Saturday, August 29, 2009

Miscellaneous: Crochet Five

EmilyMy latest project is a baby blanket for a friend. I think I like making the large granny square. I had this great book with bunches of granny square variations. The flower square on this crochet came from that book. Well, the book is missing so I had to go out and get another book to spark my creativity. The edge square has a flower in the center instead of the typical double crochet stitch in the granny. I think it turned out pretty well.Emily2

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Men: Jed Hill

Jed HillName: Jed (Jedediah) Hill
Best Known For: Model, Former Footballer
Year of Birth: 1985
Status: Single
Height: 6'2"
Fun Fact: Crime, law, justice major

I really am hoping that I get this all right. Model pictures of this gorgeous beefcake come with info that he used to play football. Search for any pictures some really dull pictures of Jed Hill pop up. They have to be the same guy, but take my info with a grain of salt as I got it from the football info not the model info. So young, so drool worthy. It's a good thing he has a background in crime - his body is breaking all kinds of laws.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Chocolate: What's Hershey?

I came upon this article talking about Hershey Gifts (online service) closing. The author of the article talked about why, when many other chocolate makers are doing well at online sales, Hershey closed their online shop. It was a very interesting read. Further down in the comments he talks about Hershey's attempt to manufacture their chocolate with less chocolate. There's even video from MSN on the topic.

All of this might explain (to a certain extent) why I don't buy Hershey's so much anymore.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Books: Generation T

My book post is a little late (If you didn't notice then ignore that previous remark.) The reason is that the books I wanted to write about hadn't yet been delivered by Amazon.

Backstory: After dinner with B one night, we took the kidless opportunity to walk around a bookstore and just browse. This book on modifying t-shirts caught my eye, but I didn't buy it thinking that I could come back later and make sure that this was a good t-shirt modifying book (as opposed to a bad one, you know.) Well, it's a good book. Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt

Lots of no sew options as well as sew options. It will be awesome as the kiddos become teenos because a lot of the styles have a young look to them. That doesn't mean there aren't a whole lot of choices for the older set. Many of the crisscross tying and safety pin methods could easily be sewn and the halters could have straps and the skirts could be made longer. Just getting the ideas is the first step to using many of the unused t-shirts in my wardrobe.

I have two in particular, mens tees, that I bought specifically to modify and haven't yet. I also have some that are too small that would be perfect for the kiddos (A needs a cute, short dress to wear with leggings.) Before I get started though, I have to look through the sequel, Generation T, Beyond Fashion: 120 New Ways to Transform a T-shirt. I can't wait. And you shouldn't either. Check it out at the bookstore first.

Monday, August 17, 2009

TV: Being Human

BBC America has a new show, Being Human, (I've seen about 5 episodes so far) about a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost living together trying to be human. So far I like it and I'm always a little surprised at how things turn out in each episode. British TV is slightly different from American TV so I don't always know what to expect. If you want the lowdown you should read the Wiki on the show. You can tune in Saturdays at 9.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Miscellaneous: Myers-Briggs Test

I took psychology when I was in college, and I remember getting a hold of the Myer-Briggs test, a personality test. At this moment it is making the rounds on Facebook reminding me that I took it oh so long ago. I thought the results were a pretty good description of me - whatever they were at the time. Since I hate doing all those little tests on Facebook I searched the net instead and took one of the quick quizzes available.

I'm an ISTJ - Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging person. Using the Keirsey Tempermants chart I'm an Inspector. And the description sounded pretty accurate. I thought it could be like the zodiac in which little things about all of the signs sound good. So I looked at the description for a friend who was the opposite (ENFP - Extroversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perceiving) on all but one of the "types." The description was so NOT me.

What bugs me is that this particular personality is not suited to my job (This is not the right time to go job hunting) or B. Oh, well. B is stuck with me.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Men: Ty Davin

Name: Tyler Davin
Best Known For: Model
Year of Birth: ca. 1985
Status: Single?
Height: 5'10"
Fun Fact: :(

I can't find much on this hunk. He's young, not so tall, and may or may not have a significant other. I think we need to be a little less intellectual about this one and just enjoy. I have two pics because one shows the mag bod and the other shows a pair of smoldering eyes. Oh, to be young again.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Chocolate: Hershey's ANEDPDCWCB&A

Yeah, it was just too long to type in the title. Hershey's All Natural Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate with Cranberries, Blueberries & Almonds (60%).

I'm not a person who likes fruit in my chocolate, but B purchased this bar... oh, let me say that he bought two bars of chocolate, shows me the fruit one, waits for me to say I don't think I like it, and then turns away. I swear he had a Cheshire grin because he would have the whole bar to himself.

Stopped that! I took two squares just to see what it would taste like. Unfortunately, I focused more on how the fruit tasted with the chocolate than the chocolate itself. I have to say that it wasn't too bad. The fruit was tiny and chewy. It was doable.

I still don't like chocolate covered strawberries.

Books: Pants on Fire

I read Pants on Fire by Maggie Alderson and 25 pages in wished I hadn't started. Let me say that the boy sticking with the girl took the whole book and I liked that. The other characters in the book also seemed to be where they needed to be and I like that. But everything else I could have done without.

It was chick lit and focused on hipness, but the indulgence in drugs which happens quickly from the start and frequently throughout the story completely turned me off. I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I've never touched a non-prescription drug. It was so alien and uncomfortable to me.

I do not recommend this book. I wouldn't push you away from the author because there are fans of her books out there (POF got 4 stars at Amazon) and others might not get the cringe factor I experienced while reading, but I had to push myself to finish the story. Oh well.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

TV: Two Train Wrecks

I'm completely a TV watcher, which is very difficult when you're traveling. I've started watching and subsequently missed a couple of train wreck shows. They are horrible or uncomfortable, but I can't stop watching to see what happens next.

Show #1: Battle of the Bods
Produced by Fox and shown on Fox Reality Channel, it typically shows new episodes on Saturdays and repeats them throughout the week. Five women dressed in robes stand with the hostess. The hostess talks them up and then asks them to rank the beauty of their faces in order from one to five based on how they think three men (hidden behind a one way mirror) would rank them. They get money for each correct match.

That was the first "round." For the second round, they redress in bathing suits. Ahead of time they were asked which body part they would like to be judged on, such as bottoms or abdominals. Again they rank, again they are given money for matches.

For the third round, they redress in lingerie and are judged on the "total package." For the finale, the men are judged by the women. Money dispensed, yada yada. TRAIN WRECK! Yet I can't look away. I can't ignore the way the women argue over who they think is the prettiest. I can't close my ears over the comments the men make about the women. Mostly, I find it interesting what people think is attractive, especially when it comes to judging myself.

Show #2: Dating in the Dark
An ABC show, it airs on Mondays at 10/9c. Three men and three women go to a house in which the men and women are separated by one or two dark rooms. Each "date" they are sent on takes place in one of the pitch dark rooms. The goal is to see if personality will trump looks.

The first date is a group date in which all six go into the dark room for a meet and greet. Then the host offers them a tidbit, a whiff of the other genders' clothing or a rifling through their luggage. They then use computers to send messages to the other about who they would like to date. All the dates are arranged in the dark room. After the dates, the host informs them that they were actually matched with one particular person. The first two episodes I watched all the contestants matched best with the person the show had chosen. Those couples then spend the next couple of days dating the person they want.

The host comes in with one more activity, such as asking them to draw what they think their date looks like. Afterwards, they get to see their dates and a decision has to be made: should they go on a real date (the show provides with a limo) or leave the house. This is the worst part because one party starts this final round by standing on a balcony overlooking the front door. If their dates liked the way they looked they will show up, if not the wounded one gets to see the other walk out the front door. TRAIN WRECK!

This one is more serious than Battle of the Bods, and I do find it more intellectually stimulating. In one episode the woman was completely superficial (hated her!) and in another the man thought their religious views would cause issues with them - even on the limo date. It is interesting to see what people are like when they date by personality.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Traveling

This has been an interesting summer. I've been able to devote many hours to Hatchlings, of which I'm completely addicted. I've been able to read, even checking out a new branch of the library and thus expanding my pool of reading material. But the highlights include traveling - yup, from the person who hates to travel.

Don't get me wrong, I still hate to travel. Here's a news article that just exacerbates my fears. (What gets me is that they didn't do a thing until someone important got something stolen.) However, I did some amazing things with family and friends, like get more of my family tree filled in, visit a city and its sites that I'd never seen, see an old friend, and pick up a new hobby! (I know, like I need one - couldn't resist.)

So anyway interesting summer!