Saturday, March 29, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sleep, AI and LOST
Feels like a random post day.
I'm struggling with going to bed at night. I've had this problem my entire life. It's not that I can't fall asleep, it's that I don't want to stop doing what I'm doing and go to bed. You know how little kids never want to go to bed even if they're really tired because they think they're going to miss something? That's me, I guess I never outgrew that. I was up until 3 last night cleaning, working on my Etsy shop, watching TV and reading. Not good.
In better news, my Cadbury Mini Eggs are finally all gone. No more temptation! Until Christmas, anyway. A very good thing for my waistline.
How awesome was David Cook's rendition of "Billie Jean" on American Idol last night? I wish he had gone first, because it would showcase how truly awful Kristy, Carly, and Ramiele were. Kristy's song choice was smart, because people will vote for the pretty blond patriotic girl, but I'm always completely bored and underwhelmed by her vocals, and to be honest that song makes me throw up a little bit. Carly is a great singer but I wish she would stop YELLING everything - not every song has to be powered through. I've been annoyed with her ever since she butchered "Blackbird". Last night she sounded like a mix between Cher and Celine Dion. And Ramiele - just ugh. I hope she goes bye-bye. Brooke White remains one of my favorites for the simple reason that she doesn't belt out every single song - she has some complexity to her voice, and it's not overly trained and forced. Could anyone else tell she was trying really hard not to mouth off to the judges like she usually does? I thought that was funny. And Simon's comment about David Archuleta not picking his own song was interesting given all the rumors about his dad being a pushy stage parent.
Speaking of TV...how am I going to survive the next few weeks without LOST? I might have to rewatch the first 8 episodes of season four. Thoughts about last week's episode - did they really kill off Rousseau?! I saw the bullet go in, but somehow I'm not sure this is the end for her. We've certainly seen characters survive being shot before. There's a lot more to her story (we haven't seen that flashback episode the writers promised not so long ago) and I think she's one of the most interesting characters on the Island, so I hope she's alive. Maybe she'll pull a Locke on us in the next episode. Karl is definitely dead though. Poor Karl. At least he got a cool Star Wars allusion in before he kicked it ("I have a bad feeling about this...")
About Michael; I like the idea that he is trying to redeem himself for betraying his friends. He has always struck me as one of the weakest of the characters when it comes to morals, so it will be interesting to see if he's able to find redemption in his final days. I think he's the one in the coffin (anyone else?)
Why can't Michael kill himself? What does it mean when big gay Tom says "the Island won't let you"? (By the way, I think it's hilarious that Tom used to be the scariest of the Others, and now we find out that he's this jolly gay foodie. Talk about character development.) Here's my out-there theory: it all goes back to destiny. Remember the episode "Flashes Before Your Eyes" where Desmond first time travels? He goes back to his pre-Island life and tries to change things so that he ends up married to Penny instead of on the Island. He finds out that he can't. He meets the mysterious Ms. Hawking, who explains that no matter what he does, he will always end up on the Island because it is his destiny to push the button.
So it must be Michael's destiny to go back to the Island on the freighter and work for Ben, since he's been unsuccessful at three separate suicide attempts. The big question is, how does Tom know that it's his destiny? Here's where it gets even weirder - maybe it's because Tom and Ben can see the future. It's not too much of a stretch - we've already seen this happen with Desmond when he has a vision of Charlie dying. Ben always seems to be three steps ahead of everyone else all the time. I think Ben is able to use the Island's powers to see the future, and I think it has to do with his ability to talk to Jacob. This is why he's so passionate about protecting the Island from being discovered by Widmore or anyone else. Ben knows that it's Michael's destiny to be on the freighter because he's seen it, just like Desmond knew it was Charlie's destiny to die no matter how many times he tried to save his life. It's not that the Island controls destiny, it's that it allows certain people to see what an individual's destiny will be.
Of course I could be completely wrong. But it kind of makes sense, right?
I'm struggling with going to bed at night. I've had this problem my entire life. It's not that I can't fall asleep, it's that I don't want to stop doing what I'm doing and go to bed. You know how little kids never want to go to bed even if they're really tired because they think they're going to miss something? That's me, I guess I never outgrew that. I was up until 3 last night cleaning, working on my Etsy shop, watching TV and reading. Not good.
In better news, my Cadbury Mini Eggs are finally all gone. No more temptation! Until Christmas, anyway. A very good thing for my waistline.
How awesome was David Cook's rendition of "Billie Jean" on American Idol last night? I wish he had gone first, because it would showcase how truly awful Kristy, Carly, and Ramiele were. Kristy's song choice was smart, because people will vote for the pretty blond patriotic girl, but I'm always completely bored and underwhelmed by her vocals, and to be honest that song makes me throw up a little bit. Carly is a great singer but I wish she would stop YELLING everything - not every song has to be powered through. I've been annoyed with her ever since she butchered "Blackbird". Last night she sounded like a mix between Cher and Celine Dion. And Ramiele - just ugh. I hope she goes bye-bye. Brooke White remains one of my favorites for the simple reason that she doesn't belt out every single song - she has some complexity to her voice, and it's not overly trained and forced. Could anyone else tell she was trying really hard not to mouth off to the judges like she usually does? I thought that was funny. And Simon's comment about David Archuleta not picking his own song was interesting given all the rumors about his dad being a pushy stage parent.
Speaking of TV...how am I going to survive the next few weeks without LOST? I might have to rewatch the first 8 episodes of season four. Thoughts about last week's episode - did they really kill off Rousseau?! I saw the bullet go in, but somehow I'm not sure this is the end for her. We've certainly seen characters survive being shot before. There's a lot more to her story (we haven't seen that flashback episode the writers promised not so long ago) and I think she's one of the most interesting characters on the Island, so I hope she's alive. Maybe she'll pull a Locke on us in the next episode. Karl is definitely dead though. Poor Karl. At least he got a cool Star Wars allusion in before he kicked it ("I have a bad feeling about this...")
About Michael; I like the idea that he is trying to redeem himself for betraying his friends. He has always struck me as one of the weakest of the characters when it comes to morals, so it will be interesting to see if he's able to find redemption in his final days. I think he's the one in the coffin (anyone else?)
Why can't Michael kill himself? What does it mean when big gay Tom says "the Island won't let you"? (By the way, I think it's hilarious that Tom used to be the scariest of the Others, and now we find out that he's this jolly gay foodie. Talk about character development.) Here's my out-there theory: it all goes back to destiny. Remember the episode "Flashes Before Your Eyes" where Desmond first time travels? He goes back to his pre-Island life and tries to change things so that he ends up married to Penny instead of on the Island. He finds out that he can't. He meets the mysterious Ms. Hawking, who explains that no matter what he does, he will always end up on the Island because it is his destiny to push the button.
So it must be Michael's destiny to go back to the Island on the freighter and work for Ben, since he's been unsuccessful at three separate suicide attempts. The big question is, how does Tom know that it's his destiny? Here's where it gets even weirder - maybe it's because Tom and Ben can see the future. It's not too much of a stretch - we've already seen this happen with Desmond when he has a vision of Charlie dying. Ben always seems to be three steps ahead of everyone else all the time. I think Ben is able to use the Island's powers to see the future, and I think it has to do with his ability to talk to Jacob. This is why he's so passionate about protecting the Island from being discovered by Widmore or anyone else. Ben knows that it's Michael's destiny to be on the freighter because he's seen it, just like Desmond knew it was Charlie's destiny to die no matter how many times he tried to save his life. It's not that the Island controls destiny, it's that it allows certain people to see what an individual's destiny will be.
Of course I could be completely wrong. But it kind of makes sense, right?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Not Gonna Happen
Last night I read in Real Simple magazine (my favorite bathtub reading experience - because I get too hot if I try to stay in long enough to read a book) that National TV Turnoff Week is coming up. I'm a big fan of the idea in principle, but I have a serious problem with the dates this year: April 21 to 27.
Guess what shows are coming back that week - all on the same day, the 24th? The Office, Lost, and Grey's Anatomy. Yeah, turnoff week isn't going to happen in our household at that particular time. It's like opening a chocolate shop in a little French village during Lent. Although I wouldn't have a problem putting a moratorium on Dora for the week (sorry Sawyer).
Edit: I was wrong about The Office; it's actually coming back on April 10. Much sooner than I thought! I'm still not going to manage to keep my TV off on the 24th though.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
LOST Night
Ever since we sprang forward for Daylight Savings, Sawyer has been sleeping in until 9:00 every morning. I've been staying up late at night making soap, reading blogs, practicing yoga, and thoroughly enjoying my late-night alone time, knowing that I can get plenty of sleep by sleeping in late in the morning. Until today, when my little munchkin inexplicably decided to wake up bright-eyed and raring to go at 5:45 a.m. I stayed up until 2 last night. UGH. I lay there for an hour or so while he played with his stuffed animals and read books on the floor. When I couldn't put him off any longer (because he was ready for breakfast) the thought that helped me get out of bed was... "Lost is on tonight!"
I'm trying to remember the last time I was this excited about a TV show, and I can't. There's never been a show like this one that I not only watch every week, but also read about, think about, and talk about in between. It's like one of my favorite books, but in 40 inches of high definition, and I'm only allowed to read a chapter at a time.
Tonight's episode, "Ji Yeon" is a biggie - we're going to find out who the rest of the Oceanic Six are. I've been spoiled on this one, but it will still be exciting to see it confirmed. I have a theory for *why* they are the Six, and I think it's a good one but I'll save it for afterwards so I don't unintentionally give anything away. We're also going to find out who Ben's "man on the boat" is. I haven't read any spoilers on that one (they are out there, but I avoid them like the plague! Which is easier said than done when you read the message boards.) I'm guessing it's Michael. The producers announced last summer that Harold Perrineau is coming back this season, and having him be on the freighter would be a really cool way to bring his character back. I can't think of anyone else who would make sense.
If you're like me and can't get enough Lost, check out some of these sources. They're a great way to pass the time between episodes - and we're about to have a lot of that soon, since after episode 8 next week we won't get another new episode until April 24th.
The Lost Forum. A forum with almost 100,000 members, a great place to talk about theories, reactions, and Easter Eggs. They have a live episode party where you can type as you watch. And they are Nazi-esque when it comes to tagging spoilers, which is great if you're like me and don't want to see them most of the time.
Lost: The Missing Pieces. These are a must-see. If you haven't watched these yet, go do it now! They have key information that wasn't in any of the episodes.
Lost Podcast. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof (or "Darlton" as they're affectionately known on the Lost Forum) talk about the show and answer questions from viewers. They give some important information about the show during these, as well as debunking some commonly held theories (they really aren't all dead!) You can also subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes. I like to listen to it while I load the dishwasher.
Dark UFO's Screencaps and Easter Eggs If there's an Easter Egg you missed, chances are it will be here, and he posts audio clips sometimes (like when we hear the whispers, or when there is a message hidden in backwards audio). He also links to his site that's all spoilers if that's what you're into.
J. Wood on Powell's Books He's a graduate student at UVA and tackles each episode from a literary and historic perspective. It makes you realize how well read the Lost writers are - allusions galore!
Lostpedia A Lost wiki with just about every informational tidbit about the story, characters, etc. It's great if you can't remember the name of the redheaded anthropologist from the freighter (it's Charlotte Staples Lewis!)
Happy Lost Day!
I'm trying to remember the last time I was this excited about a TV show, and I can't. There's never been a show like this one that I not only watch every week, but also read about, think about, and talk about in between. It's like one of my favorite books, but in 40 inches of high definition, and I'm only allowed to read a chapter at a time.
Tonight's episode, "Ji Yeon" is a biggie - we're going to find out who the rest of the Oceanic Six are. I've been spoiled on this one, but it will still be exciting to see it confirmed. I have a theory for *why* they are the Six, and I think it's a good one but I'll save it for afterwards so I don't unintentionally give anything away. We're also going to find out who Ben's "man on the boat" is. I haven't read any spoilers on that one (they are out there, but I avoid them like the plague! Which is easier said than done when you read the message boards.) I'm guessing it's Michael. The producers announced last summer that Harold Perrineau is coming back this season, and having him be on the freighter would be a really cool way to bring his character back. I can't think of anyone else who would make sense.
If you're like me and can't get enough Lost, check out some of these sources. They're a great way to pass the time between episodes - and we're about to have a lot of that soon, since after episode 8 next week we won't get another new episode until April 24th.
The Lost Forum. A forum with almost 100,000 members, a great place to talk about theories, reactions, and Easter Eggs. They have a live episode party where you can type as you watch. And they are Nazi-esque when it comes to tagging spoilers, which is great if you're like me and don't want to see them most of the time.
Lost: The Missing Pieces. These are a must-see. If you haven't watched these yet, go do it now! They have key information that wasn't in any of the episodes.
Lost Podcast. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof (or "Darlton" as they're affectionately known on the Lost Forum) talk about the show and answer questions from viewers. They give some important information about the show during these, as well as debunking some commonly held theories (they really aren't all dead!) You can also subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes. I like to listen to it while I load the dishwasher.
Dark UFO's Screencaps and Easter Eggs If there's an Easter Egg you missed, chances are it will be here, and he posts audio clips sometimes (like when we hear the whispers, or when there is a message hidden in backwards audio). He also links to his site that's all spoilers if that's what you're into.
J. Wood on Powell's Books He's a graduate student at UVA and tackles each episode from a literary and historic perspective. It makes you realize how well read the Lost writers are - allusions galore!
Lostpedia A Lost wiki with just about every informational tidbit about the story, characters, etc. It's great if you can't remember the name of the redheaded anthropologist from the freighter (it's Charlotte Staples Lewis!)
Happy Lost Day!
Monday, March 10, 2008
iShuffle Soundtrack
Tiburon* did this game on her blog and I thought it was so fun that I wanted to do it too. It's like the iPod shuffle game - you set playback to shuffle and then write down the songs in the order they're played, but in this version each song that comes up represents a song in a theoretical soundtrack to the movie of your life. Here's mine.
1. Opening credits: "Not Your Year " The Weepies
Scattered shadows on the wall
You watch the long light fall
Some impressions stay and some will fade
2. Waking up: "9 Crimes" Damien Rice
I love him but waking up to this song would suck. Holy depression, Batman!
3. First Day of School: "Love Is Strange" Everything But the Girl
An often covered song, but this one is amazing. I highly recommend the whole album, Acoustic. It's in the top 10 of my all time favorite albums.
4. Falling in love: "Samson" Regina Spektor
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the stars came falling on our heads
But they're just old light, they're just old light
For the record, one of my favorite songs ever.
5. First Kiss song: "Ex-Girlfriend" No Doubt
Kinda always knew I'd end up your ex-girlfriend
I'm another ex-girlfriend on your list
But I should've thought of that before we kissed
HA! I remember my little sis SWORE the lyrics to this song went "Why're you always doing it with your ex-girlfriend." Awesome.
6. Breaking up: "Hideous Towns" The Sundays
Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words will just finish me off
7. Prom: "We're the Same" Matthew Sweet
I don't have to speak and you know what I'm thinking
You don't need to hear what I say
I loved this song in high school (and still do). I went to prom four times, one my sophomore year, two junior year and one senior year. Of course, the best one was with Eric.
8. Life: "Santeria" Sublime
It's true. I don't practice Santeria.
9. Mental breakdown: "All Across the Sands" The Stone Roses
How can a pretty painted shell
Send them all packing off to hell
I love that line.
10. Driving: "Stolen Car" Beth Orton (I swear I didn't plan this!)
You walked into my house last night
I couldn't help but notice
A light that was long gone still burning strong
You were sitting, your fingers like fuses, your eyes were cinnamon.
11. Flashback: "Don't Be Sad" Whiskeytown
Seen a lot of things we didn't wanna see
But I'm glad we did
I know a lot of times we fell out of line
But we fell back in
I think we lost the keys to the kingdom
Before we'd seen them
Don't be sad
Don't be sad
12. Getting back together: "Carry On Wayward Son" Kansas
Now that I think of it, the only boyfriend I ever got back together with was Eric. Interesting. He is also the only boyfriend I ever talked out of breaking up with me, but that's another story. Great song, if not terribly relevant.
13. Wedding: "Whatever" Oasis
I'm free to be whatever I
whatever I choose and I'll sing the blues if I want
I'm free to say whatever I
whatever I like if it's wrong or right it's all right
Probably not a great strategy for a successful marriage, but a fun song. I used to tune my guitar to this one until I bought a tuner.
14. Birth of a child: "Stay Young" Oasis (again. Nice job, shuffle function!)
Hey, stay young and invincible
Cause we know just what we are and
Come what may, we're unstoppable
Cause we know just what we are
15. Final battle: "Pam Pong" Sweet Diss and the Comebacks
The boss is already out,
he’ll Schrute it up, I have no doubt
She’s the kind of girl you’d adore,
that you could make your famous cheese sandwich for
And dance until the music stops;
Look into her eyes, tell her how you feel
Yep, this was written about Pam from The Office. I had no idea I actually had it in my iTunes library. I'm even more of a nerd than I thought.
16. Death scene: "Baby It's Cold Outside" Ella Fitzgerald
Apparently I'm going to die to the sounds of a lighthearted jazz duet.
17. Funeral: "Flame Turns Blue" David Gray
Worlds dismantled and all the books unbound
Conversations though we utter not a sound
I heard a rumour I don't know if its true
That you'd meet me where the flame turns blue
Through the lemon trees the diamonds of light
Break in splinters on the pages where I write
That if I lost you I don't know what I'd do
Burn forever where the flame turns blue
I'll just be happy if it's not "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead." I do love this song though.
18. End credits: "The One I Love" Rosie Thomas
This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I left behind
A simple thought to occupy my mind
This one goes out to the one I love
Fire , fire, fire, fire
A great cover of the R.E.M. song. I loved R.E.M. in high school but I had no idea that the chorus said "fire" until listening to Rosie's version. Funny.
*Speaking of Tib's blog, she's doing a super cool giveaway right now - all you have to do is leave a comment. Check it out!
1. Opening credits: "Not Your Year " The Weepies
Scattered shadows on the wall
You watch the long light fall
Some impressions stay and some will fade
2. Waking up: "9 Crimes" Damien Rice
I love him but waking up to this song would suck. Holy depression, Batman!
3. First Day of School: "Love Is Strange" Everything But the Girl
An often covered song, but this one is amazing. I highly recommend the whole album, Acoustic. It's in the top 10 of my all time favorite albums.
4. Falling in love: "Samson" Regina Spektor
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the stars came falling on our heads
But they're just old light, they're just old light
For the record, one of my favorite songs ever.
5. First Kiss song: "Ex-Girlfriend" No Doubt
Kinda always knew I'd end up your ex-girlfriend
I'm another ex-girlfriend on your list
But I should've thought of that before we kissed
HA! I remember my little sis SWORE the lyrics to this song went "Why're you always doing it with your ex-girlfriend." Awesome.
6. Breaking up: "Hideous Towns" The Sundays
Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words will just finish me off
7. Prom: "We're the Same" Matthew Sweet
I don't have to speak and you know what I'm thinking
You don't need to hear what I say
I loved this song in high school (and still do). I went to prom four times, one my sophomore year, two junior year and one senior year. Of course, the best one was with Eric.
8. Life: "Santeria" Sublime
It's true. I don't practice Santeria.
9. Mental breakdown: "All Across the Sands" The Stone Roses
How can a pretty painted shell
Send them all packing off to hell
I love that line.
10. Driving: "Stolen Car" Beth Orton (I swear I didn't plan this!)
You walked into my house last night
I couldn't help but notice
A light that was long gone still burning strong
You were sitting, your fingers like fuses, your eyes were cinnamon.
11. Flashback: "Don't Be Sad" Whiskeytown
Seen a lot of things we didn't wanna see
But I'm glad we did
I know a lot of times we fell out of line
But we fell back in
I think we lost the keys to the kingdom
Before we'd seen them
Don't be sad
Don't be sad
12. Getting back together: "Carry On Wayward Son" Kansas
Now that I think of it, the only boyfriend I ever got back together with was Eric. Interesting. He is also the only boyfriend I ever talked out of breaking up with me, but that's another story. Great song, if not terribly relevant.
13. Wedding: "Whatever" Oasis
I'm free to be whatever I
whatever I choose and I'll sing the blues if I want
I'm free to say whatever I
whatever I like if it's wrong or right it's all right
Probably not a great strategy for a successful marriage, but a fun song. I used to tune my guitar to this one until I bought a tuner.
14. Birth of a child: "Stay Young" Oasis (again. Nice job, shuffle function!)
Hey, stay young and invincible
Cause we know just what we are and
Come what may, we're unstoppable
Cause we know just what we are
15. Final battle: "Pam Pong" Sweet Diss and the Comebacks
The boss is already out,
he’ll Schrute it up, I have no doubt
She’s the kind of girl you’d adore,
that you could make your famous cheese sandwich for
And dance until the music stops;
Look into her eyes, tell her how you feel
Yep, this was written about Pam from The Office. I had no idea I actually had it in my iTunes library. I'm even more of a nerd than I thought.
16. Death scene: "Baby It's Cold Outside" Ella Fitzgerald
Apparently I'm going to die to the sounds of a lighthearted jazz duet.
17. Funeral: "Flame Turns Blue" David Gray
Worlds dismantled and all the books unbound
Conversations though we utter not a sound
I heard a rumour I don't know if its true
That you'd meet me where the flame turns blue
Through the lemon trees the diamonds of light
Break in splinters on the pages where I write
That if I lost you I don't know what I'd do
Burn forever where the flame turns blue
I'll just be happy if it's not "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead." I do love this song though.
18. End credits: "The One I Love" Rosie Thomas
This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I left behind
A simple thought to occupy my mind
This one goes out to the one I love
Fire , fire, fire, fire
A great cover of the R.E.M. song. I loved R.E.M. in high school but I had no idea that the chorus said "fire" until listening to Rosie's version. Funny.
*Speaking of Tib's blog, she's doing a super cool giveaway right now - all you have to do is leave a comment. Check it out!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
What is "natural"?
(Christie, this update is for you. No more cupcakes at the top of the page!)
One of my biggest pet peeves is all the "natural" products on the market these days. Particularly in the bath and body world, it seems like everyone has jumped on the natural bandwagon.
As far as I can tell, there are basically two definitions consumers have in mind when they describe a product as "natural".
1) It is found in nature. Obviously, this definition doesn't apply to bath products; soap doesn't grow on trees.
2) It is made from ingredients that are found in nature with minimal processing. Handmade soap could qualify under this definition - although you'd have to make an allowance for the fact that lye used by soapmakers is made in a lab, and that many soapmakers (including me sometimes) use synthetic fragrance oils in their products.
One of the hottest topics on The Soap Dish (online community of over 5,000 soapmakers) is about the search for natural preservatives, natural fragrance and colorants, and natural additives. There is much debate surrounding this issue for the simple reason that in the world of marketing, the world "natural" is unregulated and essentially meaningless. An example - Method hand wash. The second ingredient on the label (after water) is sodium lauryl sulfate, a synthetic detergent that is created in a lab (does not exist in nature.) And they are scented with synthetic fragrance. Yet they claim that all of their products are natural or "naturally derived" (which is also pretty meaningless, since just about every ingredient can be traced in some way back to a natural source.) Another one - Glade Scented Oil candles which are labeled as "made with Essential Oils". The only problem - there is no such thing as Apple essential oil (or Clean Linen, or Mango, Peaches, Berry, Coconut, etc.) They can claim to be natural because there is no legal definition of "natural".
Of course, in my opinion the whole quest to make everything more natural is flawed to begin with, because it relies on the premise that natural=good and unnatural=bad. Let's explore that.
Things that are natural:
-tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes
-E. coli
-the flu
-fleas, mosquitoes, roaches
-poop (there's a thread on The Soap Dish that discusses a great recipe containing "sodium poopinate". That may only be funny if you're a B&B formulator.)
Things that are unnatural:
-toilets
-birth control
-bathing
-wheelchairs
-IVF
So there you have it: "natural" does not equal "good" and "unnatural" does not equal "bad". End of debate.
Ha!
One of my biggest pet peeves is all the "natural" products on the market these days. Particularly in the bath and body world, it seems like everyone has jumped on the natural bandwagon.
As far as I can tell, there are basically two definitions consumers have in mind when they describe a product as "natural".
1) It is found in nature. Obviously, this definition doesn't apply to bath products; soap doesn't grow on trees.
2) It is made from ingredients that are found in nature with minimal processing. Handmade soap could qualify under this definition - although you'd have to make an allowance for the fact that lye used by soapmakers is made in a lab, and that many soapmakers (including me sometimes) use synthetic fragrance oils in their products.
One of the hottest topics on The Soap Dish (online community of over 5,000 soapmakers) is about the search for natural preservatives, natural fragrance and colorants, and natural additives. There is much debate surrounding this issue for the simple reason that in the world of marketing, the world "natural" is unregulated and essentially meaningless. An example - Method hand wash. The second ingredient on the label (after water) is sodium lauryl sulfate, a synthetic detergent that is created in a lab (does not exist in nature.) And they are scented with synthetic fragrance. Yet they claim that all of their products are natural or "naturally derived" (which is also pretty meaningless, since just about every ingredient can be traced in some way back to a natural source.) Another one - Glade Scented Oil candles which are labeled as "made with Essential Oils". The only problem - there is no such thing as Apple essential oil (or Clean Linen, or Mango, Peaches, Berry, Coconut, etc.) They can claim to be natural because there is no legal definition of "natural".
Of course, in my opinion the whole quest to make everything more natural is flawed to begin with, because it relies on the premise that natural=good and unnatural=bad. Let's explore that.
Things that are natural:
-tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes
-E. coli
-the flu
-fleas, mosquitoes, roaches
-poop (there's a thread on The Soap Dish that discusses a great recipe containing "sodium poopinate". That may only be funny if you're a B&B formulator.)
Things that are unnatural:
-toilets
-birth control
-bathing
-wheelchairs
-IVF
So there you have it: "natural" does not equal "good" and "unnatural" does not equal "bad". End of debate.
Ha!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Diet Busters
A couple of things I really want to order, but won't. My secret evil plan is to send enormous amounts to my fellow Biggest Loser competitors...but I won't really do that either.
Fat Daddy Cupcakes. A layered cupcake in a jar. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?! They have a variety of flavors like Red Velvet Revolution, Vanilla Dream, The Classic (chocolate cake/vanilla frosting), Sweet Nikki (butter cake with buttercream frosting), Captain Carrot Cake, Lime Christie (lime and raspberry), and most promising of all, PMS Cake (AKA Chocolate Overload, shown in the picture above)! You can see all their offerings in their Etsy shop.
And...
Spoon Fudge. Fudge in a jar that you eat with a spoon. Apart from plain Chocolate, they have Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Lavender, Hot Chocolate Chili, and more. See it all here.
Fat Daddy Cupcakes. A layered cupcake in a jar. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?! They have a variety of flavors like Red Velvet Revolution, Vanilla Dream, The Classic (chocolate cake/vanilla frosting), Sweet Nikki (butter cake with buttercream frosting), Captain Carrot Cake, Lime Christie (lime and raspberry), and most promising of all, PMS Cake (AKA Chocolate Overload, shown in the picture above)! You can see all their offerings in their Etsy shop.
And...
Spoon Fudge. Fudge in a jar that you eat with a spoon. Apart from plain Chocolate, they have Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Lavender, Hot Chocolate Chili, and more. See it all here.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Sick Sick Sick
Eric was gone on business the whole week before Valentine's Day. He came back sick - body aches, fever, hacking cough, head congestion. Classic symptoms of the flu. A few of his coworkers who had been on the trip had it and had shared it with him. I was really sympathetic for the first couple of days - I made him soup, I gave him medicine, I brought him juice and wiped his head with a damp cloth - a regular Florence Nightingale. Then it started to get old and I began muttering things inside my head about how he's a big baby when he's sick and how when I get sick (which is almost never!) I still manage to get up and take care of everyone and I don't whine about it all day long.
Then Sawyer got sick. And then I got sick. And I take it all back. I feel absolutely terrible. Just putting dishes in the dishwasher last night was enough to make me collapse with fatigue. I can't stop coughing and my head is swimming with pain. I'm producing so much phlegm that I don't know how I have any left in me. It sucks, and I am moaning about it just as much as Eric did, if not more.
Thankfully Eric was able to take the week off from work so he can help with Sawyer (who seems to be feeling a lot better than we are.) We've been taking naps in shifts and taking turns with meals. Without Eric here there's no way I would be able to rest as much as I have, so I'm very grateful for his help. Remind me of this next time I accuse him of whining.
Then Sawyer got sick. And then I got sick. And I take it all back. I feel absolutely terrible. Just putting dishes in the dishwasher last night was enough to make me collapse with fatigue. I can't stop coughing and my head is swimming with pain. I'm producing so much phlegm that I don't know how I have any left in me. It sucks, and I am moaning about it just as much as Eric did, if not more.
Thankfully Eric was able to take the week off from work so he can help with Sawyer (who seems to be feeling a lot better than we are.) We've been taking naps in shifts and taking turns with meals. Without Eric here there's no way I would be able to rest as much as I have, so I'm very grateful for his help. Remind me of this next time I accuse him of whining.
Monday, February 18, 2008
What Type of Music?
Another fun but essentially useless quiz (who doesn't know what type of music they like?) The cool part about this one is that the questions have nothing to do with music - they take aspects of your personality and guess as to what your musical taste will be. Mine was dead on.
Which Type of Music Should You Listen To? | |
 | You should listen to Folk Music. You are sweet and kind, and would rather solve problems than cause them. However, your highly-defined sensitivity may come off as too touchy-feely to some. |
 | You should listen to Alternative Rock. You never like to do what everyone else does. If your way is better, who cares if it's popular? In fact, your uniqueness is fast garnering you some increasingly passionate fans! |
| Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com | |
Friday, February 15, 2008
While we're waiting for The Office to come back...
Enjoy this classic moment from the UK version. During a day of customer service training, David Brent performs songs he wrote as lead singer of the band "Foregone Conclusion." They could've been big.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day
Eric is out of town today (actually, he's been gone all week) so I'm feeling lonely. Especially since it's Valentine's Day. So I was even more excited than usual to get a delivery from ProFlowers today.
I know it's cliché, but I love, LOVE getting flowers. Eric has always been wonderful about indulging me that way. When we were dating I'd often come home from class to find a bouquet on my bed with a note. After we got married, the flowers kind of tapered off (and interestingly, the farting increased) but I complained and he listened. Nagging really does work! A healthy relationship is all about asking for what you want and need (and ignoring the farting.)
Then to top things off, I got my box from the Soap Dish Chocolate Swap this afternoon. A whole USPS flat rate box full of chocolate.
I may have to spend Valentine's Day alone (for the second year in a row!) but I will have chocolate and Lost to console me.
I know it's cliché, but I love, LOVE getting flowers. Eric has always been wonderful about indulging me that way. When we were dating I'd often come home from class to find a bouquet on my bed with a note. After we got married, the flowers kind of tapered off (and interestingly, the farting increased) but I complained and he listened. Nagging really does work! A healthy relationship is all about asking for what you want and need (and ignoring the farting.)
Then to top things off, I got my box from the Soap Dish Chocolate Swap this afternoon. A whole USPS flat rate box full of chocolate.
I may have to spend Valentine's Day alone (for the second year in a row!) but I will have chocolate and Lost to console me.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
It's official!
The WGA strike is over! TV Guide announced today that The Office is expected to air six new episodes starting in late April. And Lost is back in production! After the eight episodes already scheduled to air, there will be a four week hiatus, followed by five additional episodes to finish up the season. The time slot for the last five will be Thursdays at 10 pm, after Grey's Anatomy, so when your DVR cuts off the ending of Grey's, don't worry - it will be on the beginning of Lost.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Primary Day
I braved the cold this morning to do my civic duty and vote. I have to admit I get all Mr. Smith Goes to Washington every time I head to the polls. Especially today, looking at a ballot on which the two most likely Democratic candidates are a woman and an African American. This election was historic for me personally because it was my first time voting for a Democrat. I'm a moderate* and have usually fallen to the right of center when it came time to vote, but this year I can't get behind either of the viable Republican candidates. (McCain scares me, and Katy does a great job of describing how I feel about Huckabee.) In the end, I picked the only candidate who wasn't "old Washington" - Obama.
They've announced that so far Obama is winning Virginia by a landslide. Several of the ladies at our church play group this morning said they voted for him for the same reasons I did. It looks like McCain has won too, although at this point by a smaller margin. Maryland is keeping the polls open until 9:30 tonight because of the ice storm we're having and some major roads being shut down.
*A great article about how being a moderate does not mean you can't make up your mind.
Friday, February 08, 2008
No more strike?
They must have listened to me - Michael Eisner of CNBC says the strike is over. Although no official statement has been released, he claims a verbal deal has been made and will be put into writing over the weekend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Good Weekend
This weekend is going to be good. Tonight is Lost. Tomorrow night is Matchbox Twenty. And on Saturday I get to hang out with Andrea all day! It doesn't get much better than that.
Adding to my good mood - today I put up shelves for all my soaping supplies in the kitchen, and it is going to make my life so much easier to have all the ingredients in one organized place. Now I just need to get Eric to bring my Columbus Foods delivery upstairs (50 lbs each of coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel flakes, plus 10 lbs of mango butter, shea butter and castor oil) and I can get soaping!
Adding to my good mood - today I put up shelves for all my soaping supplies in the kitchen, and it is going to make my life so much easier to have all the ingredients in one organized place. Now I just need to get Eric to bring my Columbus Foods delivery upstairs (50 lbs each of coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel flakes, plus 10 lbs of mango butter, shea butter and castor oil) and I can get soaping!
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
I really really really miss The Office
This is a message for the people involved in the WGA strike: END IT, PLEASE! (I even asked nicely!)
Despite the fact that this is my third post in a row about TV, I don't actually watch that much. But there are a few shows I really love. The Office is one. And since the WGA strike started, I really really miss it. I fell in love with the UK version a few years ago and was very skeptical of the US version when it started. The pilot was not great, and I thought the show was doomed to never live up to its predecessor. Thankfully, I was seriously mistaken. I love this show even more than the original, I think because Michael Scott is a good deal more likable than David Brent. Yeah, he's an idiot, but you can see that he has good (although often misguided) intentions and he has a heart.
This might be my favorite Office moment of all time.
Despite the fact that this is my third post in a row about TV, I don't actually watch that much. But there are a few shows I really love. The Office is one. And since the WGA strike started, I really really miss it. I fell in love with the UK version a few years ago and was very skeptical of the US version when it started. The pilot was not great, and I thought the show was doomed to never live up to its predecessor. Thankfully, I was seriously mistaken. I love this show even more than the original, I think because Michael Scott is a good deal more likable than David Brent. Yeah, he's an idiot, but you can see that he has good (although often misguided) intentions and he has a heart.
This might be my favorite Office moment of all time.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Found...and Lost!
Yesterday was my thirtieth birthday. It was a really nice day, despite the evidence that I am rapidly aging and my life is at least one third of the way over (as my dad so lovingly pointed out.) I started out the day by finding my iPod, which has been missing for the past week. It was in a bag I had already checked a couple of times. I think it was the universe's birthday gift to me. My sister Megan took me to The Cheesecake Factory for lunch, then Eric came home early from work (with flowers!) We got takeout from Outback and spent a quiet evening at home.
If the universe's gift to me was my iPod, ABC's gift to me was the season premiere of LOST! The plan was to watch it together after dinner, but Eric was so tired that he fell asleep with Sawyer at 8:00. As much as I love Eric's company there was no way I was going to wait until the next night to watch it (and it's a good thing I didn't, because he just got called into work tonight so I would have had to wait until tomorrow!) So I watched it by myself. I got completely freaked out by the part where Hurley is in the jungle and sees Jacob's cabin. But man, what a great episode! As always, there were a few answers, but a lot more questions. I've spent way too much time today reading on lost-forum.com and trying to figure out what the heck is going on. (Lost Media has a great summary that clarifies a few key points, by the way.)
I love the device of using the flash-forwards, but presenting them backwards, so we're moving from the future towards the present moment. It's a brilliant way to create suspense. I was totally proud of myself when I immediately knew the one driving the car was Hurley - I recognized the car from season three. If I hadn't just watched it, there's no way I would have remembered that, but still - any time I guess right about this show I feel proud.
One cool thing I found out on the boards today: the man Hurley saw in the rocking chair in the cabin was Christian Shepard, Jack's father. It's too dark to really tell but someone took a screencap of it and adjusted the lighting and it's very clear that it's him. Of course, this being the creepy island where crazy stuff happens, that doesn't mean that he's alive, or real, just that Hurley saw him. (Screencap from Screencaps and Easter Eggs)
The big question at the end of this episode: Who are the Oceanic Six? We know Jack, Kate and Hurley left the island somehow. So who are the other three? And why did they agree to leave everyone else behind? It seems that after getting rescued they lied and claimed to be the only survivors of the crash, and this is what is wracking Hurley and Jack with so much guilt. Why would their silence be a condition of rescue? My guess (and hope!) is that we'll continue to see the flash-forwards (going backwards) until we get to the point of the rescue and find out what happened. Next week can't come fast enough.
If the universe's gift to me was my iPod, ABC's gift to me was the season premiere of LOST! The plan was to watch it together after dinner, but Eric was so tired that he fell asleep with Sawyer at 8:00. As much as I love Eric's company there was no way I was going to wait until the next night to watch it (and it's a good thing I didn't, because he just got called into work tonight so I would have had to wait until tomorrow!) So I watched it by myself. I got completely freaked out by the part where Hurley is in the jungle and sees Jacob's cabin. But man, what a great episode! As always, there were a few answers, but a lot more questions. I've spent way too much time today reading on lost-forum.com and trying to figure out what the heck is going on. (Lost Media has a great summary that clarifies a few key points, by the way.)
I love the device of using the flash-forwards, but presenting them backwards, so we're moving from the future towards the present moment. It's a brilliant way to create suspense. I was totally proud of myself when I immediately knew the one driving the car was Hurley - I recognized the car from season three. If I hadn't just watched it, there's no way I would have remembered that, but still - any time I guess right about this show I feel proud.
One cool thing I found out on the boards today: the man Hurley saw in the rocking chair in the cabin was Christian Shepard, Jack's father. It's too dark to really tell but someone took a screencap of it and adjusted the lighting and it's very clear that it's him. Of course, this being the creepy island where crazy stuff happens, that doesn't mean that he's alive, or real, just that Hurley saw him. (Screencap from Screencaps and Easter Eggs)
The big question at the end of this episode: Who are the Oceanic Six? We know Jack, Kate and Hurley left the island somehow. So who are the other three? And why did they agree to leave everyone else behind? It seems that after getting rescued they lied and claimed to be the only survivors of the crash, and this is what is wracking Hurley and Jack with so much guilt. Why would their silence be a condition of rescue? My guess (and hope!) is that we'll continue to see the flash-forwards (going backwards) until we get to the point of the rescue and find out what happened. Next week can't come fast enough.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Ready to get LOST?
I am! It's been many long months since the last new episode and I cannot wait for the story to start up again. I've been watching season three on Blu-Ray (which is amazing!) and I just can't get over what a great show it is, especially when watching the episodes straight through and back to back. I have a horrible memory for plots so I tend to get lost when there's a week or more between episodes. Watching them all in a row I *almost* feel like I know what's going on. Almost.
The season four premiere is on my birthday. I'll be spending all day thinking about what's going to happen in an effort to forget that I'm turning 30 (GAH!) There are plenty of questions to ponder: Who is on the freighter off shore? Do they get rescued? Do Jack and Kate end up choosing to leave some people behind, as the "flash-forward" seemed to imply? And who was in the coffin in Jack's future? Is Jacob real? Will Sun be able to have her baby and survive? Is Locke going to take over as the new leader of The Others? Oh, and how much weirder can those people get? And most importantly - will the WGA strike end in time for us to eventually get a full season?
Monday, January 28, 2008
President Hinckley
For those of you who haven't heard yet, President Hinckley passed away last night. He was 97 years old. He lived such an amazing and energetic life that it's almost hard for me to believe that he's gone. He just kept going and going for so long. I feel privileged to have been a member of the church while he was President.
I was lucky to have a few opportunities to hear President Hinckley speak in person and to shake his hand. When I was at Southern Virginia College our choir sang at a regional conference where he spoke. He found out that our signature song was an a cappella arrangement of "Shenandoah", which apparently was a favorite of his, and during his closing remarks he asked if we would sing it. We were unprepared and needed a pitch to start so this guy Adam crossed the stage to get to a piano. It was so crowded that he had to step over and around people. I guess it was taking too long because President Hinckley said "Come on now son, we don't have all day!" with a big smile on his face. I'll always remember his humor in that situation. I had a solo at the beginning of the song and so I got to stand right next to his seat and sing. It was an amazing day I will never forget.
I was lucky to have a few opportunities to hear President Hinckley speak in person and to shake his hand. When I was at Southern Virginia College our choir sang at a regional conference where he spoke. He found out that our signature song was an a cappella arrangement of "Shenandoah", which apparently was a favorite of his, and during his closing remarks he asked if we would sing it. We were unprepared and needed a pitch to start so this guy Adam crossed the stage to get to a piano. It was so crowded that he had to step over and around people. I guess it was taking too long because President Hinckley said "Come on now son, we don't have all day!" with a big smile on his face. I'll always remember his humor in that situation. I had a solo at the beginning of the song and so I got to stand right next to his seat and sing. It was an amazing day I will never forget.
BL3 Update
I've been doing the Biggest Loser 3 competition for 3 weeks now. So far I've lost 8.5 lbs (3.5 the first week, 4 the second, and 1 the third.) I'm ahead of my goal so far, which is encouraging. Last week was rough because I had a nasty stomach bug for 2 days. I didn't eat at all that whole time, and didn't really get my appetite back for the rest of the week, but strangely I only lost a pound. I don't know what that's about. The challenge this week is going to be to get moving again - I still don't feel like my energy's back yet. Right now I'm in 8th place in the competition overall (out of 26) so not too bad. I'd love to be 1st, but needless to say the competitors are giving me a run for my money. All I can do is keep going! If I accomplish my personal goal, beating everyone else doesn't matter that much to me...although winning that money would feel pretty good.
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