Karma

Encyclopaedia Britannica In 1768

The oldest version of The Encyclopaedia Britannica was written in 1768, the very first edition provides insights into how vastly man’s priorities have shifted between the eighteenth century and today. The three-volume book includes, for example, 40 pages devoted to the diseases of horses, and 40 pages about algebra – but no information about children.

Here are 10 of the weirdest and most wonderful facts about the world, as it was written in 1768:


1. Humans and monsters

H^y^ sapiens were sub divided into five varieties: the American, the European, the Asiatic, the African and the monstrous.

2. Medicine

Cures for flatulence included drinking chamomile tea and blowing smoke from a pipe ‘through the anus.’

Visiting the dentist was, literally, a pain in the backside; cures for toothache include drinking laxatives, or bleeding in the foot. If the tooth is rotten ‘it will be best to burn the nervous cord which is the seat of the pain with a cautery; and then the cavity may be filled up with a mixture of wax and maslich’. Or, the French way was to fill the hole with another human/animal tooth of the right size.

Drinking tea or coffee was a common cure for heart-burn. Alternatively hot wine infused with camomile flowers and sugar was also thought to work.

3. Chocolate consumption

Chocolate was a luxury, and ready made chocolate and cacao paste were prohibited to be imported from overseas. It could, however, be made at home for private use ‘upon three days notice given to the officer of excise, and provided no less than half an hundred weight be made at one time.’

4. Aphrodisiacs

Vermicelli noodles were first brought from Italy, where the food was in ‘great vogue’; it was chiefly used in soups and pottages, ‘to provoke venery’ or sexual gratification.

5. Petrol

Petroleum was used as an ointment to treat pains of the limbs, and to try and cure paralysis.

6. Australia and New Zealand

Despite the fact that both lands had been discovered their existence was not recognised in the Encyclopaedia until they had been colonised.

7. California

The US state of Callifornia was spelt with two ‘L’s’ and is described as ‘a large country of the West Indies. Unknown whether it is an island or a peninsula.’

8. The solar system

The solar system was described as having six planets; Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have yet to be discovered.

9. New England

Boston, the capital of New England, had numerous English attributes. It was described as being defended by a castle and platform of guns.

10. Cheese

The cheese of Ireland was prohibited to be imported into the UK. Parmesan cheese was renowned abroad, especially in France.

COOL PHOTOS I DID NOT TAKE

I tripped across these photos while roaming the interweb. I love perspective illusions.

KARMA: WORKING GIRL

I've made the big leap. Nine to five job (Actual hours may vary). Roommate (More precisely, Flatmate. We have separate rooms). New country (Although I was born here and have visited often).

It's all kind of scary. I'm a very shy person and do pretty poorly around new people. Last week I met a girl and the next day I am living with her. Sharing a kitchen, parlor and toilet. She's actually very nice. A bit older than me. I think she sees me as some sort of anthropological case study. The jungle girl moved to the New World to learn about civilization. I don't know any of the telly references (which make up 85% of the conversations of my co-workers). I don't know American Football. I don't drink alcohol and have no interest in "hooking up" with anybody.

So I'm looked upon as the slow, foreign girl. I could help belay this impression if I would only talk more. But I have been very good about not just hiding somewhere alone and reading a book. Eventually I'll start talking and then they'll wish I'd stayed mute.

My work so far has just been training. Mercy Corps has humanitarian projects in over 40 countries. It seems I might be stuck here doing office work. That's fine. i can do most anything they'll ask of me. Not as exotic as helping build schools in Haiti, but important nonetheless.

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble." - Helen Keller

OINK OINK!

Swine flu got me.
Off to bed.
Take care and wash your hands after reading this.

MY LISTS

This is more of a snapshot. My favorites change often.

MY FAVORITE BOOKS

5. Stranger In A Strange Land
4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
3. Illusions
2. Confederacy of Dunces
1. To Kill A Mockingbird

MY FAVORITE MOVIES

5. Willy Wonka
4. Singin' In The Rain
3. Being There
2. Fiddler on the Roof
1. The Wizard of Oz

MY FAVORITE MUSICAL ACTS

5. Billy Joel
4. Taylor Swift
3. Jason Mraz
2. Paul Simon
1. The Beatles

MY FAVORITE SNACKS

5. Popcorn
4. Pickles
3. Celery with peanutbutter
2. Havarti Cheese slices
1. Salt and Vinegar Crisps

MY FAVORITE INDOOR ACTIVITIES

5. Scrabble
4. Playing poker
3. Learning to use the computer
2. WireClub
1. Reading

MY FAVORITE OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES

5. Dining
4. Watching baseball
3. Horseback
2. Hiking
1. Camping

Jason Mraz Tonight!

I just got invited to go to see Jason Mraz who is playing tonight up in Denver at an outdoor ampitheatre. I got to see him for my birthday last year and it's almost that time of year again. I should make this a birthday tradition.

Balloon Festival

I'm staying here in Colorado Springs in the USA, and every year over the US Labor Day Weekend they have a giant Balloon Festival in the city park. About eighty hot air balloons launch each of three mornings (weather permitting).

Also in the evenings, after sunset, they do a glow. That's where they inflate the balloons but do not lift off. They just all fire their propane tanks at once to illuminate the canopies of the balloons.

We attended the launch on Saturday morning. It's amazing. They let you right in the field with the inflating and launching balloons. On Saturday night we returned for the glow and had a great time. Then we came back Sunday morning and were scheduled to be aboard one of the balloons that was lifting off. But the cloud cover was too low. They delayed for two hours before declaring it a no launch morning.

Luckily the gentlemen who owned the balloons we were slated to ride in decided to take the show a bit East. He has two balloons, and we trucked them East of town out to the farm country. By the time we got there and set up the sky was clear and we were able to launch.

It was a great experience. Loud when the jets were firing, and so quiet when they were not. We had an hour flight and then a van met us where we landed and took us back to the cars.

> 29 < 31 Facts About Me

Start with Wire stuff:

1. I was tagged by StuckInTheSixties.
2. This month will mark my one-year anniversary of joining WireClub.
3. I'd never used a computer until about a year ago. A mate took me to the Internet Cafe and taught me how to use Google and message on Y****.
4. I still type using just two fingers. I am awful at spelling and must type and then read what I typed to see if it makes any sense before I can hit the Enter button. That is why my chat speed is so slow. I often come up with what I think are very witty comebacks to what is said in a chat; but by the time I type them and read them for correction, the moment is gone and the comment is already dated.
5. I joined Wire because I was deeply depressed over a break-up. We had been together for over a year. The break-up also turned most of my friends against me, so I decided to go online and find new friends. A Google search of Chat Sites lead me to WireClub. It is the only chat site I have ever used.
6. When I joined Wire, I thought it was awful. I went into the chatrooms and the people were mean and rude. The only people who'd chat with me were guys wanting to do s^# chat. After my second try I was ready to give up. But I met Chas, who told me to hang in there and assured me that there were all kinds of great people on here and that I just had to find them or wait until they discovered me. He led me to the Forums, which were great as there were no pervs in there. He introduced me to Jos and several other great people.
7. In the Wire Chatrooms I still was finding no luck. I kept trying, but couldn't find anyone who just wanted to talk. And that's what I really wanted. Conversation. Then I stopped into a room opened by Audi. He was friendly and funny and welcoming. At the time he was chatting up Dawn, who also was so nice to me and so sweet. I believe they had just met. Being dim, I had no clue that they, no doubt, wanted to be left alone to chat. I started looking for them whenever I signed on and barged right in.
8. Through them I met Minxy89. She used to have the best rooms in Wire. Friendly, funny, social, clean. Every day during my school lunch break, I'd go to the Internet Cafe and get on Wire and go to Minxy's room. For the first time in a while, I felt like I had friends again. I felt at home on Wire. And I was mostly healed from my heartbreak.
9. Cash, the original WireClub moderator, was a great friend and a great moderator. Another member was a total asshat towards me and I decided just to avoid rooms he was in. The problem with that is that he was the boyfriend of one of my friends and both of them were always in the chatroom that I'd be in. So I just started not entering the chatrooms. Cash would have none of it. He didn't take my side - which was the correct one - or his side, but instead MADE both of us enter a private chat with him and talk. It sounds so simple, and it is. After that, this guy and I weren't friends, but had no problems with each other. (He's long gone). Since that time I have had similar situations. But no Cash, and so, no resolution. You'd think I could work this out on my own and just have the sit-down with the other person without an intervention, but sadly, that's not the case. I have no ability to resolve conflicts on my own. I miss Cash.
10. My first WireClub crush was on SpaceChimp. I loved his blogs. I enjoyed talking to him. I knew and know nothing about him personally, but crushes are that way sometimes. He still stops in on occasion, but far too infrequently.
11. I've always thought I was hilarious. I cy^wy me up all the time. I see things and seem to see them as humorous. So when I started blogging, I began posting some of my short humorous writings. They were dry little things with a dry wit, but they amused me. I soon began to realize that my humor doesn't translate to others. My posts were taken as if they were serious. It bothered me a bit, but was a great thing to learn. In chatrooms I'd throw out what I felt were humorous comments all the time and they'd just go unnoticed. I wasn't sure if no one got them or if they just didn't find them amusing. No matter, I just kept on, as that's how I am in conversation.
12. Then one day someone laughed at what I said. Not only that, but he laughed at most everything I said. StuckInTheSixties was the first person on Wire to find me funny. It was a HUGE ego boost when I really needed one. My guess is that I caught his notice at just the right time. At that point in his life he needed to laugh. I needed an audience. I began seeking out the rooms he was in. I kept him amused, and he made me feel as if I was witty. And we became great friends. Even after he came to realize that only about 7% of the things that I say are actually as amusing as I think they are, he was been a steady and unwavering friend and sounding board.
13. I think Veronica is the most fascinating person on Wire. Much like SpaceChimp, I know very little about her personally. But I love her blogs and used to love her in chats during those days when she used to chat in the Minxy rooms.
14. I think falling in love on the Internet is absurd, and yet I have done it myself. You fall in love with the portion of the person you know. In fact I think falling in love on the Internet may be easier than doing so in person. You are presented with the portion of the person that they want you to know, and you can fill in the other parts however you wish. I don’t mean by this that people can’t fall in love with the whole person from having met online; only that you CAN fall in love without having but a sliver of the whole to fall for. And I find that absurd. And yet, as I said, I have done it myself.
14. I really, really miss having chatrooms that several of my friends hang out in. I get that people get burned out on chat and that Wire is a fluid place and I could just make new friends with the people who are now in the chats; but my best times on here have been in the rooms made by Minxy89, Dawn, Holly, SITS and my other Wire mates. Strangers were welcome, but there was a sense of already belonging that made me feel so comfortable.
15. I’ve never played the games on Wire. I have participated in the Games Forum games, but none of the games you can access from your homepage drop down list.

Now on the non-Wire stuff:

16. My Father has always called me Pooh Bear. Not in public. Just when we are alone. He called me that long before he began reading the stories to me as a girl. I take great comfort in knowing that whatever I do, whoever I become, I will always be Pooh Bear to him. My favorite Pooh quote is: “When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you sometimes find that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.”
17. I never go anywhere without a book. I have been made fun of for bringing a book onto an ice rink, on ski slopes and into movie theaters. I feel at a loss not having one. What if I fell on the ice and broke a leg and had to wait for a medic to arrive? What would I read if I hadn’t my book? I read books and then give them away. The only books I have after reading them are several books that I got to have personally signed by the authors.
18. I have very few memories of the time before I was 11. I had a trauma at 11 years old and for some odd reason my memory of my early years is really spotty. The things I remember, I remember fully. As if they happened last year. But there are whole stretches that I have no memory of at all. I used to think that in time they would all come back, but it seems not to be the case. The brain is an odd thing.
19. When I was little, my first ambition was to grow up and become a bear. Perhaps it stemmed from my Father’s nickname for me. I don’t know. But I clearly remember telling anyone who would listen that I was going to be a bear one day and live in the woods. And not a fluffy Pooh Bear either. A black bear who ate fish growled a lot. I no longer wish to be a bear, but I do wish I had that same certainty about my future now that I had as a little girl.
20. When I was 12 and we moved to India, I had to start my life all over again. I had to relearn how to walk and talk and everything was odd. New language, new food, new smells, new sounds. It was a sort of rebirth. We lived in a proper house instead of various accommodations in different villages. We had people cooking and cleaning and driving for us. It was a total change, and I think that was the point.
21. My Mother converted to Hinduism as a teenager. As I grew up, the decision was made that I should find my own path. I’ve read much on different religions. I’m not a fan of any of them. Despite that, I do believe in God. My basic philosophy is to live my life in such a way that at the end of each day I can look back and say, “I did the best I could today for others and for myself.” I often don’t succeed, but I try. I call myself a Zen Buddhist. But I have never had any formal training in this area. Just my own reading. What I like about Zen is the lack of importance of dogma. No Bible or Koran or Vedas matter. What matters is the now. Live this moment. That’s all we can reasonably ask of ourselves.
22. My Grandfather (My Father’s Father) taught me to play poker and Blackjack at an early age. I get great pleasure in playing poker and also in watching the tourneys on the telly. It’s a perfect mixture of maths and acting.
23. I’ve never had a pet. I love animals and look forward to someday having many of them live with me. My life has been too nomadic up to this point to make having a pet a fair proposition for the animal.
24. The most interesting place I have so far visited is Xi’an, China. We made that trip last year. It’s the home of the terracotta warriors. The first Emperor of China was buried with a whole army made of clay. Some 9000 warriors, horses, musicians etc. It’s amazing. If you are unfamiliar with it, then be sure to look online for articles and videos. We had but a day there, but I could spend months.
26. I’m not a very attractive person and offline I am not much of a talker and not nearly as smart or funny as I think I am. Online my self-confidence has blossomed. It’s great, but I also realize it is a detriment. Since I am comfortable online, I’ve stopped trying to meet people and make friends offline. I have no idea how to make this better, as I can’t see giving up Wire and I have no need for friends “out there” as I have so many greats mates right here.
27. I have no firm grasp of my sexuality. I have no idea if I am a lesbian. I have never had a boyfriend. I think I’d like to have one. I often wonder if it’d all be different if I hadn’t been raped as a girl. I know that the current dominant thought is that your sexuality is something that you are born with. I’m just not sure. If it turns out that I am a lesbian then I have no problem with that. I have no burning desire not to be gay. But I am attracted to certain boys. Frankly I am happiest during those times when I have no sexual thoughts at all.
28. I thought once we found out that I’d eventually need a kidney transplant, that I’d become more focused. More goals oriented. You know – get things done because who knows how much time we have left. Sadly, that’s not been the case. I still dread planning and goals. Perhaps this whole “Zen thing” of living in the moment is just my cover for being a procrastinator.
29. If I had just 5 books that I had to have to read for the rest of my life, over and over again, they’d be: Stranger In A Strange Land, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, A Confederacy of Dunces, Huckleberry Finn and The Autobiography of a Yogi.
30. My Mother’s favorite story about me as a baby is that when I started to crawl, I would only go backwards. I crawled backwards and would stop and raise up my butt and look between my legs to see where I was going. I guess I’ve looked at things from a different perspective all along.

I tag Holly and Lina

Questions Answered

Is there anybody you just wish would fall off the planet? No

How do you flush the toilet in public? Whatever way they work. Just glad to be in a place with toilets!

Do you wear your seatbelt in the car? Yes

Do you have a crush on someone? Yes

Name one thing you worry about running out of. Clean socks

What is your favorite pizza topping? Pineapple

Do you cx#@x your knuckles? No

What song do you hate the most? Poker Face

Did just mentioning that song make it get stuck in your head? No

What are your super powers? I can Jump to Conclusions

Peppermint or spearmint? Spearmint

Where are your car keys? No keys

Whose answers to this questionnaire do you want to hear? SITS and Holly

What's your most annoying habit? I constantly think of and say puns. Drives my mates nuts.

Where did you last go on vacation? Colorado in the USA. Now.

What is your best physical feature?. I have a cute butt

What CD is closest to you right now? Not in my house. I am looking around my Aunt's desk and find Frank Sinatra Live at the Sands

What 3 things can always be found in your refrigerator? Several cheeses, fruit juice, peanut butter

What superstition do you believe? I never walk under a ladder I am standing on

What color are your bed sheets? Green

Would you rather be a fish or a bird? Bird

Do you talk on your cell phone when you drive? No car or cell phone at the moment

What are your favorite sayings? Spiffy! Well stuff my bird and call me Ducky!

What song(s) do you sing in the shower most? Broadway showtunes. Lately from Fiddler on the Roof

If you could go back or forward in time,where would you go? 1963 I think I was meant to live during the 60's

What is your favorite Harrison Ford movie? Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

What CD is in your stereo? Cast Recording of Avenue Q

What CD will be in your stereo in a few minutes? Same one

How many kids do you plan on having? None

If you could kiss anyone who would it be? Holly

What do you do when no one is watching? Read

If they made a movie about your life, what actor/actress would be you? Keanuu Reeve

Would you rather die in a blaze of glory or peacefully in your sleep? Peacefully in my sleep

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Favorite musician(s)/bands you've seen in concert? Jason Mraz. And also the Inauguration Concert with U2, Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Melencamp and Pete Seeger.
Have you ever been in love? Yes

Do you talk to yourself? Just internally

Mark Twain Knew A Thing Or Two

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.

- Innocents Abroad


...nothing so liberalizes a man and expands the kindly instincts that nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people.

- Letter to San Francisco Alta California, dated May 18th, 1867; published June 23, 1867


“It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.”


“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”

MAHALO MEANS THANK YOU

A few random photos from our stay in Hawaii.
A big Mahalo! to all the fine people here who shared their Aloha Spirit.

Hawaii Helicopter Tour

We had the opportunity to take a helicopter tour of the Big Island. It was spectacular. I thought I'd have good photos of the waterfalls, but those all turned out awful. Some of these others look great, though not near as good as live.

INSERT YOUR OWN LEI JOKE HERE

Today was my second and final class in lei making. I promised to post a photo, but the photos i took look awful. I'm not good at indoor photography. So, to make up for that (or perhaps as punishment) I'll toss in a little bit i learned about the tradition of lei.

That's the first thing..... the plural of lei is lei. One lei. Twenty-five lei.
Lei did not originate in Hawaii. They were brought over as a tradition by travelers from Tahiti who made the journey by long canoe. Soon the lei became a regular part of Hawaiian society.

When you think of lei, you think of flowers. But lei can be made of many materials. Including leaves, shells, seeds, nuts, feathers, bones and teeth of various animals. I saw a lei made entirely of intricately folded US dollar bills.

A bit of lei etiquette: It is impolite to ever refuse a lei and also to remove a lei in the presence of the person who gave it to you.

In my first class I made my lei out of ti leaves, folded and woven with a single flower as a show piece. Today I made one entirely of flowers. It took me 3 hours with the help of my teacher. Mine is the one in the center of the photo laying on top of the ti leaf.

Never Ending Questionaire

K - Kind
A - Amusing
R - Ridiculous
M - Maladjusted
A - Adventurous

STEP TWO:
– Name: Karma
– Birth date: October 24
– Nickname: Holly calls me JiggyJig, SITS calls my Princess, my Father calls me Pooh Bear, my Grandmother calls me Kathleen (Middle name)
– Hair Colour: Brown
– Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

STEP THREE:
– The shoes you wore today: Sandals
– Your weakness: I constantly fall into the trap of thinking I am more important than I am
– Your fear(s): Social situations. Disappointing my Father.
– Your perfect pizza: Rarely have. Maybe hot peppers and pineapple.
– Goal you’d like to achieve: Making the world a little better for my having been here.

STEP FOUR:
– Your best physical feature: I have a cute butt
– Your bedtime? Asleep usually around 3 or 4 AM. I read in bed.
– Most missed memory? I miss swimming in the pond back home.

STEP FIVE:
This Or That…
– Pepsi or Coke? No thank you
– McDonald’s or Burger King: None for me, thanks.
– Adidas or Nike: I have a pair of Nikes
– Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Either?
– Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla
– Cappuccino or coffee: Stop talking and pour

STEP SIX:
Do You…
– Drink: Occasionally a glass of wine with dinner
– Curse: Never out loud. Online on occasion (Wire is a corrupting influence)
– Sing: When no one is around
– Dance: Rarely and poorly
– Take a shower everyday: Often more than one
– Have a crush: Yes
– Do you think you’ve been in love?: Yes.
– Want to go to college: I don't think so
– Like(d) high school: Parts of it
– Want to get married: No
– Get motion sickness: No
– Think you’re a health freak: No
– Get along with your parents: Yes

STEP SEVEN:
In the past month…
– Gone to the mall: No
– Eaten an entire box of Oreos: Never
– Eaten Sushi: Yes
– Been on stage: I walked across the empty outdoor stage at Volcanoes National Park in order to take a photo
– Gone skating: No
– Made homemade cookies: Never
– Gone Skinny dipping: Yes
– Stolen anything: No

STEP EIGHT:
Ever…
– Played a game that required removal of clothing: Yes - Strip poker, strip Scrabble and strip golf
– If so, was it mixed company: Yes
- Flashed anyone: No
– Been beaten up: Yes
– Shoplifted: No

STEP NINE:
– Number of Children: Not on my mind
- Place you would like to visit: Many parts of China, Scandinavia, New Orleans, Iceland

STEP ELEVEN:
– Number of people I would trust with my life: 2
– Number of CDs that I own: Perhaps 400. Most in boxes in Bali
– Number of piercings: Ears

Personal Quiz
Who were you with yesterday? My parents
What woke you up this morning? Bird sounds
Where are you? In the kitchen of the house my Mother is staying in
Is tomorrow going to be a good day? It is.
Do you like anybody? Very much

THE PAST
Ever thrown up in public? No
Passed out because of alcohol? No
What’s on your mind RIGHT NOW? Wondering why this question is in a section titled THE PAST.

THE FUTURE
What kind of home would you like? A cabin in the woods.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Grown up.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Working to help fund and implement programs to provide for the heathcare, education and food shortfalls of children around the world.

IN GENERAL
Do you like candy necklaces? No.
When was the last time you fell over or ran into something? Almost every night on my walk home I fall, tripping over a tree root or something.
Do you listen to music every day? Pretty much
Do you still go trick or treating? Never have
What was the last thing you ate? Papaya
Are you a fast typist? No. Two fingers.
Whats your favorite type of soda? Root beer
Have you ever moved? HA!
Have you ever won an award? No
Are you listening to music right now? Yes. Cast Album of Avenue Q
How long ’till your birthday? A little over 3 months
When were you the saddest in your whole life? September last
What time is it? 9:41 AM
Do you use ebay to buy or sell? No
Who makes you mad? Seeing people mistreated or treated with disrespect
Have you ever heard a song written about you? No. How cool would that be?
Something you want to happen in 2009? Have a better feeling of stability
-Summer 2009? Get a bit smarter
Honestly, do you miss 2008? Yes. At least parts

HONESTY SECTION
1. Honestly, what color is your underwear? White with an apple on the front and the words Bite Me on the rear.
2. Honestly, whats on your mind? I wish I weren't so selfish and could be more focused.
3. Honestly, what are you doing right now? Filling out this never ending survey
6. Honestly, have you done something bad today? No
8. Honestly, who is the last person you talked to on the phone? My Uncle
9. Honestly, are you jealous of someone right now? Yeah. A bit. How stupid is that?
10. Honestly, what makes you mad most of the time? Seeing others treated poorly
11. Honestly, do you bite your nails? No
12. Honestly, have you had an eating disorder? No
13. Honestly, do you want to see someone this very moment? Yes
14. Honestly, are you keeping a big secret now? No. But if you wanna know you gotta ask.
15. Honestly, do you have a friend you don’t actually like? No
17. Honestly, are you in denial? I'm sure I am, but by definition I'd not be able to realize it.
18. Honestly, do you get up in the middle of the night and eat? No
19. Honestly, do you like anyone? Very much
20. Honestly, does anyone like you? Yes

ANGER SECTION

1. What do you do when you’re mad? I often walk away and fume all alone and wonder why no one seems to know what is making me mad. I'm an idiot.
2. What’s the worst thing you’ve done when you were mad? I yelled at my parents and told them that because of them I'd never be happy. It's making me cry now remembering it. They are great parents and all I ever do is complain. It's pathetic really.
3. Ever made anyone cry when you were mad? Yes, they both cried. i don't blame them for anything. How could I? I'm just a stupid petulant child.
4. Do you swear when you’re mad? No

CRYING SECTION
1.When was the last time you actually cried? Sunday
2. Ever cried yourself to sleep? Yes
3. Do certain songs make you cry? Yes
4. What usually makes you cry? Hard to tell. Maybe hormones.

HAPPY SECTION
1. Are you usually a happy person? Yes
2. What makes you the happiest? The outdoors. Good music. Feeling loved.
4. Do you believe in yourself? Sometimes
5. When people say they think you are good looking/pretty, do you get happy? My first reaction is always that they are just being nice. My secondary reaction is that it makes me feel good even if they are just being nice.

Muroidea Tush

I thought nobody cared until yesterday, when a cat brought me a half-eaten rodent.

At least somebody gives a rat's ass around here.

Volcano Trip

Hawaii, the Big Island, is home to the most active volcano on the planet. Kilauea has been continually erupting since 1983. It is located in Volcanoes National Park. The summit caldera or crater on the top, is located at 1200 meters (4000 ft) above the sea. The eruptions now are on the side of the volcano and the lava flows through lava tubes underground to the shore.

I spent several days in the park near the caldera which has been spewing gases into the air around the clock, creating vog - a volcanic fog that envelops major parts of the island. I'll include a few photos of the rim and caldera, but the real excitement came on Wednesday when we hired a boat to take us to the point in the ocean where the lava is flowing into the sea.

It was an amazing trip. The water was very choppy but the views were excellent. What a beautiful, and for the most part, untouched shoreline. For part of the trip we were joined by little spinner dolphins. They lead the way jumping and frolicking. Approaching the lava flow, you first see the plume of steam. It's visible from miles away.

Up close the water is hot. The lava is about 2200 degrees C (4000 F), and where it enters the ocean, the water boils (hence the steam plume). Where our boat rode (about 15 - 20 meters out) the water temperature was about 50 C (120 F). So it was like being in a hot steambath. And there were big rocks of lava steaming and hissing floating by.

For the most part, the lava flowed into the sea. But occasionally there were bursts of lava in the air. Overall it was quite spectacular.

I hope you like the photos. I think they are amazing.

The Best Beach Boys Song All Ukified

Another Uke playing girl. Live from her dorm room with the best Beach Boys song ever.

If we were going to be here longer, I'd definitely start on the Uke lessons.

From Dawn - Google Fill In The Blank

Q:Type in "[your name] needs" in the Google search.
A: Karma needs to save My Name Is Earl (TV Show)

Q:Type in "[your name] looks like" in Google search.
A: Karma looks like Sanjaya Malakar (not a clue)

Q:Type in "[your name] says" in Google search.
A: Karma says smile.

Q: Type in "[your name] wants" in Google search.
A: Karma wants to thank our talented staff.

Q: Type in "[your name] does" in Google search.
A: Karma does not specifically concern itself with salvation as it implies a basic socio-ethical dynamic.

Q: Type in "[your name] hates" in Google search.
A: Karma hates Carrie and Sodapop

Q: Type in "[your name] asks" in Google search.
A: Karma asks Ethical Questions about Trust

Q: Type in "[your name] goes" in Google search.
A: Karma goes social.

Q:Type in "[your name] likes " in Google search.
A: Karma likes some sort of video game, with a numeric integer representing their score in the game. (???)

Q: Type in "[your name] eats" in Google search
A: Karma eats blogger-journalist dogma (with cheese)

Q:Type in "[your name] wears " in Google search.
A: Karma Wears a Pee-Stained Tutu (Not Desmond)

Q:Type in "[your name] was arrested for" in Google
A: Karma, was arrested for trying to "brute force" into saphir.ulaval.ca

PLACE OF REFUGE

Some photos from Pu'uhonau o Honaunau - The Place of Refuge. It is now a National Park. A friend I have made here, Charlie, works there as an interpretive guide. It is an historic site with a rich history. I'll try to tell a bit, but any mistakes are mine and I apologize in advance.

Part of the Park is the Palace Grounds where the King lived. Another part is the Place of Refuge. If a person committed some transgression (breaking kapu) such as treading on the shadow of a Chief, he could be subject to a death sentence. But if he could make it to the Place of Refuge by swimming across the bay before being caught then the priest (Kahuna) would have to absolve him of any wrong doing. It was like homebase in a game of tag. Albeit, a game where the loser is killed.

The snorkeling was great just off of this lava field.

More Beatles Themed Inspiration (Sorry Holly, It's Just A Youtube Link)

BRAIN STAINER

Below is a photo of a geometric figure. Click on it to expand it to maximum size.

How many different triangles can you find within this geometric figure?

When you think you know the answer, do not send that answer to me as a message. Share your answer with others. (You are honor-bound to follow through on this.)

You will be allowed only one hundred individual single attempts to answer this puzzle. Answering more than one hundred times will cause all of your answers to be deleted and disregarded. ONE HUNDRED TRIES, SO NO NEED TO BE SURE!

TODAY'S EXPERIMENT

Let's try a little experiment:

Turn and look at someone near you - a loved one, a friend, a co-worker, a stranger - it doesn't really matter.

Now, as you look at this person, consider this: He or she is a completely unique, never-before-in-the-history-of-the-universe-has-there-been-anyone-exactly-like-this-person... person.

Reflect on the fact that you are gazing at an impossibly complex and totally original work of art which will never be duplicated.

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. We so easily lose sight of how truly magnificent we are.

Which is something to keep in mind if you chose to look at a stranger for this exercise. Even though he's looking back at you with grinning, spittle-covered lips that are a barely containing a river of drool - even though perverse thoughts of what he'd like to do to you are racing through a meat-based computer that no Intel chip will ever approximate - he is a masterpiece.

If he were hanging in a museum, a security guard would most likely tell you, "Don't touch."

ALOHA

I've been in Hawaii two weeks now, and am enjoying my stay quite a bit. Especially my time with the locals. This part of the island is pretty scarcely populated. Many farms, several fishermen and several haoles like myself.

Haole (pronounced how-lee) is the term for a Caucasian off-islander. Mostly it refers to tourists, but also to those who moved here because they wanted to get away from it all back on the Mainland and then they try to make Hawaii just like what they were trying to escape.

In true haole fashion then, I'll go and potificate about the Islanders as if I have been here long enough to know anything...

The locals treat everyone warmly. It's part of the Aloha Spirit. Everyone knows the word Aloha. It means both Hello and Goodbye in Hawaiian. But it's a much bigger word than that.

It also means Love and Affection.

It's literal meaning is "presence (Alo) of breath (ha)."

Aloha is a philosophy - a way of life. Treating each other with love and respect. Creating, sending and receiving positive energy. Living in harmony with your surroundings and those around you.

Do it right and you will be pono (Contented. The feeling that all is right).

Aloha.

PHOTOS FROM CHAD

Here are a few photos from my recent trip to Africa:

1. One family's campsite
2. I don't know her name
3. One of the health centres
4. Marie
5. Children. UNICEF has schools set of for children. It is difficult to talk parents into allowing the girls to attend though
6. Security. Travel outside of camp is very dangerous
7. A small part of the Daha refugee camp taken from the bluff
8. The main market in Bangui from the plane
9. The capital city of CAR - Bangui
10. Photo out the plane window of the Central African Republic countryside

10 Fact Blog

1. Water is the only substance that gets less dense when it is either heated or cooled.
2. The Hawaiian language uses only 7 consonants - H K L M N P and W.
3. As many as 1 in 10 people are born with a third nipple, though they are often mistaken for moles.
4. In a group of 23 people, there is a better than 50% chance that at least two of them will have the same birthday.
5. Annually, more people are killed by donkeys than in airplane crashes.
6. There are more people who speak English in China than in the United States.
7. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
8. The letter J does not appear anywhere on the Periodic Table.
9. The word Spain means "Land of Rabbits."
10. The average four year-old child asks over four hundred questions a day.