Who Will Be The Next Big Star?

You know the best shows are always the ones where terrible people audition. Is it bad that I really want to see this?

Hmmmmm

If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. -James Madison, fourth US president (1751-1836)

The White House Needs a Plumber

I just read this story.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Dick Cheney's former top aide told prosecutors that his boss said President Bush authorized the leak of sensitive intelligence information about Iraq, according to court papers filed by prosecutors in the CIA leak case.

My first reaction is good, maybe Bush will be held somewhat accountable. Of course I know that the most that will possibly happen is that Cheney will end up taking the fall for saying Bush gave the OK and I doubt even that will happen. It was, however, a brief moment of hope in this liberal's day.

I'm Not Alone

It's nice to know I'm not the only one...

I'm addicted to last.fm

Where I'm From

Following is an email I got at work yesterday and my results:

Hi all,

In honor of April, which is Poetry Month, this week's poem will be slightly different. This week I offer you a simple activity--a series of questions you answer that will result in your own poem. Now, before you think...uh oh...and delete this message, read on. I want to encourage you to use this activity with other staff, instructors and students. For example, Brattleboro staff is encouraging a diverse group of instructors to try the activity in their classes. And Burlington is posting the questions in the hallways on large sheets, so they can create a collaborative site-wide poem.

The activity is simple and the results are stunning. The activity is part of our SEI Instructor resources and our Top 40 Anthology of Assignments, but it has been done nation-wide with everyone from schoolchildren to senior citizens. It celebrates diversity--what makes each of us unique--while it builds a sense of community. It is quick, easy, and error-proof (You can't do it wrong!). And it is pure magic to see or hear these poems read aloud. Trust me.

Okay, so here's the activity, which is based on a poem by Georgia Ella Lyons, called "Where I'm From.” Simply answer the questions below with a statement that begins "I'm from..."

Where I'm From
What are 3-5 objects/elements found in your yard or some outdoor place you love to go?
I am from?
What are 3-5 things you would rush from your home in the case of a fire?
I am from?
What are the names of relatives, friends, teachers or others who link you to your past?
I am from?
What are the names of animals you've loved or love?
I am from?
What are a few sayings you remember from childhood?
I am from?
What are names of foods and dishes that recall family gatherings or childhood?
I am from?
What are books or songs or television/films you loved growing up?
I am from?
What are smells you associate with your family and extended family?
I am from?
What are a few things you learned to do or achieved on your own that you're proud of accomplishing?
I am from?
What are names of places you remember from childhood?
I am from?
What are childhood dreams you held? What did you want to be when you grew up?
I am from?
What are 3 items that represent your beliefs?
I am from?
What are 3 values you hold dear?
I am from?
What else communicates where you are from?
I am from?

Okay, here is the original poem by Georgia Ella Lyons.

Where I'm From
by George Ella Lyons

I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the black porch.
(Black, glistening
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush,
the Dutch elm
whose long gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I'm from fudge and eyeglasses,
from Imogene and Alafair.
I'm from the know-it-alls
and the pass-it-ons,
from perk up and pipe down.
I'm from He restoreth my soul
with a cottonball lamb
and ten verses I can say myself.
I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
to the auger
the eye my father shut to keep his sight.
Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from those moments-
snapped before I budded-
leaf-fall from the family tree.

And now my contribution:

I am from sun puddles on the canyon red rocks, mesas, goat heads.

I am from my daughter, my photos, my hard drive.

I am from Autumn, Nanny and her soft, soft skin, Shirley, Harry, Mere Claire and Peter.

I am from Ivy, Luca Pumpkin Head, Sam I & II, Watson.

I am from “the moon and back and over the rainbow and back again,” from “stop crying before I give you something to cry about,” from “we’re moving…again.”

I am from mudbugs, gumbo, hushpuppies, Shirley’s sweet tea, jambalaya and fragrant pink shrimp.

I am from Just Me, Rainbow Connection, Good Night Moon, The Rainbow Goblins, Queen, Carole King and Joni Mitchell.

I am from cayenne, lightening, the dank musk of the swamp, incense and patchouli.

I am from surviving, mothering, math, yarn.

I am from Slidell, Salt Lake, Moab, Picayune, Mesa, Long Beach, Champlain, Burlington and points in between.

I am from flying, falling and teaching.

I am from Venus, Jupiter, blood.

I am from patience, honesty and love.

I am from Luna and circle, womyn and power.

Guess What I Got Today

Observe:

Yarn Harlot

Knitting Rules!

Color Harmony Workbook

Jealous? You should be.

Scarred For Life

Are you serious? I want to gouge my own eyes out with any semi-sharp instrument I can find.


link


Thanks (?!) to K for bringing this to my attention.

My Summer Vacation

Guess what I'm doin' this summer?

Bad Idea

I'm just gonna put this out there now. Please never buy a gift for Elah from this store.



via engrish.com

It Was This Big, I Swear

Adrian over at Hello Yarn has posted a tutorial to make your own yardage counter. It's pretty cool and were I more inclined to build junk I might do it. An alternative for those as lazy as me? A two by four with two nails three feet apart, evey loop around your homemade counter is two yards. Enjoy!

Women in history

Noelle over at hedgeblog has been pitting up some women in history posts. They're great posts to read if you have a couple of extra minutes.

Boy's Don't Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses

I'd like to kick Dorothy Parker - she's the person who came up with this saying back in 1925. Glasses are not the signature of a homely, nerdy, uptight girl whose only goal in life is to file library cards. Glasses are sophisticated, sweet, sexy, stylish and simply superb. The girls who wear them may be smart, but that doesn't mean they're boring prudes. Glasses have just gotten a bad reputation, and for no good reason.

-epitomegirl

For Anita

This was originally posted by AlexC over at Candleblog.

Happy π day!

True story: This morning I found myself humming the pi song. It was only an hour or so later that my friendly neighborhood NPR announcer reminded me today's the day. (I probably noticed the date and it rattled around in my skull until hitting the pi song node.)

Don't miss the pi drop!

Lace

Eunny has started a series called "Majoring in Lace" on her blog. It's like a FAQ of lace knitting, the everything you always wanted to know but didn't know who to ask. Even if you're not terribly interested in lace knitting, I encourage you to go see what she's saying, it very interesting and there are deffinately tips and ideas you can apply to you worsted or bulky knitting.

I Love Nerds

Observe.

I Also Love The Interwebs

If you haven't seen this then you're not full apprecaiting the capablities of your computer.

I Wish They All Could Be...

Could be what? Certainly not California girls, maybe just gone would be nice.
I don't even know what to say except curse you S for emailing this to me.

Is it bad that this:

"The King is back in all his brilliance to keep the Prince and his cousins continuously rolling as you take the adventure on the road with your PSP. The royal family, taking a break from their celestial construction, find themselves on vacation on their very own sunny island when the Prince finds himself cast with the responsibility of creating islands of katamari for homeless animals. Play as the Prince or any of his returning and new PSP exclusive cousins as you roll up new objects in all new levels. Take on friends in wireless play as you roll up as many objects as possible! Enjoy the fun and quirkiness in an all-new installment for its first ever foray into the handheld world."

makes me want to buy a PSP?

UPDATE: I added the link I forgot the first time around. D'oh!