lots of food, saw lots of relatives, and sang “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” among other things. We also had a visit from Santa, who is kind enough to visit our family in person every year!


Saturday After Christmas: We spent the day celebrating with Dad and family. Jason and I went snowmobiling, which was a lot of fun… except the part where Jason ran out of gas and spent an hour stranded in the middle of a corn field! He was a little bit scarred from the experience, but made the most of it by singing and attempting to build a snowman.


That’s the latest on us. More to come soon!