Silver Vista Coach

I bought a bunch of post cards and greeting cards from a flea market. I post them on Flickr after I scan them. This is one of many ongoing projects. You can see a larger version by clicking on the card.

My favorite part of this card is the two boys climbing over the railing at the end of the train.

I don't have a date for this card.

What I learned on my holiday break

Thanks to a nice university job, I was on break from December 22 - January 5.

Things I learned while on break:

1. We own 101 wash cloths. We have received wash cloths for Christmas every year we've been married. I found wash cloths still folded in half exactly as we received them. I did not count the kitchen wash cloths we received just those designed for bathing. I found this out while organizing the cabinets in one of the bathrooms. I kept pulling out wash cloths and became curious as to how many we own. The number may increase as other cabinets, drawers and parts of the house become organized. Depending on how neurotic Walter and I become, we could go 50 to 5 days (using 1 - 10 wash cloths per shower per person - I'll leave it up to you to count the body parts) without washing a load of wash cloths. We got rid of 2 wash cloths because they had stains on them. This improves the chances of using one of the other 99 at least once.
2. I have acquired a lot of t-shirts either through blood or sweat.
3. Without a schedule I wake up at 10:00 am or later and go to bed at 1:00 - 2:00 am. I did not take naps. Pills facilitated my transition to regular work type hours.
   
4. Our bed frame has six legs. Walter bought four risers for the bed. A few days after putting the bed on risers the bed sagged in the middle. This sag brought us closer together but also caused some soreness. The bed is off the risers pending the purchase of two more.
5. The extremes in the weather has not compromised my immune system, yet. Shorts and tank top one day, multiple layers the next.
   
6. I have gotten comfortable with wearing medium shirts, tank tops and single digit sized pants.
7. The birds like to sing when the morning sun goes through their window. This can be annoying depending on how well I slept the night before.
8. Salvador sings every afternoon from 12:45 - 1:10 regardless of the condition of the sky.
9. I'm getting the hang of this organization and getting rid of stuff thing.
10. I like nightly massages.
11. When the white chocolate covered Oreos hit store shelves buy three boxes. The white chocolate covered Oreos are never in the cookie aisle.
12. I have a great family.
    
13. Wash cloths make decent hand towels.

Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel

An idea so brilliant that I had to steal it. More like inspired me to think about the songs that move me and share them with others. Shamelessly stolen from UU A Way of Life - my kind of church music. Our tastes may overlap though mine tends toward the mainstream. I would pick Peace Train by Cat Stevens for my kind of church music, too.

My first pick for my kind of church music: Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel

Exercise Log: January 1 - 3

This year I walked, biked, ran and rowed 17.24 miles, burned 1565.9 calories and weigh 144.6 pounds.

January 1: walked 2.72 miles in 46:47
January 2: walked 1.46 miles in 21:18; ran 4.29 miles in 45:20
January 3: walked 2.14 miles in 34:58; rowed 1.27 miles in 10:00; biked 3.61 miles in 15:00 and ran 1.75 miles in 20:00

Push ups:
January 2: 176 total push ups, 46 maximum (35 regular, 11 modified)
I will repeat week 5 of the 100 push ups program and start 200 sit ups (crunches) training program next week.

Unitarians have great butts...

January 2, 2009 edition of The Devil's Panties

I guess the last panel is how one young woman perceives Unitarians.

2008 Exercise Wrap Up

In 2008 I biked, rowed, walked, ran and canoed 1059.64 miles and burned 91785.7 calories. According to BIM Active I walked 509.8 miles. Most of these miles were not counted in the 1059.64 miles.

Monday: walked with Loki 1.89 miles in 34:38
Tuesday: ran 3.17 miles in 31:27
Wednesday: biked 10.49 miles in 45:00

Working on week 5 of the 100 push ups program. I repeated weeks 3 and 4.
Dec. 24 - Exhaustion Test - 40 push ups
Dec. 29 - 35 max, 145 total
Dec. 31 - 40 max, 160 total

For 2009, I want to do 2,009 miles of activity. I will include the miles from walking during the work week (about 2 miles a day) and take Loki for more walks.

About time

About time that I wrote a post. I'm enjoying extended time off. Visited family. Gave and received.

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A joy since my last entry:
My aunt and uncle moved back into their house, the damage from Hurricane Ike finally repaired.

Sorrows:
Too many deaths. Always too many deaths.

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I did manage something that I thought too overwhelming - cleaning out the bedroom closet. I let go of a lot of things. Discovered that a substantial portion of my wardrobe was acquired through either blood or sweat (race t-shirts and blood donation t-shirts). I did place two race shirts in a place for later use - they had holes that should have placed them in the toss pile but they are marathon t-shirts. There is a company that will make a quilt out of your race t-shirts. I'm saving those two for a day that I have enough old shirts to make a decent sized quilt. I violated a major rule in organizing by keeping those two shirts but maybe one of those organizing book authors might amend that rule after running a marathon.

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Today, I discovered that I can wear a size 6 jean. While Walter returned something to electronics, I took some time to shop for some jeans. I needed some help in finding something that was not boot cut. I don't like boot cut.

I was told that the brand I tried on ran large but I never expected a 6 to be the size that would fit. I bought two pairs. So now all the pants I own range from sizes 6 to 14. There is something seriously wrong with women's apparel sizing.

I am more than my pants size (especially since that number varies) but damn, saying I wear a size 6 feels good.

Engrish - Radio MASH style

Big stuffed pugs along with a little pug. The United Way received the pugs and a different organization received the big hound dog to the right.
Happy Lovely train

Super Convivial World

It will give you infinite pleasure!!

con·viv·i·al - adj. 1. Fond of feasting, drinking, and good company; sociable. 2. Merry; festive: a convivial atmosphere at the reunion.

Not only did an underprivileged child receive a happy lovely train but the parents increase their vocabulary if they bother to look up convivial

We received 4 of these. We tape batteries to each toy that needs them. Rayovac and Everyready can live in harmony, why can't we?

the eden of the movement

The opposite panel said, "the aquatic animals of the movement"

special for you of children design.

The poetry of Engrish:

Happy Lovely train

Super Convivial World

It will give you infinite pleasure!!

the eden of the movement

special for you of children design.

Package v. Reality: the backlog

A backlog of package vs. reality. The backlog exists because the memory card in my cell phone that stores photos is a bit of a pain to remove from my phone. I will receive a new phone this month. Hopefully one with a more accessible card.

I actually ate these things for lunch. Not too much deviation between package and reality with this lot.

Amy's Bowls Santa Fe Enchilada - package:

Reality after microwaving:
Amy's is named for the daughter of the founders. They wanted good, easy to make organic food. I hope they do not feed their daughter the amount of sodium in their meals. Not as much as non-organic foods but still the numbers seem a bit high.

I'm slowly coming to realization that the only way to cut back my sodium intake is to prepare all my food myself. I found the time for exercise and tracking my calories so I should be able to find some time to prepare meals. The only sign I show so far of excess sodium consumption is slightly swollen ankles.

Lean Cuisine Traditional Roasted Vegetable Pizza - the package:

The reality:

Amy's Bowls Pesto Tortellini - the package:

The reality:

I take in 2,500 - 5,000 mg of sodium a day. The recommended max is 2,300 mg. My doctor noted the ankles and asked about my sodium intake.

An American Gothic in the Snow

American Gothic sculpted in snow.

Yesterday, snow fell in Bryan - College Station. This brought out lots of cameras, snowball fights, short snowmen and a sense of wonder and play. It was magical. It looked like a snow globe outside my office window.

Most of the snow has melted today. Just remnants of larger snowmen remain. Some students managed to get enough snow together to build a few human-sized snow persons.

This weekend the temperatures will reach 70 degrees F. Several seasons in the space of a week. I love Texas.


Rarely anyone says a single thing worth $2,000 but maybe 2,000 people will say something worth $1.00.

I'm Alive!

I finally emerge from the time warp that is Radio MASH. 4,887 children in the Brazos Valley will receive at least one gift for Christmas this year. Again, the Brazos Valley came through generously.

I spent most of Monday resting and my rhythms got thrown out of whack from all the sleeping and anxiety about Loki. I finally went to bed at 1:00 am, got up at 6:00 am to go to work.

I'm taking a week off from the gym and running to rest. I will walk and stretch. I probably the the equivalent amount of pounding pavement over 4 days of the toy drive as a single marathon plus lifting, twisting and bending. My lower back is a bit stiff.

Lessons from Radio MASH, ideas for improvement and random thoughts (I'm putting this on the blog so that a record will exist):

1. The separate tents for incoming toys/ repair and order filling were a godsend. Thank you, National Guard. Please do that again next year.
2. No child wants a stuffed animal for Christmas. I know some animals were quite nice and expensive but we had a list with some requests and stuffed animal did not appear. Specific characters that have plush versions were requested but no generic stuffed animals.
3. Signs under each box on the age group tables. Things get misfiled on the edges. Candyland is a game for 5 - 7 year olds. 8 - 10 year olds don't play Candyland unless they have a younger sibling.
4. A poster with examples of the types of things each age group likes over each table. This will take some advanced planning, glue, scissors and pictures. I started the project by printing pictures but did not get any further this year.
5. As many sets of dominoes that went out this year, I expect several dominoes champions to emerge from the Brazos Valley in a few years.
6. Found out what a Barkyardigan is. Have to remember that not all the volunteers are up to date on the interests of children and teens. Add logos to the posters in number 4.
7. I don't want to give another Uno Card Game ever again. There is a budget, otherwise I would never pick up an Uno Card Game ever.
8. A separate area for taping batteries on to new toys. We have a great toy doctor who would rather concentrate on the various interpretations of gently used electronic toys. Any volunteer can tape batteries on to boxes.
9. Knot tying demonstration for volunteers.
10. Pallets and tarps for boxes of loose toys. A more organized filing system for loose toys.
11. A check list of things that need to be done in case some volunteers show up or there is a lull.
12. A sign saying where bikes, trikes and big backyard toys go.
13. Good idea from this year: tubs for toys ready-to-go.
14. How did we end up with so many 8 - 10 year old girls?
15. Underprivileged kids: wait and you will receive that fad toy from four years ago! That and a stuffed animal. The first used Nintendo Wii should show up at Radio MASH 2011.
16. There is a very special place in the afterlife for the toy designer that made toys without off switches.
17. I'm sure it is a fine toy but I doubt that little toy train will give you infinite pleasure. The Engrish on the Chinese toys was entertaining and had a poetic quality to it. the eden of the movement. the aquatic animals of the movement.

What happened just now?

Lynn fainted.

I find Karen Moy's ham-handed attempt to paint Frank Griffin as an uncaring ogre quite humorous. Frank is a dick but at least he does not hide it behind a facade of niceness, unlike certain old biddies with a penchant for hideous tops.

I thought this was a practice session. I guess I missed something during Thanksgiving.

Competitive standing - a sport I could get into. Competitive standing would have been more exciting to watch than the football games on Thanksgiving day. ESPN Sports Center had a poll about whether other NFL teams should host Thanksgiving day games. I don't watch NFL often so it would be nice to see an interesting game but on the other hand, a lot people in Texas would have to interact with their families if the Cowboys did not play. That could be quite a threat in a state where at least one family member has ready access to firearms.

The Jonas Brothers played during the halftime show of the Dallas - Seattle game. I did not know that prepubescent girls were a target market of interest to the NFL. Talk about a huge demographic shift of an audience during a single program. I went outside during halftime.

I will be working at Radio MASH this weekend, so I will update myself on the interests of prepubescent girls. Gag.

I can't do this anymore

The lamest cry for help ever. Perfectly appropriate for Mary Worth.

Choose carefully the people with whom you share dialogue balloons.

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Gratitude, Part I

Mom, Dad, thank you for not making us go to church. Thank you for not forcing a religion upon us.

Thank you for allowing us to choose our own spiritual paths. Thank you for supporting my journey even though I went down some roads that concerned you.

There are those who would criticize you for not making us go to church but you did the right thing. Some of the nastiest, dishonest, cowardly people I've met have been nice, church-going people. Some of the most ethical, most compassionate, most courageous people I've met never set foot in a church.

Not making us go to church may have protected us from the nasty people with the nice facades. Allowed us to develop the wisdom to see through the facades. It certainly kept us from becoming one of those people.

Yes, I have my moments of nastiness and I allow those moments to come out too often, but there is goodness and integrity at my core. I believe all three of us have that core of goodness and integrity. That did not occur in a vacuum. Despite your faults, you are genuinely good people and you passed that on to us.

You did the right thing regarding religious upbringing.

For that I am grateful.

What I've Done in My Life

What have you done in your life? -- A meme I found on another blog. What I've done is in bold.

To play, copy the following list. Bold the things you've done. Post on your own blog...

Started my own blog
Slept under the stars
Played in a band
Visited Hawaii
Watched a meteor shower
Given more than I can afford to charity
Been to Disneyland/world
Climbed a mountain
Held a praying mantis
Sung a solo
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched lightning at sea
Taught myself an art from scratch
Adopted a child
Had food poisoning
Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Grown my own vegetables
Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Slept on an overnight train
Had a pillow fight
Hitchhiked
Taken a sick day when not ill
Built a snow fort
Held a lamb
Gone skinny dipping
Run a marathon
Ridden in a gondola in Venice
Seen a total eclipse
Watched a sunrise or sunset
Hit a home run
Been on a cruise
Seen Niagara Falls in person
Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
Seen an Amish community
Taught myself a new language
Had enough money to be truly satisfied
Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
Gone rock climbing
Seen Michelangelo's David
Sung karaoke
Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
Visited Africa
Walked on a beach by moonlight
Been transported in an ambulance
Had my portrait painted
Gone deep sea fishing
Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Gone to a drive-in theater
Been in a movie
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Taken a martial arts class
Visited Russia
Served at a soup kitchen
Sold Girl Scout Cookies
Gone whale watching
Gotten flowers for no reason
Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Gone sky diving
Visited a Nazi concentration camp
Bounced a check
Flown in a helicopter
Saved a favorite childhood toy
Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Eaten caviar
Pieced a quilt
Stood in Times Square
Toured the Everglades
Been fired from a job
Seen the Changing of the Guard in London
Broken a bone
Been on a speeding motorcycle
Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Published a book
Visited the Vatican
Bought a brand new car
Walked in Jerusalem
Had my picture in the newspaper
Read the entire Bible
Visited the White House
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Had chickenpox
Saved someone's life
Sat on a jury
Met someone famous
Joined a book club
Lost a loved one
Had a baby
Seen the Alamo in person
Swam in the Great Salt Lake
Been involved in a law suit
Owned a cell phone
Been stung by a bee
Ridden an elephant

31 out of 100 activities.

Exercise Log: November 24 - 29

This week I ran, biked and rowed 35.5 miles, burned 2760.9 calories and weigh 143.7 pounds.

Monday: .72 miles on elliptical trainer, 10:00; rowed 1.3 miles in 10:00; biked 3.25 miles in 15:00; ran 1.42 miles in 15:00
Tuesday: ran 3.54 miles in 35:00
Wednesday: 1.11 miles on elliptical trainer, 15:00; rowed 1.8 miles in 15:00; biked 4.04 miles in 20:00; ran 1.77 miles in 20:00
Friday: rowed 2.51 miles in 20:00; biked 5.42 miles in 25:00; ran 2.30 miles in 25:00
Saturday: ran 6.32 miles in 1:05:00

Push Ups:
Monday - 111 total, 23 max (21 regular, 2 modified)
Wednesday - 140 total, 36 max (19 regular, 17 modified)
Friday - 131 total, 26 max (20 regular, 6 modified)

I intend to repeat weeks 3 and 4 in the 100 push ups program since I had so much trouble with meeting the minimum numbers.

Caption Contest Winner

The caption contest has closed. I received responses from two people. Two people excited about the possibility of possessing some dust covered stuff from my house.

The captions:

These two from Patrick Murfin:
"Don't worry. They can't tell she forgot to give you pants."
"Your 15 minutes are over, Joe, just unclog the damn toilet."

One from Robin Edgar:
"And just who are you to complain about my mullet?" ;-)

The winner is Patrick's second caption.

Patrick will receive credit and a link when this comic is uploaded (Sunday evening - November 30) and if he is willing to send a mailing address to toonrage@gmail.com some random item of uncertain value and use from my house.

Since, I'm feeling generous Robin can also send a mailing address to receive a random item from my house. I will make sure to declare it properly on the customs forms.

This caption contest inspired a new creative project: Stuff all over the world. The title is from George Carlin's "A Place to Keep Your Stuff" I may not be able to travel the world but I can have stuff spread all over the world. If you want some of my stuff send a mailing address to toonrage@gmail.com. I will send you something and in return I want a picture of my stuff in your possession or with a landmark in the background. The stuff will weigh less than 1 pound and non-religious in nature. I will do my best the respect the cultural sensibilities of other countries.

You will confide in the Mary Worth

No thoughts? The closest I've come is, "Hey, I'm not thinking! Damn."

Resistance is futile. You will confide in the Mary Worth, especially now that she has an object you desire. You will not get the photo back until you confide. Confide, Lynn, confide!!!

Maybe Lynn is made of sterner stuff. She skates away knowing that she has several copies of the photo and print up more any time.

I hate having my mind messed with by Family Circus. What the hell is happening here? What's the gag?

The drool brings you back to the breath.

Zombie comic tries to make a point

The flag is labeled white in case the coloring gnomes at King Features screw things up.

Grin and Bear It grasps for relevance. Senility illustrated.

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Cartooning does bring out the demented aspects of my personality. Today, I spent a great deal of time making sure that a drawing of a poo-flinging machine could work plausibly. I had no problem with a monkey wearing glasses, speaking and presenting a drawing. The details that I fixate upon sometimes worry me.

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Christmas came early: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&q=Ann+Coulter&btnG=Search+News

Ann Coulter, the leggy reactionary broke her jaw and the mouth that roared has been wired shut.

Who's going to blow Sean Hannity for the next few weeks?

The perfect UU holiday hymn

If it does them I'm the most ethical eater ever even if I refuse to eat tofu.

From Medium Large, a brilliant comic from the writer of Sally Forth:

I think we have the perfect all-inclusive holiday hymn that some UUs have been on a quest to find. The fact that it comes from a non-UU source increases its perfection.

Exercise Log: November 17 - 22

This week I walked, ran and biked 31.33 miles, burned 2264.4 calories and weigh 145.1 pounds.

Monday - walked Loki 2.04 miles in 34:28
Tuesday - ran 3.86 miles in 38:44
Wednesday - biked 9.11 miles in 38:56
Thursday - ran 3.39 miles in 35:00
Friday - biked 6.58 miles in 30:23
Saturday - ran 6.35 miles in 65:00

Push ups:
Monday - Max 21, 81 total
Wednesday - Max 21, 96 total
Friday - Max 23 - 115 total