• 08:13 is awake again, wondering when that continental breakfast is supposed to be available downstairs
• 20:18 is enjoying himself. :9 But who delivers downtown?

This slice of life brought to you by LoudTwitter.

Who was asking about home chemistry experiments for the family.

(Yes,I know. Everybody I'm acquainted with.)

O'Reilly Press. Whodathunkit?

Tags: 411
location: I believe the toaster oven
frame of mind: hot. hot. still hot.

"This," she said, "is the button that causes the United State to dissolve into hundreds of sovereign city states with no overarching government except for a body that guarantees the free right to enter and exit any city-state, and assists in the process. You know, to foster competitive innovation."

"This button here?" I asked, as I lifted the plastic cover.

She left from her chair and pushed it away, "Don't touch it! Do you have any idea what a bad idea that would be?"

I scowled, "How do you even know it works?"

"It's an untested prototype but the theory is sound. I spent four decades designing it and simulating it. It works."

"If you're not going to use it, why have it?"

"It's comforting to know I have a choice," she said, "It makes me like the current system better, flaws and all."

Just a little over nine more days and you guys won't have to see these posts again. :P But for those of you overseas who were thinking about buying a lilac pin for Wear the Lilac for Alzheimer's, you may want to get a wiggle on. Although the postal rates have gone up (again), I don't think it means that they're going to deliver any faster, with anywhere between 5-10 days delivery time being the norm.

I'll be posting an update to the financials tomorrow, but as of tonight, there's less than $50.00 to go to raise $1,000. I never would have dreamed that it would raise so much.

Yesterday I asked that you post a crazy picture of yourself.

пожалуйста объявите картину вас непосредственно

If you don't have one that you think is crazy, then post something anyway. Honestly, I've only met about half the folks on my Friends List and its nice to put a face to a name - *especially* those of you outside the US

You've seen plenty of my pics, lets see one of you.

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2008/05/drunken-air.html

Under the plum trees, covered in blossom before they get leaves (so they look drifts of snow) the air is so thick with the scent of plum blossom that it's like walking through wine.

[Edit to add:]

Okay, this is just me being fussy:

"I've got half an acre of lawn, a swimming pool and three teenagers," said Alex Theriault, a contractor from Danville whose bi-monthly water bills top $1,400. "I can't afford not to cut back. But I'm not losing the lawn. My kids like it too much. And I'm not losing the pool. I like the pool."

HALF AN ACRE. We live on half an acre, and our lot is HUGE. He's got half an acre of lawn in Dublin, land of McMansions. How many kids does he have that he needs that much for them to play on? There are schools with smaller lawns and playgrounds. I do not feel sorry for his damned lawn.

(We don't water our lawns, though I consider it for the back yard -- about 1/12 acre -- for the dogs. But so far, we don't. I soak the corn patch for about 5 hours, total, a week. Our flow is too low to have that be a whole lot, we can't water the corn and take a shower at the same time, no pressure. I water the peas, beans, and other veggies, one bucketful per patch, for a total of four patches right now, every other day. I'll have to water the pumpkins and melons when they go in. But that doesn't add up to a lot.)

(Folks from elsewhere: It's normal for us to barely rain from May through October. We irrigate, or we dry out.)

I can't respond to e-mail today.

Something has crashed my computer and the mouse is missing!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

frame of mind: amused

random link: http://skippyslist.com/2007/08/03/sgt-generic-part-two/

it's relevant. trust me.

I used to officiate at (non-legally recognized) same-sex weddings on a regular basis. I'm considering re-obtaining the credential that I'd need in order to officiate at weddings. It is something that I've really enjoyed doing, and that I think would be fun and meaningful for me. There also may be a lot more people planning weddings now.

Out of curiousity, would any of my friends want me to marry them? Also, I've charged between nothing (for a partner's sweetie) to $250 (when planning the ceremony and doing premarital counselling), though that was more than 10 years ago. How much would you expect to pay for an officiant?

ETA: I found that weddings usually took at least two two-hour meetings, and if I were writing a ceremony, it could take up to another 10 hours of work. Some of that was work that the church I was working for needed me to do. I'd have to decide for myself what level of premarital counselling I'd feel was responsibly appropriate/necessary.

Comments screened so feel free to say what you wish.

Nothing earth shattering or world changing but it makes me very happy...

Whitney, the plus size model, won America's Next Top Model!

She is beautiful and not super skinny (though 10 seems just barely qualifies as plus size in my eyes)

It makes me happy that a plus size will be on the cover of seventeen magazine (however much they airbrush her)

It makes me happy that a woman who is proud to not be painfully skinny and just be built the way she is is a role model. With her figure, she has to be active to keep in shape... That is the kind of woman I want my daughter to see in the media... fit but not looking like a lolly pop or so skinny as to look like she might break in two with a strong wind.

Here is a link to her photos for any interested.

i was on the supreme court web site at 10am hitting "reload" over and over and read the first 5 pages and sent out my email to family about it before any of the gay groups had sent theirs! sorry i didn't post here sooner. i was at the office trying not to scream "woopie!!!"

i'm on a phone conference with EQCA leadership right now, and was just told by Shannon Minter, the lawyer in the case, that our MA license IS valid. so jean and i don't have to get married again. we already are!

personally i've got goosebumps from what this means to my own belief in the Civil Rights applications of Constitutional Law. i am just on fire!

the state has 30 days to implement the decision. there should be no delay after that before the marriages start happening.

they are also stating that out of state couples can come to CA to marry, unlike in MA, which will bring over a BILLION dollars into our state economy.

Originally published at bankrupt artist v.3. You can comment here or there.

California’s trying again to allow anyone to get married that wants to; if you’ve been eying that cute little box turtle up at the aquarium, now is your chance in California. Box Turtle Bulletin has a great state-by-state map as well.

But [Chief Justice Ronald] George, in a 121-page opinion, said California has already recognized, in its laws and public policy, that gays and lesbians are entitled to equal treatment in every legal area except marriage. He also noted that state laws and traditions banned interracial marriage until the California Supreme Court, in 1948, became the first court in the nation to overturn such a law.

I’m just now listening to an NPR Science Friday podcast from last week, discussing an anniversary that nobody really enjoys celebrating.

In May 1983, the first scientific papers were published describing the possible connection between a retrovirus and the development of AIDS. The virus went on to become known as HIV. Experts discuss whether, 25 years later, scientists any closer to a cure for AIDS or to a vaccine to prevent HIV transmission. “The recent failure of two clinical trials suggests that a vaccine is not around the corner.” — MP3 link to the NPR episode (there were some audio problems on my copy around 8-9 minutes, but it evens out)

Wow; placebos in an HIV trial; with full disclosure to the participants, but it’s still amazing.

Tags: life

I know there's a lot more important stuff going on...but have any of you ever had headaches after taking supplements? I've had the problem of stomach discomfort before, but in the last month I think I get headaches short after taking vitamins and minerals.

I take:
"Women's Multi Vitamin" with iron. This may be a consideration; someone told me that I should no longer take extra iron.
Calcium with D
Glucosemine (sp?)glucosamine
lysine--another substance I've heard questions about.

Lord, I feel dopey asking these questions.

Tags: 411, med