This pic of my parents blows me away: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30564084@N04/3633980309/It was taken in September 1981, in Philly. They had met not too long ago, I think. They were in their later 20's. My mom had been married once already, to a guy who didn't like to read. She divorced him. My dad had never settled down before. My mom ( Read more... )

There have been many times that, were it not for pen and paper, I would surely have succumbed to mortal boredom. In order to keep myself mentally stimulated, I doodle, make lists and play games whenever I can get away with it. Below, a few recent pages from my notebook (clickable):

-- A list of my favorite roles, and also of some stuff to do ( Read more... )

Does anyone have any recommendations for cool things to do in San Francisco ( Read more... )

Kitty playing theremin.

I don't know if I just have a complex, or if there really is a problem with the question "Are you an artist?" I know that it's being asked in good faith, with harmless intention, but somehow it puts me on the defensive. I dabble a little in creation when the mood strikes me, and am sometimes happy with the results, but I haven't chosen to focus ( Read more... )

Some days, I feel that there are no chores. Only small devotions. I wake up on a Saturday morning. I had carefully kept from committing to any of the work or social obligations to which I might have been held, so that I could go to the Darkon campout this weekend, but then I decided at the last minute to forget about the campout (even though I ( Read more... )

Hormonal contraceptives. The Pill. I love the idea but hate the reality. Why? Lots of reasons, including a general distrust about the idea of tampering with something as little-understood as our hormonal makeup. Still, it's such a beautiful idea, a magical pill that can keep you from becoming pregnant!

http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/4822 ( Read more... )

...here are some links about spiders!

Gorgeous, amazing eyes:
http://uglyoverload.blogspot.com/2009/01/jumping-spider-eyes.html

Best black widow ever:
http://uglyoverload.blogspot.com/2008/11/bragging-rights.html

A terrible thing:
http://uglyoverload.blogspot.com/2008/11/zombie-spiders.html

I was bored today in a class, so I made a list of physical virtues and matched them with a corresponding list of mental virtues. Then I added corresponding spiritual ones. Then I added corresponding vices. This is what I came up with ( Read more... )

...about how your unconscious expectations for yourself can screw you.

http://blogs.wnyc.org/radiolab/2009/01/27/the-obama-effect-perhaps/