jessie k.

Wouldn't that be a dream of a summer job?

Showers are rather dull, wedding or baby. I think if they were just a group of close friends, and you weren't compelled against your will to play those stupid games, it'd be okay. But sitting in a room for hours with people I mostly don't know anyway, and watching somebody open up packages of onesies isn't much fun.

Weddings and babies, on the other hand, are great.

Ummm... it's a link to some awesomely surreal images of the power of Mother Nature. A link that was sent to me just today by my Aunt of the Iowa Blizzard of 2007. It's one that's gonna be talked about for a long time.

Cool pictures. But it wasn't just Iowa...other than the downed electric poles, that looks exactly the same as what we had here in South Dakota. The only time I left the house for 3 days was to walk up the hill to the neighbor's...there was no driving! I still find it incredibly ironic that my spring break was extended by 2 days because of a blizzard.

That's wonderful!

I wonder who won, Elizabeth or Hannah...

You can use my "Do it Yourself Pyrate Report" generator! 

If they start talking about how pirates were essentially trying to rebel against the strict rules of the Navy and form democratic societies on sea, lock the instructor in a room with Ed Foxe for an hour.

I remember that report! That should go into the history books of cyberspace.

I think it's all Foxe's fault that I can't discuss the history of piracy with most people anymore. A friend tried to tell me about how mythbusters proved that pirates wore eyepatches so their eyes would adjust to the dark quicker, and I had to bite my lip, nod, and excuse myself before I started arguing.

I've discovered that my university is offering a history class this summer called "Pirates, Outlaws and Rebels." I'm so taking it! This could be either really really good, or really really bad...

"Did you know...?" Just a rather interesting little factoid that I learned today in class: if the Earth warms up significantly, more water vapor should be introduced into the atmosphere, causing clouds to form. These hypothetical clouds will hypothetically reflect solar radiation and produce a cooling effect.

Interesting, no? I'm not trying to argue anything here, I just found this a fascinating little bit of information that nobody has ever brought up before, at least not in my hearing. This earth of ours really does work wonders to balance herself out, dont'cha think?

Hey, great "cake"! I could never be that creative. All I really managed to do yesterday was make my younger brother believe it was NOT April Fool's Day. Which was actually quite entertaining for awhile.

Yeah, I've read Timeline. I really liked it...much better than the movie, though that was entertaining on an entirely different level. (I just liked the trebuchets.)

Near: Staring absently out the window.

Far: Evidently to achieve some greater understanding of the universe, or peace of mind, or something...I'll let you know when I find it.

near: finish my German homework before the weekend

far: someday I will live in England and make a living off of one of my obsessions, like maybe archaeology from the Old English time period. (fingers crossed!)

I get really really goofy for various reasons...sugar, lack of sleep, enough sleep, too much sleep, excitement, boredom, anxiety...and considering I am usually in a weird state because of at least one of those factors, I reckon I really don't need to get drunk. I've been stone cold sober and had people ask me if I was drunk. Though a couple pints on a completely empty stomach does do interesting things to one's equilibrium...but I've never been really drunk.

Yeah, pretty much the only time I actively decide to watch tv (there are those times when the roommates have it on something distracting) is to watch PBS. I like the British comedies, the history and nature programs, and the Masterpiece theater. I am a true nerd.

Does anyone remember the show "The Young Riders" from a decade or so ago? Kindof a cheesy western, but I still love it, because I grew up watching it, and I loved the characters.

What breed is that?

There is an issue of knowing yourself well enough to know your own faults and learning how to deal with them, how to work past & through them & making sure that your faults don't have a negative effect on the people around you. We tend to look at faults negatively, which they aren't necessarily. Faults can be good things & really do help to shape us as individuals.

I completely agree. Too many people are afraid to look at their own faults, define them, accept them, and then do something about it. Not necessarily get rid of them, but redirect them. Using myself as an example...I have a terrible, terrible temper. I got it from my dad. A lot of people who know me very well don't realize that I have a terrible temper, because I've learned which way to direct it, and which way not to! It's something I can use when I'm completely burned out, and need to rally, but I also know I have to watch out for it when someone is irritating.

Knowing your faults is every bit as constructive as knowing your strengths.

Ever seen a red cow? Like that red.

Black was an expensive colour. No doubt about that. Undyed black wool would have been quite different (and obviously not a fine cloth) from wool dyed with iron and tannins (the expensive way).

Making the leap you're making is too simplistic and a bit dangerous, Jessie. I'd be cautious.

If you want to justify wearing black, there was an extensive trade in second-hand clothing in this period. Your black clothing wouldn't have been new-looking (and therefore the black faded), but it is possible for a commoner to have black.

I've seen a LOT of red cows.

Thanks, I've been trying to sort that out for awhile, that helps a lot!

On a (somewhat) related note, I was recently talking to someone about the problems related to insecurity. As I see it, much misbehavior and animosity seems to stem from a personal feeling of lack of self-worth. It takes many forms. Some people seem to feel the need to brag and grandstand, others to berate other people (to elevate their self worth in comparison), others to do things to excess to prove their self-worth (work, make money, achieve and every other "positive" addictive behavior you can name), others to find ways to hide from themselves (drinking, smoking, drugs, lying and every other negative addictive behavior you can name), others to involve themselves in other people's business ("THEY need fixing..."), others to falsely accuse people of things, still others to engage in classification and delineation or the creation of "-isms" (in whatever form this takes: racism, homophobia, sexism, etc.) and so forth.

So how do we solve a self-inflicted, intensely person problem like this? (I don't have an answer. It's one reason I like to write a monthly newsletter on success concepts and try to teach people how much potential they have through trainings. Not that I don't have my own share of insecurities, mind...)

One of those questions that have no single, concrete answer. But I'll take a stab at it...

Everyone should take the responsibility to know him/herself. What you can do, what you can't do, what's good for you, what's not good for you. And allow others to find the same for themselves. If lack of self-worth is truly what a lot of "misbehavior" stems from, finding out about yourself would fix a lot of problems. Everyone can do something worthwhile, it can just take awhile to find out what it is.

De-tasseling, to be exact, but I was going to let it slide.

So a black wool would be relatively inexpensive, while a black linen, on the other hand, would not be worn by just anyone, correct?

How red?

So...about naturally colored wool...most of the "black" sheep I've ever seen are actually just a dark brown, but are there any breeds of sheep that produce a pure black wool? I've also seen wool dyed a nice black by over-dyeing brown wool with indigo, but I've no idea how long the color would last. Any ideas?

^I like watching German movies. It's good practice.

< Just finished putting skulls in the cabinet in the anthro lab. What an interesting place to be!

V Squeamish?

It's been in the 40's lately, which is so warm compared to our -10 degrees a couple weeks ago that I was going about in a tank-top yesterday. Supposed to snow again this weekend.

(I bet you thought I forgot all those discussions we had about shucking corn. (Or maybe you just wish I had.) Ha ha!~~ Mission never forgets!  )

I still see row upon row upon row of corn every once in awhile when I close my eyes. I have never in my life tipped a cow though, I will have you know!

^That depends entirely on what kind of stuff you're talking about.

<I think I'm back in archaeology this summer...just heard somebody's been asking for my phone number to hire me! It's nice when they come looking for you!

V Best job you ever had?

^Love 'em. Hmmm, roast rabbit with carrots and potatoes...lamb meatballs in a yoghurt sauce...yeah, I like cute and cuddly things.

<I've decided to skip class this afternoon, and go out of town, and I've got this terrible weight of guilt...oh, but wait, there it goes...nope, no more guilt.

V Is a great cook.