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Kitty Pics!
Gracie & Emmie Pics
New pics of my cats are now posted on Webshots. Its been a while since I've posted there, but I put up some good ones.
Snowy Monday Mornin'
BLIZZARD!
My practicum was cancelled this morning due to the blizzard, which is coming down an inch per hour right now...and this is the moderate snowfall. We're due in for 6-10 inches today and another 1-3 tonight. I hope that cancels my class tomorrow...I took off work tomorrow to study...I'd love to have all day to study. Now if I can just get off work today, which is looking more and more likely. That would just simply rule. I'm not surprised by the blizzard, which has started. Seems like we always get a March blizzard. The worst ones that I remember occured in March. I recall the one that blew snow into the vents in the attic in our house when I was in high school...it began to melt and left watermarks on our ceilings, which we had to paint to cover. My best friend even got stuck at our house, because no one could come to pick her up. Neither of us minded, though...we had a lot of fun that blizzard.
Congrats to the Hokie Women
The womens' basketball team won their last regular season game 90-45 over the Miami Hurricanes. They dominated the loser 'canes and are ranked seventh going into the playoffs. Congrats Hokies! Good luck in the playoffs!
The Missing Counties of Virginia
Counties come, counties go. The General Assembly has created 166 counties since 1634, but there are only 95 in Virginia now. Virginia's counties were created to meet the needs of the English settlers, based on English laws and customs.See which counties are still around, and which ones have disappeared or simply ended up in another state.
Seen Elsewhere...
*Interesting Article About Magnetic Field Reversal...will it be happening anytime soon? Fascinating subject.
*Ancient Chinese used Sticky Rice to Cement Structures Together...an ancient myth has now been proven.
Sunday Evenin' Odd News
GO VOODOO!
Congrats on taking out the Storm in OT! Now #2 in their division...WOOHOO!
I Fought the Law...
23-year-old Richard Smith, from Cornwall, will be embarking on an 18,000 mile journey...just to break the law. He isn't likely to be arrested, though, since he'll only be breaking arcane laws around the US. What does he plan to do on his trip? He'll fall asleep in a cheese factory in South Dakota, as well as attempt to play cards with a Native American in Globe, Arizona. He'll loudly yell "Oh, Boy!" in Jonesborough, GA, and drive 100 times around the town square in Oxford, Mississippi...he may even go whale hunting in Salt Lake City, Utah. Someone with a seriously bad sense of geography must've been the one to outlaw whale hunting in Salt Lake City.
Just When You Thought Loud Bass in Cars was Annoying Enough...
Those darn teenagers invent something else to annoy us. This time? Train horns in vehicles. Sometimes they do it for a laugh, sometimes they just want to show off. Running $1000 to $2,500 for a set, these are the newest car additions in Florida....and the residents aren't happy about it. Police in some cities are giving tickets for noise violations, but that doesn't stop some of the miscreants from blasting those around them. People who hear the noise definitely jump, and some have thrown themselves to the ground in fear. Why do people...especially of the male persuasion...seem to feel that they need to annoy the crap out of everyone around them by being loud? These guys must be in some serious need of some lovin' to be taking it out on the residents of their whole town.
True or False? Mr. Ed was a Horse
Of, course; of, course...Mr. Ed was not a horse...at least, according to the April Fool's section of Snopes.com. According to the section, he was, in fact, a she, and a zebra at that. The section stated that zebra stripes do not resolve on black and white television. It went on that when the creators of Mr. Ed couldn't find a feasible horse (i.e. one that was trained), they looked to the nearby wild animal park who had a trained zebra named Amelia. And on the story goes. Thanks to Don for finding the section, thanks to Shawn for pointing out that it was an April Fool's joke.
Saturday Fun
Old Man and the Sea
Harald Skoge fishes for a hobby...he decided to try his luck off the western coast of Norway. While he was fishing, he felt his hook attach to something very big. At first he feared it had gotten stuck on the bottom of the sea floor..however, he was able to begin reeling it in. That's when he realized he had something big attached. When the halibut broke the surface, he realized the fish was too large to pull aboard his 29-foot boat. So he hauled the fish back to the shore, where a fishing company weighed and bought the fish. The fish weighed 321 lbs, with its head weighing 42lbs all by itself.
Bad McDonald's Food Leads to Threat to Blow up the Pentagon
I know when I get bad service or food at a restaurant my first thought it to blow up the Pentagon. Certainly that's more effective than complaining to the manager (and maybe getting a free meal...which is better than jailtime). Two men of middle-eastern descent stopped at a McDonald's in Wharton, Texas. When they were displeased with the food and service, they began to make threats. First they threatened to blow up McDonalds, then they threatened to blow up the Pentagon. Now, I don't know if these men are terrorists, or just exceptionally stupid. But if I was of Middle-Eastern descent, I do not think I would mention the blowing up of anything, much less the Pentagon. For those in Texas and nearby states, the men reportedly left McDonalds driving a 1996 Ford Van with Texas license plate number 13K-C81.
Toothbrush that Plays Music
Hasbro is introducing a new toothbrush in september. The $10 toothbrush will play two-minutes worth of music when it is placed against the teeth. The music travels up the jawbone to the ear, so those standing near you can't hear the music. Disney has sold the rights to "Do You Believe in Magic" and the company is looking to sign contracts with some major artists...or not-so-major artists, like Hillary Duff. The toothbrush will start off only playing one song, but more songs may be added later.
A$$hole = Ashcroft
Airplane travelers are hearing Ashcroft substituted for the more well-known seven-letter word for one's excrement doorway in the movie "Sideways," which is being shown onboard flights. The actors dubbed their voices in English, along with the substitution. Airline movies usually have the profanity removed to make them suitable for all audiences, but this is the first known substitution of this kind. I've always thought that Ashcroft was pretty profain, myself, so its fitting that his name has been used.
Gotta run...its been a busy week and will continue to be busy until I finish this coming week, which is mid-term week. Woo.
Take it easy
-Chewie-
Hump day news...
New iPod's Announced
And Chewie would be your forever friend if you provided her with an iPod...a mini is fine...even the 4gb is fine...green, perhaps? I would've taken gold, but it looks like they don't make that one anymore. Oooh, how I'd love to have an iPod. By the time I can afford one, they won't be making them anymore (darn grad school).
The Mapping of a Cat's Brain
Ever wanted to know what a cat's brain looks like? Now you know....reminds me of the Y-chromosome I made in college (and to be fair, I made the X-chromosome, as well).
Fans of Homestarrunner.com
Behold the Trogdor Shrimp for sale on eBaY. So far its up to $32...bid now to win your favorite peasant terrorizing monster.
Experts Determine the Best Way to Break Up with Your Lover
Women: Tell the guy you want a baby
Men: Buy her underwear a size too large
According to the "experts" at www.dumpjeschatje.nl, the above methods are the best way to get rid of an unwanted lover. If these don't work, however, you can always try their curt business-style letter or scathing poem (both downloadable documents) to end the relationship.
Accident Update & Odd News
Truck Update (From Dad's Accident)
Dad found out yesterday that his Ranger was indeed totalled. They didn't look much further than the frame to make this determination. The cab was torn to pieces, and the mechanic said he's really lucky that he didn't get hurt. The bed is ok, except for the ding where the cab was rammed into it. Dad's sad about his truck, but relieved it is totalled. It would be worthless at tradein time if it had been in the wreck and not totalled...a position that their Contour is already in. I had told dad that she hit him going probably around 45mph...at first he disagreed. Then he saw the truck again yesterday. He said it looked worse than he remembered, and agreed that she had to have hit him going faster than the 35mph he first suspected. The S-10 she was driving was in awful shape, as well. She broke the front axel and knocked a wheel off...not to mention lots of other damage. Dad will be getting a truck like the one below sometime this week. He didn't really want red (its the dark red, not the bright red), but it was the only XLT in stock...and they already had to get it from another dealer. He loved his truck and wanted pretty much the same thing, so he settled for red. I think it'll look nice, but I'm sorry he didn't get what he would've liked. Here's a pic:
Side note: D$&#! Browser crashed, thus loosing my first version of this...probably will cut down on the odd news content...though there wasn't much good odd news anyway.
The Top 100 Gadgets of All Time
The rules:
*It has to have electronic and/or moving parts of some kind. Scissors count, but the knife does not.
*It has to be a self-contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device. The flashlight counts; the light bulb does not. The notebook counts, but the hard drive doesn't.
*It has to be smaller than the proverbial bread box.
From the Bedazzler to the laser pointer to the 8-ball to the Atari 2600, see the top 100 gadgets of all time. I haven't mentioned number one, you'll have to go to the link for that. Some very interesting choices on the list...some good ol' favorites and some newer thingamajigs.
Woman Attacks Clerk with Sausage Over Vacuum Cleaner Mishap
A woman was attempting to use an outdoor vacuum cleaner at a Chaple Hill Buy&Go, but could not get to the vacuum because a car blocked the way. When the clerk told her that the car was disabled and could not be moved, she became frustrated and took it out on the poor clerk, whom she beat with a sausage. The clerk took refuge in the back of the store, and the woman left. What kind of crime is that? Assault with a food item?
Record Number of UFO Sightings in Canada
Sightings of UFOs in Canada reportedly increased by 31% from the previous year. Scientists cannot think of a cultural reason, such as the X-files, that might have caused this increase. However, Canadians were UFO happy this year, with regular skywatchers to police, pilots, and others with high-quality observation equipment, all calling in sightings of UFOs. 15% are unaccounted for by normal explanations. Among those who are considered to "high-quality" cases, 7% are still unaccounted for by normal explanations.
Odd News...Almost
The Paris vs Britney Dog Debate
So, I'm sure all of you heard that Britney said her dog was cuter than Paris' dog. Now, I don't normally care about celebrities or the news surrounding them...but what the heck? They're both chihuahua's...one is brown, and one is white. I think a bigger question is at stake: Which is cuter? The dogs or the b!tches Paris and Britney. Obviously the dogs have a more natural beauty. They've got better personalities and they don't bark as much. I think the dogs win that one hands down.
GO VOODOO!
The VooDoo took out the Philly Soul yesterday, 61-47. I got to watch most of the game, thanks to Philly's popularity and proximity. I wish I could see the Voo Doo more often, since they're my team, but at least I get to see the scores of them winning. I'm really beginning to get into Arena Football...
I was going to look up some odd news...but Don is on his way home and I want to hang out with him.
Later
Chewie
Welcome to Binky!
This is Binky
Binky is our new betta. He is named after Death's horse in the Discworld tales. This is because Death's horse is white...while our betta is not entirely white, he is mostly white. He's got a few marble patches on his tale. He is the first white betta I've owned. I believe his personality is more like red bettas (firey tempers) rather than the more mellow blues and blacks. I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this trend with their bettas, but I have. Binky has the late Gallahad's castle...and he's using it. Vetinari couldn't have given a big hoot about a castle, as he prefers to play in plants. However, Binky was in the castle in the first few hours of checking out his new abode. He seems quite happy. My only complaint is that he's hard to see at night, because he's white. If anyone of you are in the Harrisonburg area, or will be soon, and want an orange betta...there is one at the local Petco. It might be gone by now, because he's unusual, but he's quite a beauty and definitely different. I think orange is the newest color addition to the betta color collection. The only thing I'll say about owning bettas, though, is it looks as if you can't own just one. We had five at one time (each had their own 2-gallon hex)..unfortuantely, the Alexandria water took care of them. I had only had one for quite a long time after that, and then none for about a year. When mom and dad's Augustus passed on, I took their tank and gave a home to Lord Vetinari. He's a beautiful blue and his tank just got a makeover. He got a new plant and some new gravel. He's enjoying the new plant quite a bit.
Well, I must be off to get some more homework done. I'd like to be finished before Don gets home tonight. I have today off work (thank you past presidents), but that only means I need to spend the time getting homework done...midterms are next week and I'll be needing the rest of this week to study.
Cheerio,
-Chewie-
The Interviews
The Interviews Yesterday
Went extremely well. Hopefully I'll have a summer school teaching job this summer, which would give me invaluable experience that will not only be good for learning the ropes of teaching; but will also look good on my resume. Anyway. I'm glad that it is over...not that I was all that stressed out, but it just took so long. I did get to see some old friends and catch up with them. In addition, I met some new people; so time between interviews passed quickly (even with a 2hour break). All my interviewers told me that I had an excellent interview. So that was a relief. Even if I don't get a summer school job (not everyone offers science summer school classes), I still know that I did a good job interviewing and that I should only be able to improve those skills for the future.
Gotta run...gotta get to church and then off to buy a new betta (I hope no one buys him before I get there...he's unusual and beautiful).
Wish Me Luck
I Am Interviewing to Teach Summer School Today
I have interviews with three school systems and might be able to fetch one more (if they have time and I have time). I had considered teaching this coming year, but that will prevent me from getting my MAT; I've invested too much time and money not to get my MAT. Plus, I want the extra experience, so I can be the best teacher I can be. I have been a bit nervous about the interviews, and I knew my whole day would be filled with them today...so I took yesterday evening to chill out with a book. Sorry for the lack of blogging. Anyway. I'll write either tonight or tomorrow about how I think the interviews have gone (I doubt I'll hear the results today).
Wish me luck!
cheers,
Chewie
More Odd News!
Motorcycle Fans
See over 500 high-quality photographs of various motorcycles. As long as you use them for a non-commercial use, you can use the photographs on your own webpage. Just be sure to link back to the motorcycle site. Some very cool pics.
Via The Presurfer
79-Year Old Woman Charged with Beating Police Officers
Police had gone to investigate potential domestic abuse charges against the caretaker of Betty Chambers. When police attempted to arrest the caretaker, Chambers began to hit them with her cane. Officer Lonny Foresman was struck over the head, from which he suffered a minor concussion. Meanwhile, Sgt. John Pavlekovich suffered a separated shoulder and hand injury. Chambers and her caretaker were charged with resisting law enforcement and battery. I don't know, but it sounds to me like she can take care of herself...
Seen Elsewhere...
*High School Chemistry Teacher Accused of teaching his kids to make bombs. They're not supposed to learn that until college, geez.
*Amazon Has the Preview for Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy Movie that will be coming out April 29, 2005.
Off to Another Day...
I'm not sure how it came to be that my least favorite class is my last class of the week...a bad way to end a week of fairly decent classes. Its really a long story as to why I hate this class, but the basic facts are this: the professor is a b*tch, the class is useless because we don't learn anything relevant, and the professor's attitude has managed to mess up our relationship with the school we're at. Lovely, eh? And she's going to keep us late today...thus making me late to work...again. She has to keep us late to tell us options to complete the assignment she's now had to cancel due to her messing up the relationship with the school. I don't think we ought to be screwed over because she's a total jerk, but apparently she disagrees. Not that I'm surprised...she was an English major and most (not all, but most) english majors have totally bad attitudes. Anyway. Once I survive her class, its just work left for the rest of the week. Work & homework, that is. I hope all of you have an excellent Thursday...mine will be fine once class is over.
Cheers!
-Chewie-
Accident Report and Odd News
Car Accident
My father was in a car accident yesterday...everyone was unhurt, thank goodness. He was driving across an intersection, after his light turned green; he had looked both ways, but did not see that a Chevy S-10 was heading towards the intersection without slowing down. As he pulled out in his Ford Ranger, the S-10 hit his front passenger-side fender and spun him around. She probably hit him at around 35 mph. Another S-10 was crossing the intersection opposite the direction of dad. The guy driving stopped and stayed to be a witness. That guy was certain that his truck would have been hit on the driver's side door had dad not gotten hit. Then someone would have been seriously injured. So, not 13 months after his Contour gotten taken out of commission by another driver, now his truck is messed up. Apparently it was not drivable, as the frame had been bent and the hood was crumpled, etc. The S-10 that hit him was also not in drivable condition, as she'd broken the front axel. Dad said she never slowed up, and he did not have time to get out of her way. Mom was driving by after the trucks were moved, and saw dad. She parked the car at home and walked back (dad wasn't even a mile from home) to find out that the truck was in bad shape. The wrecker guy was amazed that none of the airbags deployed. I told dad he was lucky they didn't, because that's expensive to fix. My poor father has been in 5 wrecks now...and none of them have been his fault. He told me he's going to paint targets on the car. Even the times that he was in a wreck involving deer, the deer walked into the vehicles. Since the truck was towed, dad doesn't have any photographs to share (he always takes pics of his cars/trucks...especially after they've been wrecked). Again, I'm just glad no one was hurt; but poor dad. He has the worst luck.
Police Chief Awakens to Hear Man Playing Beethoven
New Riegel (Ohio) Police Chief Steve Swartzmiller woke up the other night and heard someone playing the piano in his house. He grabbed his gun and went to investigate the noise. He found a drunk 19-year old Shawn Chadwell playing Beethoven perfectly on his piano. Chadwell was charged with underaged drinking and burglary. Chadwell was apparently looking for a friend's house, when he found the wrong house. Swartzmiller said his house had a light one, which probably attracted Chadwell like a moth to a flame.
Neighbors Awoken by Cock Crowing
A German couple went on vacation, and decided to leave an electronic system set up to start a cock crowing, at an extremely loud volume, between the hours of 2am and 4am. There were 20 minute breaks between crows. Neighbors complained to the police, who attained a warrant to enter the home. They retrieved the electronic system and charged the vacationers (who have yet to return home) of bodily harm and disturbing the peace. Neighbors said they've had no problems with the vacationers. Apparently the vacationers had a problem with them.
Odd News Late Edition
Frank, the Tumor, is Dead
9 year old David Dingman-Grover was pronounced to be Frank-free after a biopsy was performed. David was diagnosed with a grapefruit-sized tumor in 2003, and underwent chemo to reduce the size of the tumor he dubbed "Frank." The tumor shrank to the size of an apricot, but a specialized surgery had to be performed to remove the rest of Frank. The surgery was expensive, and David's mother decided to use eBay to sell "Frank must die" bumperstickers to raise money. When the surgeon heard about the money troubles, he offered to do the surgery for free. Thousands of people across the country donated money to the family, which they used to help cover other medical costs. I'm glad to hear David is doing well...I just had to blog this story, hearing things like this always makes me smile.
How Do YOU Compare to Ken Jennings?
Now you can find out with the new board game that lets you compete against Ken Jennings. The makers asked the 1,200 questions to Ken, and wrote down how he did on each question. Now you can ask yourself the same questions and see if you could've beaten Ken at Jeopardy! I know I couldn't do it, but I bet Don could.
Gotta run...got stuff to do.
Cheers!
-Chewie-
Weird Dream
Weird Dream
Before I head to church, I just had to blog about my weird dream last night. I was back in high school, and it was my high school, though it was laid out a bit differently and it was only the west building; and I was attending my old world history class, but all of my close friends were in the class, along with Don. As most of you know, I did not meet Don until college and he certainly did not attend my high school. I had to go to the bathroom, so, for some reason, I decided to go to the first floor. There were bathrooms on all the floors, but I went to the first one. When I got there, the room was huge and had those old wooden desks...the ones with wooden seats and wooden shelfs....some were toilets. The room was a study hall, so you had to figure out which desks were toilets (they had holes in the seats) and use those. I found a toilet desk and sat down to use it, and there was some guy studying next to me. He kept winking at me, which was quite disconcerting...especially as I could hear myself peeing in my dream (thankfully I was not peeing in real life). It was the sound like when you use an outhouse....loud. When I finished using the bathroom, I left the study hall/bathroom area and went across the hall where some black guy and black chick were hanging out. He was playing records...seriously...records, and she was listening. He went somewhere else when I walked in and she started talking to me about the magazine I was going to publish, which would help me become a hip hop star. Apparently, the only way to get famous in the music business (in my dream) was to publish a magazine for a month. I was listening to her and then I told her that I really didn't want to be famous...I just wanted to get on with my regular life, because I liked it as it was. (Apparently I don't even want to be famous in my dreams...I must have a serious aversion to being famous)....and then I woke up. All along I could hear my subconcious thinking "This is weird." You know those kinds of dreams where you know its all wrong, but can't stop dreaming. Normally I forget dreams when I wake up, but its hard to forget toilet seat desks... This is what happens when I go to bed early and get enough sleep. Maybe I'll stay up late tonight :o) That dream was weird enough I just had to share it, though. Whew.
Dealing with Dragons: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book 1 by Patricia Wrede
Dealing with Dragons: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book 1 by Patricia Wrede
ISBN: 015204566X
Chew's Rating:
Synopsis:
Princese Cimorene is tired of acting proper. After she's denied fencing lessons, Latin lessons, cooking lessons, and magic lessons, her parents decide that they must marry her off to get her to act proper. They travel to another kingdom with an available prince and arrange the marriage...something Cimorene wants no part of. So she takes the advice of a toad, and travels off to a house of dragons where she asks if she can become a princess for a dragon. Most princesses are carried off unwillingly by dragons, but Cimorene has never been like most princesses. As Cimorene settles in with the dragons, she becomes involved in an argument between the dragons and the wizards. Can Cimorene figure out the wizards' plot before its too late?Chew's Review:
Cute book in a cute series for young adults. I read number three in the series last semester for a class and thought it was cute enough that I wanted to read the rest. I'm now on book two (I'm reading them in order now, though I will skip 3 since I've read it). The characters are fun, and they're all in their late teens to early twenties, which makes it easier to relate to the characters than when you're reading about a 12-year old. The plot moves quickly, without interruption, and the dragons and their society are very interesting. In addition, the characters are very likeable, and there are quite a few humorous moments. Because they are YA books, they read quickly (I read this book in a slow day at work). Definitely perfect for any pre-teen to early teen girls who enjoy reading about fairy tales (though this one doesn't feature a wimpery princess who must be saved by a knight...in fact, she doesn't want to be saved by a knight). Fun book for all fans of a good fairy tale setting.
Busy Saturday
Its Been a Busy Saturday
I started it off by grocery shopping, came back to finish some homework assignments and do some laundry, then I cleaned the apartment...all before 11am. This afternoon, I went to see "Hitched" with my parents (felt like a 3rd wheel...everyone else there was ona date) and then we stopped by B&N before eating dinner at Applebee's. I just got back to get a phonecall from Don, who is at his cousin's wedding, and now I'm gonna go read a book. Its been a long time since I've had an evening just to read. I could do more homework, but I think I'll lead that until tomorrow, because I don't feel like concentrating enough to think too much.
BTW, "Hitched" is really cute and enjoyable. The critics reviews were wrong; its a good movie. Definitely a perfect chick flick for the Valentine's weekend.
Cheers!
-Chewie-
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
ISBN: 006441034X
Chew's Rating:
1/2
Synopsis:
Sophie was born the oldest of three...which is very unfortunate for her. Only the youngest daughters are allowed to go off for adventure and fortune, while the older girls must be content to find a man to marry and settle down with. When Sophie's father suddenly passes on, she is relegated to being a hat shop apprentice...until the day the Witch of Waste comes in and turns her into an old woman. Sophie heads out and finds herself in the castle of the horrid Wizard Howl who eats girls hearts...or was it souls? Whatever it was, Sophie isn't overly worried, because he only catches young girls, and she's old. She slowly infiltrates the lives of the apprentice Michael, the fire demon Calcifer, and the slippery Mr. Howl. Might the trio be able to help Sophie break free from her old woman curse?Chew's Review:
I thought this was a fun book. Its very different from your average young adult/adventure fantasy. Most of the time is spent in a moving castle, which doesn't actually move that far. Sophie must learn to deal with the mood swings of Mr. Howl as she cleans up his castle, which is in a great state of disrepair. She also meets the unique and fun Calcifer, whom I just loved dearly. The central core of characters are a lot of fun, and their interactions are hilarious to "watch." There is a bit of magic, but the story really centers around Sophie and Mr. Howl. Adventure, a bit of romance, and a lot of fun make this a greatly entertaining novel. Definitely a girly novel, though...at least, the ending. I enjoyed it immensely. Missing half a book because the plot took a bit to get moving, but once it did, there was much adventure to be had.
I PASSED!
It's only the hardest standardized test I've taken. GRE's and SAT's were complete cake compared to this exam that somehow expected me to remember that a mole of atoms in gaseous form has a volume fo 22.4L. Uh-huh, because I remember all those little details from back in my freshman year of college. I was quite pleased to pass on the first go round, because most people fail their first time. I'm very much relieved to have this test out of the way, now I don't have to worry with it ever again :o)
Cheetahs, Shower Stealin' and Chew's Life
Cheetah Cubs
Chewie's found the cheetah cub webcam...and already gotten to watch the cheetah cubs (born at the National Zoo in November) play and roll over one another. They are too cute. I saw them attack mom, and they just bounced off; mom was not impressed. See photographs of the cheetahs. I love this one & this one & this one.
Forget the Hotel Towels...I'm Stealing the Shower
A British couple decided to take the hotel shower with them, after staying in the 17th-century Globe Hotel in Topsham, England. The 50-something man, and 20-something woman, stayed together at the hotel and then proceeded to shut the water off and strip out the shower. They have yet to be identified, because they paid their bill with cash. The hotel's owner said this is the first time she's had something like this happen. My question...how did they get the shower out of the hotel with no one noticing? And did they have a uHaul or something to haul this thing away...showers aren't exactly small.
Thank Goodness its Thursday
I got piled with a bit of homework last night, and will no doubt gain a ton today. My classes seem to be picking up steam, and I'm getting more and more homework. I really didn't want more homework, but oh well....I guess the practice is good for me :o) Oh, and just to let you know, don't do the Billy Bank's Bootcamp workout, unless you want your butt kicked. I ordered the package and am definitely feeling the effects today. Of course, I did want my butt kicked, but maybe not this much...I'll definitely be sticking with the new workout, though, it is kindof fun. But the blond chick that grunts is annoying. You do get to cheer for yourself when you make it through a set of something...so the 50 minute workout goes quickly. I'm off for now...gotta get some work done before my day officially starts.
Cheers!
-Chewie-
Chewie, Chewie, Where Art Thou?
Chew's Been Busy
So, obviously, I've not been blogging. What have I been busy doing? School and planning to teach a lesson to my biology class, where I'm doing my practicum. I taught the class about organelles this morning. I think it went fairly well. I was nervous, mostly due to the dang video camera (I was required to tape myself), but once I got into the lesson, my nervousness disappeared and things went well. I think most of the students had fun, at least for the second half. We had a good banter going, and the kids are just great. They did well, for the most part, on the quiz I gave them at the end; which made me quite happy. So, back to the "normal" life I lead, without putting together lots of stuff for a 90 minute lesson. This was my first time ever teaching high schoolers, and I really enjoyed it. That's probably a good sign.
Gotta run,
Cheers!
Chewie
Football
Congrats to the Pats for Sealing Their Dynasty
Last night, the New England Patriots beat out the Philadelphia Eagles to win Superbowl XXXIX. Unfortunately, it was more a game of mistakes than a game of skill. Philly put together the better show, but ruined themselves with turnovers, while New England was holding everyone in sight. NE did put together a couple of nice-looking drives in the 3rd quarter to keep themselves alive, but overall, they looked sloppy. And did Philly give up with 2:00 to go in the fourth quarter? I can't think of any reason for that poor of time management, except for two reasons: 1) they gave up on this game; 2) they were playing conservatively to prevent anymore interceptions. If it was #2, sucks to be them. If it was #1, I'd be mad if I was a fan. Overall, it wasn't an overly exciting Superbowl. There were a few good looking drives on both sides; but, overall, there were too many mistakes to be a good game. TO does deserve some credit, though. Many props for coming back and playing a good game...I was sorry to see that kind of dedication lose last night. Now I'm looking to next season....GO CHARGERS. Of course, I still have Arena Football to get me through the lack of NFL play...come on VooDoo. And NFL Europe should be fun...cheerin' on the Thunder.
Superbowl Sunday
Welcome to the Superbowl Edition of Chew's News
In celebration of today's big game, Chew's News is filled with links to ensure Superbowl Fun!
Superbowl XXXIX Competition
The New England Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the battle to win Superbowl XXXIX. New England comes in as the 2003 Champions, and hopes to seal the deal for their dynasty. Philly hopes to take their hard-earned NFC championship success and bring it on against the Patriots.
Game Preview
*ESPN, leaders in sports entertainment, look at all aspects of the big game.
*Superbowl.com features a look at the upcomig game.
*Sports Illustrated talks about a potential for a blow-out bowl.
Gametime Food
*Allrecipes cooks up 15 snacks to get you in the Superbowl Spirit.
*Healthy Superbowl Snacks...of course, if your teams in the game, you'll work off all those extra calories cheering.
*Superbowl Popcorn because popcorn shouldn't be a healthy snack.
*The Traditional Wings and such for those of you who like to stick with the tried and true.
SCORE!
Keep Up with the Score once the game commences at 6:30(EST).
Chew's Prediction
I think NE is going to take the game, but I don't think it'll be a blowout. I think they will have a bigger win than they did in their previous two Superbowls, however.
Chew's Cheering
Amazingly enough, NE...I'd like to see the boys cement their dynasty. Though, it'd be nice to see Philly actually win a Superbowl for once. So, either way, I'm happy.
Link Day
Organic HTML
Type in a URL and see the plant associated with it...geez, the chew's news plant is kinda bland.
Seismic Monitor
Now that everyone has a sudden fascination with earthquakes, you too can track the ones that register above a 4.0.
Top two links via the Presurfer
Altoid Tins: They're Not Just for Drugs Anymore
After a competition to come up with the best use for Altoid Tins, the little ubiquitious boxes are finding new uses beyond the usual drug and condom storage units.
Happy Friday! Its about time this horrid week drew to a close.
-Chewie-
Thursday Fun
Woman Confesses to Cheating on High School Exam in 1957
A grandmother wrote to her former high school, Eagle County High School, which is now Eagle Valley High, to confess that she and a friend stole the answers to a Shakespeare test in 1957. She said that she'd gotten forgiveness from God, but felt that she needed to confess to the school to clear her conscience. "I know it makes no difference now (after 47 years), except maybe this will keep some student from cheating and help them to be honest â?? conscience never lets you forget â?? there is forgiveness with God, and I have that, but I felt I still needed to confess to the school," stated the letter. The principal confirmed that she'd graduated from the school in 1958. He read the letter to each homeroom in the school, and said that you could hear a pin drop as he read the letter. He plans to write the lady and inform her that he used her letter as a lesson.
Yet Another Dumb Robber
24 year-old Dantzler L. Thomas walked into a Chinese grocery store with a gun and a plastic bag. He demanded that he be given the money from the till. Things were going his way, until the till was opened and he went for the cash. He didn't have enough hands to scoop up all the money, so he put the gun down. The store owner immediately grabbed the gun and chased Thomas out of the store. What a genius.
Seen Elsewhere...
*Furby is Coming Back. I'll never forget Don accidently taking mine to the laundry room and setting it off singing in front of all those girls. :o)
*Dummer Prep School Contemplates Name Change in an effort to draw in more students rather than jokes.
Chew's Life...
Is exceedingly busy. Forgive the short posts, but I'm short on time. In fact, I've gotta run now to get some more work done. Have an excellent Thursday!
-Chewie-
Happy Hump Day
Cop Robs Bank, Then Investigates the Crime
Amazingly, he found no leads as to who the robber might be. A Swedish police officer has now admitted to robbing a bank, then telling fellow officers that he found no clues to help solve the case. No one thought for a moment he was lying until he bought a fancy new car in January. He has now been charged with armed robbery.
Link of the Day...
*Things People Said...want a good laugh, then check out the mistakes written in church bulletins or questions asked of landlords. Pretty funny stuff.
Superbowl Madness...
*Dumb Questions Reporters Have Asked Prior to the Superbowl
*Terrel Owens to Play in the Superbowl.
*New "Turf Cams" to be Used in Superbowl.
Seen Elsewhere...
*Get Smart with the Internet.
A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
ISBN: 0060586605
Chew's Rating:
Synopsis:
Tiffany, whom we met in The Wee Free Men, is now eleven and she's going off to be "apprenticed" to a witch named Miss Level. Tiffany finally enters the world of real witching, which is completely different from what she imagined. And she does not take readily to the shamble making and the broom-riding. As she heads to the forested hills where Miss Level lives, an ancient monster is following her power. The hiver invades the body and mind and eventually squelches away the life of the host....and this one's next host is Tiffany. Can Tiffany free herself from the hiver's control? And can she manage to rid the world of it permanently? During her adventure, Tiffany gets to journey to the witch trials, visit with Granny Weatherwax, and find out what it means to truly be a witch.Chew's Review:
A Hat Full of Sky is even better than The Wee Free Men. Terry Pratchett does not discard his beautiful descriptions or his wit just because he's writing a young adult book. Pratchett actually writes young adult books so that it appears that he believes that young adults are intelligent. Imagine that. The book immediately starts off with the hiver hunting Tiffany, and you know its just a matter of time before it gets her. All the while, you journey with Tiffany as she learns the true life of a witch with Miss Level, who is a bit unusual. The Nac Man Feegle are ever-present, and the reader gets to meet the new kelda, who definitely has a mind of her own and is not exactly a fan of Tiffany. This book is wonderfully written, entertaining, and enlightening. After reading about the witches in these novels, its hard not to respect them and want to be one yourself...for these witches aren't wrapped up in magic, they're wrapped up in helping humankind. Definitely a great rating...definitely. I highly recommend this to Pratchett fans and to those who know young girls who like to read about strong-minded and strong-hearted girls.
