I'm also not sure what I'll ultimately end up doing with this kit, along with some of my other belongings that are unused-but-nice-to-have. It currently serves as a decoration.
Sunday, 13 October 2013
Ancient Egypt kit
Just to follow up on my Egyptian-style necklace, here is a picture of the kit it came from:
I'm not actually sure what's still in the kit, as I haven't opened it for a long time; the kit can be locked but I don't think I sealed it. When I first opened the kit when we unpacked it two years ago, some of the ink for the hieroglyph ink stamps had leaked all over the insides; fortunately, nothing of consequence was ruined. I'll have a look inside.
I'm also not sure what I'll ultimately end up doing with this kit, along with some of my other belongings that are unused-but-nice-to-have. It currently serves as a decoration.
I'm also not sure what I'll ultimately end up doing with this kit, along with some of my other belongings that are unused-but-nice-to-have. It currently serves as a decoration.
Saturday, 12 October 2013
The USB light
In my recent searches through my various hidden belongings, I found this:
It looks like an ordinary keyring light. It's not particularly remarkable, other than the incredibly bright light that it generates. But wait...
The light is charged via USB! The battery had been drained when I activated the device a few days ago but after a few hours of being plugged into my computer it was brightly shining again.
Believe it or not, I hadn't seen one of these before my grandfather gave it to me, so I was fascinated. The novelty has since worn off but it's still a pretty neat gadget. I haven't put ite away, though; I've attached it to my Dish Network keyring, giving it a second light!
Believe it or not, I hadn't seen one of these before my grandfather gave it to me, so I was fascinated. The novelty has since worn off but it's still a pretty neat gadget. I haven't put ite away, though; I've attached it to my Dish Network keyring, giving it a second light!
Friday, 11 October 2013
Black and white cat
My brother noticed this local black and white cat; I took a quick picture:
While I've posted a few cat pictures here in the past and don't mind cats coming into our yards, I'm in two minds about outdoor cats: on one hand, them being outside does give them freedom to roam, which cats are suited for. On the other, domestic cats have longer lives when they live indoors; after all, both of our cats were indoor cats and they live past 12 years of age.
Still, this black and white cat is beautiful; I hope it returns to a good home every night.
Still, this black and white cat is beautiful; I hope it returns to a good home every night.
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Defending LGBT parents
The events that transpired in this video impressed me:
By "impressed", I am referring to the people who challenged the bigot (an actress, of course, as it's a show that tests the general public's reaction to various unpleasant scenarios) and stood up for the family. What adds to the excellence is that those events took place in Texas, which isn't exactly known for its hospitality towards LGBT people, as least not from its government, anyway.
As I've previously written about in greater length, I support marriage equality and I support gay parenting. Someone's sexuality does not determine how good a parent they would be; I've known gay people who would have made great parents and I've met straight people who were terrible.
By "impressed", I am referring to the people who challenged the bigot (an actress, of course, as it's a show that tests the general public's reaction to various unpleasant scenarios) and stood up for the family. What adds to the excellence is that those events took place in Texas, which isn't exactly known for its hospitality towards LGBT people, as least not from its government, anyway.
As I've previously written about in greater length, I support marriage equality and I support gay parenting. Someone's sexuality does not determine how good a parent they would be; I've known gay people who would have made great parents and I've met straight people who were terrible.
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
"SuperLove" - Charli XCX
Recently, YouTube recommended to me this track:
It's "SuperLove" by Charli XCX. While I had already heard of Charli XCX from her being featured on Icona Pop's hit song "I Love It", which she co-wrote, I hadn't bothered to listen to any of her music until I saw her name pop up in the YouTube side bar. I'm glad I become curious enough to listen, as I consider "SuperLove" to be an excellent introduction to Charli XCX's music; I like the song and think it has a colourful video.
Charli XCX has two studio albums, 14 and True Romance; however, 14 was never commercially released, making True Romance her first major-label studio album. The music video for "SuperLove" was released on the 26th of September but the single itself will not be released until December.
It's "SuperLove" by Charli XCX. While I had already heard of Charli XCX from her being featured on Icona Pop's hit song "I Love It", which she co-wrote, I hadn't bothered to listen to any of her music until I saw her name pop up in the YouTube side bar. I'm glad I become curious enough to listen, as I consider "SuperLove" to be an excellent introduction to Charli XCX's music; I like the song and think it has a colourful video.
Charli XCX has two studio albums, 14 and True Romance; however, 14 was never commercially released, making True Romance her first major-label studio album. The music video for "SuperLove" was released on the 26th of September but the single itself will not be released until December.
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Unwell (2)
A proper night's sleep was exactly what I needed. My throat is much better and I no longer have any headaches but I'm coughing and I still have some nose issues. Mum is feeling worse than she did before but her symptoms developed a little later than mine did, so her recovery is slightly behind.
Mum spoke to Dad earlier; I'm pleased to say that he is well. As I wrote yesterday, he's currently away on business and it would be awful if he were sick. His week is tiring enough as it is without adding illness into the picture.
This will be my last post about this cold; I feel great in comparison to yesterday and another good night's sleep should clear many of the remaining symptoms.
Mum spoke to Dad earlier; I'm pleased to say that he is well. As I wrote yesterday, he's currently away on business and it would be awful if he were sick. His week is tiring enough as it is without adding illness into the picture.
This will be my last post about this cold; I feel great in comparison to yesterday and another good night's sleep should clear many of the remaining symptoms.
Monday, 7 October 2013
Unwell
I've been ill since yesterday. My brother was suffering from a cold all of last week; my mother, father and I all thought that we had managed to escape his infection, but unfortunately we started coming down with symptoms yesterday.
Out of all of us, Dad is suffering the least, which is good because he is away on business; it would be awful if he had a sore throat, blocked nose, temperature fluctuations and headaches like I have. I'm annoyed that I've had a fairly unproductive day; the worst part about being sick (besides the "being sick" aspect) is the boredom stemming from the lethargy.
I'm hoping to get a better night's sleep tonight; I was awake for much of the night and only got a couple of hours of rest before I had to get up. I hope to be better tomorrow!
Out of all of us, Dad is suffering the least, which is good because he is away on business; it would be awful if he had a sore throat, blocked nose, temperature fluctuations and headaches like I have. I'm annoyed that I've had a fairly unproductive day; the worst part about being sick (besides the "being sick" aspect) is the boredom stemming from the lethargy.
I'm hoping to get a better night's sleep tonight; I was awake for much of the night and only got a couple of hours of rest before I had to get up. I hope to be better tomorrow!
Sunday, 6 October 2013
Floyd Hawkins
Just this morning, my Dad visited the website for our local newspaper back in Southern Oregon, the Mail Tribune. Upon viewing the obituaries section he learnt that a friend and former neighbor of ours, Floyd Hawkins, died last month at the age of 91.
Floyd was a significant figure in his little corner of the world. He once almost exclusively owned the valley we lived in while we were in Oregon; the government awarded him over one hundred acres of land for his service in World War II. He sold much of his land over the years and other people moved into the valley.
When we first moved to Oregon, Floyd was still active and working: He helped out on buses for disabled children, and he helped in the garden that he and Sharon (his wife, who was always "Mrs. Hawkins" to me) maintained. He also seemed happy with his adult stepson, Lloyd (who, sadly, died in 2004), living with him and Sharon. While we knew Sharon more than we knew Floyd himself, he was always friendly during our interactions him; between me and my immediate family, it was Dad who knew him best.
During our last years there, however, Floyd had to be placed in a nursing home. While there was a 15-year age gap between them, Sharon found it increasingly difficult to look after Floyd due to his increasing needs associated with old age, her own age and because she was still working. Dad assisted Sharon out somewhat but this was not a viable long-term solution; Floyd had to leave the valley he'd lived in for many decades.
It has been several years since I last saw or spoke to Floyd, but I cannot help feeling somewhat down from hearing about his death. He lived a long and meaningful life and, from what I understand, his passing was peaceful. I hope that his family — Sharon especially — are coping well with their loss.
Floyd was a significant figure in his little corner of the world. He once almost exclusively owned the valley we lived in while we were in Oregon; the government awarded him over one hundred acres of land for his service in World War II. He sold much of his land over the years and other people moved into the valley.
When we first moved to Oregon, Floyd was still active and working: He helped out on buses for disabled children, and he helped in the garden that he and Sharon (his wife, who was always "Mrs. Hawkins" to me) maintained. He also seemed happy with his adult stepson, Lloyd (who, sadly, died in 2004), living with him and Sharon. While we knew Sharon more than we knew Floyd himself, he was always friendly during our interactions him; between me and my immediate family, it was Dad who knew him best.
During our last years there, however, Floyd had to be placed in a nursing home. While there was a 15-year age gap between them, Sharon found it increasingly difficult to look after Floyd due to his increasing needs associated with old age, her own age and because she was still working. Dad assisted Sharon out somewhat but this was not a viable long-term solution; Floyd had to leave the valley he'd lived in for many decades.
It has been several years since I last saw or spoke to Floyd, but I cannot help feeling somewhat down from hearing about his death. He lived a long and meaningful life and, from what I understand, his passing was peaceful. I hope that his family — Sharon especially — are coping well with their loss.
Floyd Sherman Hawkins
January 23rd, 1922 - September 20th, 2013
Saturday, 5 October 2013
Egyptian-style necklace
In the same place where I keep my Sacagawea dollar is my Egyptian-style necklace:
My Egyptian-style necklace comes from an Egyptian "kit" Mum bought for me and my brother over a decade ago at Barnes & Noble; we used to have a fascination with Ancient Egypt. In the kit was a "build your own necklace" package; I helped assemble this necklace.
The same picture from before, just zoomed-in on the sarcophagus. I still have the kit; perhaps I'll take a picture of it at some point, too!
With all the pictures of my belongings that I've been posting recently, one could assume that I keep loads of useless trinkets out on display, taking up a lot of space! In reality, most of my small possessions are stored in a handful of former chocolate tins and are kept out of the way.
With all the pictures of my belongings that I've been posting recently, one could assume that I keep loads of useless trinkets out on display, taking up a lot of space! In reality, most of my small possessions are stored in a handful of former chocolate tins and are kept out of the way.
Friday, 4 October 2013
A lesser-known effect of the United States federal government shutdown
One of my first blog posts was about the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, which is located near Madingley, Cambridgeshire. As I think we're all aware, the United States federal government has been shut down, with all non-essential services ceasing operations and nearly a million personnel furloughed. Places such as national parks, museums and national have closed down; unfortunately, this also means that the Cambridge American Cemetary and memorial has been closed:
The cemetery is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), which is one of the areas of government affected by the shutdown. Without any funding, the commission cannot keep its 24 overseas military cemeteries and 26 monuments open to the public. These places, along with the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, will re-open once the government has been restored, but at present there is no immediate end to the shutdown in sight. The current inability to pay respects to those who are buried in those cemeteries is an inconvenience to most people and heartbreaking to those who are family of the dead or served alongside them.
Too many people think that a government shutdown means that Congress is out of a job. They could not be more wrong, as Congress is not only still active but its members are still being paid. The overwhelming majority of the people who have been furloughed are ordinary folks; the fact that they happen to work for the government, in itself, does not change that. They have families and most are not rich; it's deeply unfair and inhumane to celebrate their suffering.
The ABMC is a small and relatively unknown government agency, yet its current closure has had a profound effect. Now think about how many people are being affected from furloughs in the larger agencies...and that's not including how many people not working for the government are being affected by the disruption.
Some other consequences of the shutdown can be found here.
The cemetery is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), which is one of the areas of government affected by the shutdown. Without any funding, the commission cannot keep its 24 overseas military cemeteries and 26 monuments open to the public. These places, along with the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, will re-open once the government has been restored, but at present there is no immediate end to the shutdown in sight. The current inability to pay respects to those who are buried in those cemeteries is an inconvenience to most people and heartbreaking to those who are family of the dead or served alongside them.
Too many people think that a government shutdown means that Congress is out of a job. They could not be more wrong, as Congress is not only still active but its members are still being paid. The overwhelming majority of the people who have been furloughed are ordinary folks; the fact that they happen to work for the government, in itself, does not change that. They have families and most are not rich; it's deeply unfair and inhumane to celebrate their suffering.
The ABMC is a small and relatively unknown government agency, yet its current closure has had a profound effect. Now think about how many people are being affected from furloughs in the larger agencies...and that's not including how many people not working for the government are being affected by the disruption.
Some other consequences of the shutdown can be found here.
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Sacagawea dollar
When, yet again, looking through some of my belongings, I found this:
It's a Sacagawea dollar and one of the first of its kind. The Sacagawea dollars were introduced in 2000, initially suggested as a replacement for the Susan B. Anthony dollar, which was one of the most unpopular coins in American history. In December 1997, then-President Bill Clinton signed the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act, which contained a section in its writing giving the United States Mint permission to create a new coin. That new coin became the Sacagawea dollar.
The Sacagawea dollar underwent a change in 2007 when then-President George W. Bush signed the Native American $1 Coin Act, which required the reverse side of the coin to undergo an annual redesign. The purpose? To celebrate and honor American Indians by featuring different images highlighting their cultures, achievements and contributions to the United States.
American Indians rarely get the respect and honor they deserve, which is why I find it disappointing that the Sacagawea dollar, as with the Susan B. Anthony dollar, is unpopular. Unlike too many other portrayals of American Indians, this coin respects them rather than uses them for comic relief.
The Sacagawea dollar underwent a change in 2007 when then-President George W. Bush signed the Native American $1 Coin Act, which required the reverse side of the coin to undergo an annual redesign. The purpose? To celebrate and honor American Indians by featuring different images highlighting their cultures, achievements and contributions to the United States.
American Indians rarely get the respect and honor they deserve, which is why I find it disappointing that the Sacagawea dollar, as with the Susan B. Anthony dollar, is unpopular. Unlike too many other portrayals of American Indians, this coin respects them rather than uses them for comic relief.
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
The helicopter baby
Remember a post of mine from several months ago where I wrote about a train baby? Well, here's a similar story...the Royal Navy rescue helicopter baby:
I love reading about the birth of a baby; it makes a pleasant change from the endless supply of bad news.
As a side note, I briefly misread the article as "Isle of Sicily" rather than "Isles of Scilly". Sicily is an island and a major region of Italy, whereas the Isles of Scilly are an archipelago off the coast of Cornwall (Cornwall is a county in South West England). Before I read the title again, I wondered why there was a Royal Navy rescue helicopter in Italy delivering babies!
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Bloggers Blog Party - September 2013
Here is my September 2013 batch of pictures for the Secret Life of Bloggers Blog Party:
Friday, 6th September: My mother and brother spent the two previous days engaging in some major gardening in our back yard. They dealt with the blackspot-afflicted roses (don't worry...the rose plants are still there!) and removed the dying plants/tress. This weed escaped them.
Tuesday, 10th September: In a packet of jelly beans, I found this bizarre double-bean. They are not two beans that stuck together but rather, two beans that formed as one. It's not uncommon to find doubles in packets of jelly beans.
Sunday, 22nd September: This was the day of Dad's most recent barbecue. Lots of these little emerald-green flies were hanging around on the house wall, drawn in by the cooking meat. Needless to say, they didn't fly near the barbecue itself, given its heat, and even if they had they would have been swatted away.
Wednesday, 25th September: This is a burst boiled egg. Mum boils eggs on a regular basis but this was the first one to explode. My brother put it down to the egg having a thinner than usual shell.
Monday, September 30th: I went to a local store to buy a box of chocolates that I wanted to share; unfortunately, they were out of the particular type that I wanted! I bought this cheap £1 Galaxy Cookie Crumble instead, as I didn't want to end up going around the store carrying a basket and then leave without buying anything!
Monday, 30 September 2013
"Special Delivery" - Bridget Kelly
With Lana Del Rey's "Summertime Sadness" being my second-favorite song at the moment, which is my favorite? That would be Bridget Kelly's "Special Delivery":
I love Kelly's voice and I love the music video. I found out about Kelly when Jenny Francis, the host of the Late Show on Heart radio, played the song on her first-ever episode of the programme.
Kelly does not yet have an album out, which was a relief for me; I couldn't find an album by her on Amazon.co.uk, leading me to think that her album hadn't been released here in the United Kingdom. As "Special Delivery" is being played here, I am sure that her album, when it is released, will be available. Kelly's album is to be called Something Different.
Also, I turned my radio on just before I began writing this post. Which song started playing, and from its beginning rather than halfway through? "Special Delivery" by Bridget Kelly! I love coincidences like that.
I love Kelly's voice and I love the music video. I found out about Kelly when Jenny Francis, the host of the Late Show on Heart radio, played the song on her first-ever episode of the programme.
Kelly does not yet have an album out, which was a relief for me; I couldn't find an album by her on Amazon.co.uk, leading me to think that her album hadn't been released here in the United Kingdom. As "Special Delivery" is being played here, I am sure that her album, when it is released, will be available. Kelly's album is to be called Something Different.
Also, I turned my radio on just before I began writing this post. Which song started playing, and from its beginning rather than halfway through? "Special Delivery" by Bridget Kelly! I love coincidences like that.
Sunday, 29 September 2013
The old receipt
Earlier today, I was looking through my old wallet, which my grandfather gave me many years ago. The wallet was empty, with the exception of a receipt hidden in one of the folds. When I checked the receipt, it was from the only time I ever bought something from Wal-Mart.
What did I buy? It was a supersoaker. Its price? About $30 (£18), and was among the most expensive items I had ever bought until the past few years. When did I buy it? On June 10th, 2000...over 13 years ago.
I had no idea that I still had that receipt! It's outlasted the supersoaker, which was either thrown away or donated a few years ago. Neither the wallet nor the receipt takes up much space in my bedroom, as they're both inside a tin full of miscellaneous items. My finding of the receipt can be considered one of those little surprises that just makes you smile.
What did I buy? It was a supersoaker. Its price? About $30 (£18), and was among the most expensive items I had ever bought until the past few years. When did I buy it? On June 10th, 2000...over 13 years ago.
I had no idea that I still had that receipt! It's outlasted the supersoaker, which was either thrown away or donated a few years ago. Neither the wallet nor the receipt takes up much space in my bedroom, as they're both inside a tin full of miscellaneous items. My finding of the receipt can be considered one of those little surprises that just makes you smile.
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