Browse Author: beakatude

Growing a Green Thumb

DSC_3765.jpgWhen you move into a house, you usually have to start buying plants and do a little landscaping. Well, I’ve managed to keep a couple things alive but I’d have to say that my thumb is probably more purple than green. We received a bonsai when we first moved in and that sucker lasted probably 9 months. I guess that’s not bad. I also planted a few shrubs and flowers in my mini-garden and I don’t know how many times they’ve died from not enough sun or too much water. *sigh* What’s a girl to do?

IMG_3488.jpgWell, I was watching Good Eats one day and A.B. inspired me to grow my very own avocado tree. I was skeptical but I figured I’d give it a try. You start out with the pit, put three toothpicks through it, and suspend it over a cup of water. After a couple weeks, it’s supposed to grow a root on the underside and then later a stem on the top. Well, my avocado seed sat and sat on my window sill with nothing happening. THEN I finally saw a little something poking down into the water. It’s a root!! After a few more weeks the root started going nuts. In fact, the seed cracked open because the root was so thick. After another few weeks, I noticed a little something poking out of the top. It’s a stem! So now, a little over two months later, I have a real live baby avocado tree!! It has a woody stem and new leaves at the top and sides. How exciting! Ah…my thumb feels greener already!

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Oh yeah, I also started an herb garden. I’m growing parsley (the two on the outside) and thyme (one in the middle). I just put seeds in the soil and kept is watered. They grow really fast. I think the thyme sprouted within the first 4 days! Isn’t nature great?!

a swingin’ good time

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On Tuesday, Marie and Cole went to my work to visit me. It was Cole’s second time to my clinic and I can’t believe how much he’s grown and developed since then. During the first visit, he was barely walking, didn’t want to play on the swing, and couldn’t quite put a ball into a little musical toy. This time, he was walking all over the place, stepping off the mat with no problems, sitting and enjoying the swing, and was a pro at putting the balls into the musical toy. Watching kids grow and develop is so cool.
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Anyway, I think he had a great time and it gave Marie a chance to rest a little while he got to play in a safe and carefree environment. Man, the next time I have to babysit the little man, I’ll just bring him to my clinic. No worries about hitting his head on tables or destroying anything. I think every kid should have a room in the house with mats and squishy furniture.

kick-ass movie

ongbak.jpgA few months ago, my dad was raving about a Thai movie that came out on DVD. He gave it to Jes to make a copy for him and we now have it on our hard drive downstairs. Last night we were browsing through our collection and rediscovered it. It’s called “Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior”. Jes seemed pretty pumped about it so I thought I’d watch and translate a bit of it for him. It turned out to be a movie with lots of muay Thai that was brutally awesome. The fight scenes seemed straight out of Street Fighter with super high flying kicks and a crazy elbow-on-the-top-of-the-head move that made me cringe each time I saw it. Supposedly they didn’t use any wires or CGI to produce the movie…pretty amazing.  Ah…Thai people rock.  I don’t know if they have a version with sub-titles but you really don’t need to know what their saying to appreciate the movie. It’s your basic good vs. evil with some silly sidekicks and a hero to cheer for. By the way, this Tony Jaa guy (main character) is ripped!

Didneelan!

IMG_3405.jpgOn Sunday, I went to Disneyland with my mom, dad, and brother. I actually can’t remember the last time all four of us went together as a family. All I know if that many things have changed and yet somethings have remained the same. For example, my dad went home after lunch…that’s the same. My mom actually rode and survived Space Mountain…that’s different. We bought churros…same. Johnny and I have to look out for our parents now…different.
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The brother and I spent much of our day taking random photos throughout the park. I’m sure we looked like silly Japanese tourists but that’s how you improve your photog skillz, right? I played with the exposure compensation button, my aperture priority, and even dabbled in some long exposure shots. It was extemely overcast that day so lighting was really tricky.
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Oh yeah, Disneyland gipped us royally by cancelling the fireworks show that we waited around for. It was due to high wind conditions. Oh Pahleez! With the ridiculous ticket prices, they should have developed technology that would turn off the wind by now. Heck, Disneyland should be placed in a little bubble with a switch to turn the sunshine on during the day and turn it off at night for the stinkin’ fireworks. I just wanted to see the 50th anniversary fireworks show…*sniff*
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Here are the photos.

Project 3: Super Duper Coin Purse

Ta Da!! After finishing my 3rd coaster, I learned how to make a button hole and voila…a coin purse!!

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It has a fully-functional button and button hole and will hold a chunk of change!!

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I’m soooo taking this to Disneyland tomorrow! Penny Arcade, here I come!

I’d like to file a complaint.

For those who have been to my house or know my husband, we have a house filled with gadgets, gizmos, and random hard drives and do-hickeys lying around the house. Let’s just say my “Network Administrator” may need to be fired. Here are several examples:

When my dad comes over and wants to watch tv he sits on the couch with a puzzled look on his face. Why? Well, it’s because we have 4 remote controllers sitting in a glass vase like a bouquet of buttons to push. Well, it usually takes holding down one particular button to get the tv/cable to turn on. But, if you don’t live here you would never know that.

Most people have speakers or something that they can plug their iPod into so they can enjoy their music at home. We have something like that…sort of. It usually involves turning on my laptop, connecting to the network, using some random url that changes frequently, and learning a new “iTunes-type” program to play my favorite songs. *sigh* Just two minutes ago, I was happily listening to the Black Eyed Peas to find it cut off abruptly. I look over at the Admin and he says, “the network will be down momentarily for rebooting”. Once again…*sigh*. Oh yeah, did I mention that I would also need to find the special button among the bouquet of remotes to switch the input on the dvd player so I can hear my music? Yes…another step.

Anyone have a printer that’s connected to their computer at home? Well, we have three printers upstairs in our “library”. One of them usually works. The other two? Questionable. It depends on whether the network is working properly or if the server is turned on or not. I admit that it’s pretty cool when everything is working but that’s been pretty sketchy lately.

Ever been to my house on a lazy Sunday afternoon? You’ll find me digging in the backyard or doing some laundry and the Admin comfortably seated on the couch hacking away. We sort of have a “fun with compiling” song and dance now. I don’t really understand Linux but apparently it takes a bit of trial and error and lots of compiling for it to all work. If my Admin ever gets up to do something productive in the house (i.e. take out the trash or walk the dog), it means his laptop is running a long string of letters and numbers that I don’t understand and he’s just looking for a way to kill time. Interesting.

Oh what fun it is to live in the “Futuristic Gadget House of Tomorow”. I need a new Admin.