The height of geekdom

People totally take me by surprise. I have never met a person who at some time or another hasn't knocked me completely on my head, thus changing the way I see them. Today I started my new job, and I was totally freaked out. For the first five minutes I wanted to bang my head against the wall and crawl into a courner and cry. But, after working with the gal who was training me, (someone I hadn't put a whole lot of faith in during those first few minutes), explained everything so well, was so nice, introduced me to practically everyone that walked by, and knew the job so well that I wanted to hug her, and I can't wait to work with her again!

Also today, I was glancing through the mini-feed on facebook, and I started reading some blogs that one of my acquaintances had been writing in. I have only had a couple classes with this person, and I always walked away from them thinking that they were a jerk, who didn't have an intelligent thought in their head, and that life was perfect for them. Reading their blogs was such an eye opener, and I feel like I should apologize to them for putting them into a box that they didn't belong in...Or at least give them a hug.

I spent most of yesterday with one of my good friends, and I really unloaded all the crap I'd been carrying around with me on her. She was so sweet, talking things through with me, encouraging me, and loving me as I am. I have a hard time being myself around people, and I'm working on changing that, and hanging out with her yesterday really boosted my confidence. I'm always surprised when people like the "real me," and I'm not really sure why...but yesterday was so awesome, and I'm SO glad I got to go!!!

So, yeah. The more I think about it, the more people pleasantly surprise me, which is totally cool.



...and I like my new job, even though it's the height of geekdom.

I Saw Dead People

I just got back from OMSI's Body Works 3 exhibit, and it was the most impressive thing I've seen since the Egypt exhibit at the Portland Art Museum!

The Body Works exhibit uses actual cadavers that have been preserved using a brand new technique called plastination. It prevents the bodies from decomposing and even from smelling. Plastination also has to ability to "freeze" bodies into incredible positions, allowing visitors to see a 180-degree view of the body, and also allowing the exhibitors to accent the muscles that they want to.

To show whole bodies, they often harden them with gases to make them displayable. You were able to see actual bodies up close and personal, like no textbook could possibly show you, and no 3-D model could possibly portray. In addition to whole bodies, they had individual organs, letting you see healthy ones right next to unhealthy ones (for example, a smoker's lungs next to a non-smoker's). They were also able to show configurations of blood vessels, and all the intricate details that I'd never seen before (look at the arm on the left). All in all a very dramatic exhibit, with up close and personal, dramatic visual aids.

I don't think you'll have to worry about getting grossed out by dead bodies, they had a certain "fakeness" to them because they weren't the oozy, lifeless, creepy dead beings that we usually picture; this was science at its best! I hope you get a chance to go before it leaves OMSI!










OMSI
Body Worlds 3

Quilt Show 2007

So, this year's Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show was quite a doozy as far as quilt shows go.

As I said in my other quilt show post, the entire city of Sisters is covered with quilts. Every single part of town is equipped with a string of wire (in the place you would hang Christmas lights) so that quilts can be hung by clothespins, as you can (kinda) see here:

...and the entire town is decorated!

The Stitchin' Post hosts the quilt show, and they set up this shop in the back parking lot of the store, to help get people through lines (and out of the VERY crowded store)

The Employee "Challenge" quilts (hung on the side of the Stitchin' Post) are always a highlight of the show. The employees of the Stitchin' Post are given parameters for what their quilt will be about. This year's challenge: Inspired by nature.

Another beautiful employee challenge quilt

This year they closed down the main street (hwy 20) so that the throngs of quilters (and their husbands) had an easier time to move around

These quilts were hung on the side ally of the Post Office...no space goes unused!

...not even grassy areas, which are covered with quilt display stands!

As you can see, all the quilts are works of art in their own right, and each and every one gets appreciated for its beauty.

So now you see why the Quilt Show is such a big to-do in Sisters. Without it, some businesses wouldn't be able to survive in the slow winter months. And one thing's for certain, it certainly puts Sisters on the map.

The end is here, and it's kinda sad...

So, I went and got the new Harry potter book last night. Even though I went to Barnes and Noble, I didn't have to wait all that long, about 40 minutes or so, and it was even a FUN 40 (or so) minutes. It made me really happy to see all these kids and their parents get dressed up and be so excited for a book. I was telling my mom that I've never ever had to wait in line for a specific book opening before, and it was a nice change. I have stood in queues for movie premiers, heard stories from friends for waiting for video game systems, and even read of lines for the iPhone, but I've never heard or see anything as amazing as what I saw last night. The queue just to buy the book winded all the way around Barnes and Noble, weaving in and out of stacks. The atmosphere was really great, all the people were so friendly, and even though we were all the 1 am show-ups, the people I was around were no less Harry Potter fanatics than the ones that showed up in the afternoon...we were just people with less time.

I was originally morally opposed to ANY sort of sequel or spin-off of the Harry Potter world, but standing in that queue last night, and seeing kids and their parents equally excited about reading, and because of how much I love the characters, I'm thinking that more Harry Potter books wouldn't be such a bad thing...

Please don't shoot me for saying that.

So, of my predictions, some were right on, some were sort of on, some were sort of off, and some were so wrong that I am wondering what I was thinking. I think this book is my favorite out of all of them, but only because it explains pretty much everything, and ties up all the loose ends that I could think of. The plot was totally awesome, and went in places I had never dreamed it would go, and went places I didn't really want it to go...but I LOVED it, none the less.

However, I can't say that the book was the most well written one of the series. I honestly think that JK Rowling's editors can't say no, or can't par down her books because they are so popular. Consequently, I felt that sometimes this book had a lot of dead space. Or maybe I just didn't fancy the "filler" information. There seemed to be a lot to fit into this one book, but there also seemed to be a lot of...well, dead space. I can't really describe it any better than that.

Anyways, totally awesome, totally freaky, totally sad. One of her best books, in my opinion, let me know what you think!




(As a side note, I hate the US cover because I still don't understand it, and I've read the book! Can anyone explain it to me? Am I that oblivious? I liked the children's UK cover much more, as I actually understood it - great part of the book, don't you think? But what is with the adult cover, everyone reads Harry Potter! Don't be ashamed, old people!!)

Harry Potter!

Well, it comes out in three hours! I'm so excited!! I'm getting my book at either midnight or one am...or rather that's when I'm going to stand in the line and wait for an eternity!





My friend Sarah and I made a whole bunch of predictions, and I'd like to share them with you, so you can all see how entirely out to lunch and out of touch with Harry Potter I am!

• Harry will find something of importance at Godric's Hollow.
• Hogwarts will be shut down, and that's where Voldemort and Harry will duel.
• Dumbledore's pensive will help Harry
• At the end there will be a flash forward/epilogue (like Hermione and Ron with a baby, and where Harry is and all that)
• Neville and Luna will get together
• Trewlawney is an unregistered animagus (a cat)
• Silver locket (at end of book 6) stolen by Regalus Black, and is still in Grimmauld place (see book 5)
• either Arabella Fig or Filch will do magic
• Blaise Zabini (book six, slughorn's office with Tom Riddle) will be important in this book.
  

Deaths:

• Mad Eye Moody
• Kingsley Shacklebot
• Draco Malfoy
• Lucius Malfoy
• Bellatrix
• Voldemort
• Misc. Students : Ernie, Neville...
  
• Misc. Teachers : Hagrid, Trewlawney (if Voldemort finds out that she made the original prediction)
• Snape (we can't agree weather or not he's good, but he's gonna die)
  

Horocruxes:

• Diary
• Ring
• Locket
• Hufflepuff Cup
• Something Ravenclaw??
• Something Gryffindor?? (the sword)
• Nagini (the snake)

Where the Horocruxes are:

• Orphanage
• Hogwarts (multiple?)
• Godric's Hollow

People who come back:

• Viktor Krum
• Gilderoy Lockhart
• Madame Maxine
• Sirius Black
  
• Justin Finch-Fletchley

Sarah is now saying that Harry will die, because he has to be a tragic hero. She thinks he'll be the last Horocrux, and have to die to get Voldemort killed. I think he's going to live and be happy every after with Ginny.

Wii Fit

So, in case you live your life in a large hole, you will have heard of the Nintendo Wii system, the state of the art Nintendo heaven. It includes bowling, (where you wave around a little stick), and your favorite gaming oldies, with a dash of new exiting games and extra features. However, Nintendo has recently unveiled their "Wii Fit" a little white square that helps you stay fit. The following video is the actual promotional video, with a...colorful...voice over. I hope you enjoy it.

(on a side note, I know I've been posting a lot of videos lately, but don't worry, it's just because I spend too much time on youtube...I'll post something real soon)

Sicko

In want of a hair straightener.

I want a hair straightener.






...and "phisod" is an incorrect spelling. It is spelled "facade."




Just thought you'd like to know.

I think I'm in love!

I saw the cutest chick flick last night! License to Wed is so dang amazing, I can't wait for the movie to come out on DVD so I can buy it!!! So cheesy, but so cute! John Krasinski is so awesome, and I think I'm in love with him...if you know him, let him know...(just kidding!).

Ok, ok, so it wasn't the best movie ever or anything, but it was pretty dang fun. I enjoyed the dumb laughs, which came almost too infrequently, the robotic babies, and the stupid ending. I really enjoyed all the cameos from actors who are in The Office. Including John Krasinski, there were 4 people from The Office who were in it.

Anyways, totally cute, totally lame, and I can't wait to own it!

Quilt Show Week

So, I know this sounds lame, but I totally forgot what 3 am felt like. Well, I know what it's like from the staying up until 3 and then going to bed, and that is fun...but the other side of 3 am is not so much fun. You know, the waking up at 3 to go on a road trip side.

Anyways, it totally wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, because I'm so glad to be on vacation! My mum and I are spending a week is Sisters, where we will be enjoying the world famous annual "Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show." If you have never been, you should totally go! It is as close to a complete insane asylum as you will (hopefully) ever get! The town grows from about 1,000 people to about 30,000 people, and the entire town is crawling with little old ladies (and their husbands) looking at quilts that are hung on the outside of shops all along downtown Sisters. Like I said, a nuthouse...but without the house. The Stitchin' Post hosts the quilt show, and for the entire week before they take over the high school and offer quilting classes, taught by world famous quilters. It is quite a sight to see!

During the Quilt show, this is what the main street (hwy 20) usually looks like. It's going to look different this year, because they are closing the entire road down for the day.

Totally amazing, and dreadfully annoying for locals, the Quilt Show is essentially the reason most businesses in Sisters survive. Quilt Show is the biggest day of the year for everyone (except hair-cutting places). So, if you come, pack a lunch, or be prepared to wait at least an hour, maybe an hour and a half for food.

The Quilt Show is the second Saturday in July, and quilting classes are the week before. Be sure to sign up for any classes in January or February, because they fill up fast!!

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show
The Stitchin' Post

Comic of the Week

Musical Term of the Week

Thursday I spent the day in Portland with a couple friends, and after we'd lounged at the Boulangerie, we made our way to Powells, where I bought a pocket music dictionary. I stole the idea from a friend, and I have found it to be fascinating! I know, I know, only a music geek thinks a pocket music dictionary is cool, but I've accepted my geekdom. Anyways, here's the Musical Term of the Week:


zapateado (tsah-pah-teh-AH-doh) : A Spanish dance in triple time characterized by rhythmic heel stamping.


Use in at least three sentences this week to astound your musical friends!

Lake Oswego

Yesterday I went to the lake of Lake Oswego, and it was a terrific experience! My favorite place to swim is in lakes, and this is by far my favorite one! Not too hot and not too cold, a little grassy, but other than that, great! A perfect place to have a picnic, and then sit and read after a quick swim. (I recommend pate and baguette sandwiches.) If you ever get the chance, go swimming there, I know I'll be back as soon as I can get there.

Movie of the Week

Ratatouille, best movie ever? Probably not.
Really darn good movie that you should go and see right now? OH YEAH!!!

It is one of the best (if not THE best) Pixar movie so far. The animation was perfect (they really have wet fur down), the story was charming and overall a movie without a flaw. You know how the end of kid movies tend to have the syrupy sweet ending that you really can't quite believe? Well, the end of this movie is wonderful! My favorite part of the movie was the bright red converse that the main (human) character wears...and of course his roller skates. I never knew that the Parisian skyline was so gorgeous, even in computer animation. Ray said that there was nothing wrong with this movie, and I completely agree with him!

Go see this movie immediately!!

Here's a nine minute sneak peek of the movie



And here is the trailer.

Pants!

Here is a website that has discovered the humor behind replacing certain words in the Star Wars script for "pants." Childish, I know, but so dang funny!

Wedding!

I just got back from an amazing wedding! The bride and groom go to my church and I am so happy for them! The entire wedding was so classy, and by some miracle all the bridesmaids looked terrific in their dresses! I totally almost lost it and bawled like a kid during the ceremony, and again during the father daughter dance. Laura, the bride, gave her promise ring to her husband, thanking him for never pressuring her or putting her in a position that would compromise their commitment to purity. (That's when I started to tear up.) Also, dancing at the wedding was great, and not the scary ordeal that my dad seems to make of it (I think he threatened my sister with bodily harm if she was going to have dancing at her wedding), which I suppose means he has two rather large left feet. :)

However, there is always some sort of letdown after a big get-together, and this wedding was no exception. I always get a little sad after weddings, because no matter how happy I am for the bride and groom, I know that I don't have someone to go home to. However, I loved seeing all my friends from church, and getting to know new friends!

*sigh* ...so wonderful!!