Happy New Year! I'm hoping to write some more later on...it's just been really busy lately.

I love Powell's Books, but some of their processes are a little slow. I packed about 3-4 boxes of books in my car for selling to the bookstore. They have handcarts available to carry all the boxes, but only with proper photo ID--once you reach the counter to ask for one ( Read more... )

....that Les Lye of Nickelodeon's "You Can't Do That on Television" fame passed away yesterday.  He pretty much played all the adult male characters on the show (teachers, dads, that firing squad leader, etc.), including Ross, the show's producer, and Barth, the cook.  Nickelodeon watchers of my generation would probably instantly recognize his ( Read more... )

Just finding time to sit down and write has been tough enough...it helps that the ban on LJ as a "Social Networking" site has been lifted slightly at work.  Things are going pretty good around here, and the kids are doing great.

My notice of the day:  I heard this story on NPR, which also got distributed to the "weird news" files all around TV and ( Read more... )

I am the guest on the latest podcast of "Fill Me In: Ryan and Brian do Crosswords." My interview starts right at the 20 minute mark. Go check it out!

The original quiz.

( The answers. )

The 12 figures below (listed alphabetically) were all in the news during 2008, and each was notable during a different month of the year, representing all 12 months. Can you sort the newsmakers in order from January to December ( Read more... )

This is the most snow I've seen in this area ever--about a foot and a half still lingers. We've had layers of snow and ice since last Thursday, and this was the first "White Christmas" we've had for a long time. We're getting a little stir crazy at home, since I haven't driven for a week, and Jenn hasn't left the house. I took MAX (the light ( Read more... )

It's been snowing off and on since Thursday. By Saturday, the snow finally stuck and piled up to about 4-5 inches. More snow dropped this morning, with warnings of half-inch thick ice sheets freezing on top. Also, there were multiple warnings that power may go out in certain areas. Luckily, our power has stayed on. However, there's ice ( Read more... )

( Spoilers of the final episode of The Amazing Race last weekend, in case you haven't watched yet. )