29 August, 2006
...and there was much rejoicing
del.icio.us now lets us save bookmarks privately. Yay!
P.S. Blogger is acting like a total ass hat lately and I'm having difficulty publishing through Ecto. Gah! update: I gave up trying to publish through Ecto and just cut 'n' pasted the damn entry into the Blogger interface. I guess this is what life is like with Blogger Beta (at least until Adriaan can crank out Ecto 3)--and I haven't even made the switch yet. Feh!
P.P.S. I cut my index finger pretty badly this evening while making supper and it's really difficult to type. Which is making me even grumpier with Blogger (because the cats won't let me take it out on them). GAHHHHH!
Now groovin' to: The Only One I Know from the album "Some Friendly" by The Charlatans UK
~~ victoria on 8:52 PM ~~ 0 comments
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27 August, 2006
Simon Sunday: Thinking of new mischievous deeds
Technorati Tags: cats, furkids, Simon Sunday
Labels: cats, furkids, Simon, Simon Sunday
~~ victoria on 9:11 AM ~~ 0 comments
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25 August, 2006
Still Available
Moon Rise
Originally uploaded by Planet Vicster.
I just returned from the closing reception for the "Don't Fail Me Now" show at the RPS Collective. They said they sold a lot from this show: Mine, however, was not one of them.
So I took my unsold photo and slunk home.
The end.
(OK, so it's not ALL bad. Yes, it was my first piece in a show and that's pretty cool. And I accept that the Bay Bridge at dusk is probably too cliché and postcard-y for this particular audience, so I'm not surprised that it didn't sell. Still...sniff!)
~~ victoria on 8:19 PM ~~ 2 comments
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21 August, 2006
An Inconvenient Truth
I finally saw An Inconvenient Truth yesterday and found it to be at turns, terrifying, infuriating and hopeful.
One question keeps running through my mind and is aimed at those who deny that global warming is a problem (much less a serious problem): What is the payoff for continuing to deny that global warming is a very serious problem? I mean, unless you work for own an oil company or coal mine, how does continuing to deny global warming benefit you?
In the face of all the scientific evidence that demonstrates that (man-made) global warming is a problem that is having an impact on our lives now (i.e., Hurricane Katrina and her many siblings last year) and will have a more dire impact if we don't take steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions NOW, why is it so difficult to admit that we are destroying our planet--our HOME--and hey, maybe we CAN drive less or switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, or replace our dead appliances with energy saving models. It's like seeing a grease fire break out in your kitchen and instead of trying to extinguish it, just letting it burn because, hey, you're in the living room watching TV and you just can't be arsed to switch off your show to try to put the fire out (though maybe you'd call the fire brigade at the next commercial break). And besides, it's only a problem in the kitchen; maybe if it spreads to your living room (and interrupts your TV show), you might be motivated to do something about it. But by then it'll be too late.
Except in this scenario a house is much MUCH easier to rebuild than a planet.
The Web site for An Inconvenient Truth is climatecrisis.net. On the site is a section devoted to the science of global warming and its impact. There's also a section where you can calculate your carbon emissions. FWIW, my score is 4,900 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution per year (versus the US national average of 15,000 pounds per year). I have a smaller impact because I drive very little (I'll have had my car for two years next month and have only driven it a little over 9,300 miles), I take public transit and walk (until I get my bike fixed) as much as is feasible. I don't burn a lot of lights in the apartment and use my appliances (and computers) as efficiently as possible. So for me, there aren't a whole lot of places where I can cut back, short of getting rid of my car entirely (though I'm hoping Subaru figures out how to retrofit Outbacks and Bajas with hybrid engines in the next near while).
It's time to admit that we have a serious problem on our World. By facing the facts and investing in products that lessen your environmental impact, you'll even save money in fuel and electricity costs. Seems to me there's a bigger payoff to facing the global warming situation than there is in denying that there's a problem. (Unless, of course, you like giving your hard-earned money to Big Oil and the other Energy company executives...)
Technorati Tags: global warming, weird weather
~~ victoria on 10:28 PM ~~ 0 comments
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20 August, 2006
Simon Sunday: Green Pastures
Grazing
Originally uploaded by Planet Vicster.
OK, so the green pastures shown here is actually just a plastic tray with kitty grass growing in it. But Simon loves it and that's what matters here. This is one "treat" where he actually shows some restraint. I was only putting it where he could reach it for a few minutes at a time, fearing he'd try to eat the whole tray in one go. But he's happy to just nibble here and there, so I can leave it by his window basket.
Earlier this week, I was playing around with some of flagrant disregard's flickr toys and discovered that I've got TWO images that made it into Explore. One of them was that damn Netflix mailbox shot, but the other was this one of Billie. She'll be so pleased to know that SHE made it into Explore, but Simon hasn't!
Labels: cats, furkids, Simon, Simon Sunday
~~ victoria on 10:03 AM ~~ 0 comments
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17 August, 2006
I <3 Jon Stewart
Oh yes I do! And here's just one more reason why...
~~ victoria on 6:53 PM ~~ 0 comments
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13 August, 2006
Simon Sunday: The unbearable lightness of sleeping
Being Five Can Wear a Guy Out!
Originally uploaded by Planet Vicster.
Today's Simon Sunday was delayed because I was invited to participate in the Napping Ritual, which lasted longer than I had anticipated. After the Napping Ritual, Simon insisted on a Snacking Ritual, followed by a Playing Ritual before he finally climbed into his basket in front of the window to complete another Napping Ritual (evidently, at least one Napping Ritual must take place under a sun beam).
I'm taking that to mean that I am free to work on other projects now.
Technorati Tags: cats, furkids, Simon Sunday
Labels: cats, furkids, Simon, Simon Sunday
~~ victoria on 4:40 PM ~~ 0 comments
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Missing Freddie
I was having supper with friends last night when this song came on. While there's very little in Queen's catalog that I don't like, Freddie's ballads always seem to put tears in my eyes. I could always relate to the loneliness and emotion in his lyrics and in his voice. This song is especially emotional to me.
Queen - Save Me (Alexandra Palace 79) from the album "The Game".
Technorati Tags: music
~~ victoria on 9:26 AM ~~ 0 comments
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06 August, 2006
Simon Sunday: An Anthropological Study (what you won't find on Wikipedia)
guess who smelled the chocolaty, cream-filled cookies in my bag...
Originally uploaded by Planet Vicster.
Following is a brief overview of a most fascinating and dangerous creature.
Pictured above is a specimen of the Felis Chocolate Thiefus (he may also be known by more common names as "Kitty", "Simon", "Sweetie-Bear" and "Stinker". He is found mostly in the suburban environment of the San Francisco (East) Bay Area. He primarily preys on chocolate or chocolate-y products, but he also finds Science Diet, dried fishies, Nacho Cheese Doritos and big moths quite tasty.
Involved and comedic with his Human Servant, he re-establishes his superiority over His Kingdom daily by sitting on his sister and/or biting her neck, and disciplining his Human Servant by slapping her face with his tail (espcially if she dares to sleep outside of Designated Sleeping Hours) and attempting to disembowel toy mice, stray cotton swabs and random stones found in and around His Kingdom. The Felis Chocolate Thiefus also has a bit of a shy streak and will retreat to his sanctuary under the bed when an Unknown Human or a Loud Barky Thing is nearby.
He has three sacred daily rituals: bathing, bringing toys to his Human Servant so she may play with him (usually while she's cleaning the litter box; his reward to her for her hard work) and sleeping. Because the Sleeping Ritual is the most time-consuming (taking 18-20 hours of his day!), it must be broken up into several sub-rituals, or "naps". While engaged in these "naps", the Felis Chocolate Thiefus has been observed engaging in a peculiar activity known as "dreaming". He may actively participate in these "dreams" by phisically acting out his hallucinations. He is frequently observed acting out dreams in which he is eating something (presumably chocolate).
His Human Servant is allowed to participate in some of the rituals, particularly the reward/playing ritual and the sleeping ritual, but only with the expressed consent of the Felis Chocolate Thiefus. Attempting to engage him in the "play" ritual without his consent will cause him to shun his human by turning his head or leaving the room. Punishment for unauthorized participation in the "napping ritual" includes the aforementioned tail whipping, nose biting, hair pulling, or, in the most severe infractions, removing his Human Servant's possessions from her dressing table and placing them in various locations around His Kingdom.
Technorati Tags: cats, furkids, Simon Sunday
Labels: cats, furkids, Simon, Simon Sunday
~~ victoria on 10:27 AM ~~ 0 comments
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03 August, 2006
Somewhere, I think George Harrison is smiling
Jake Shimabukuro plays one of my favourite Beatles songs on the uke.
~~ victoria on 8:36 PM ~~ 0 comments
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How Machiavelli are YOU?
Heh, I scored an 80. Not surprising at all.
The Machiavelli personality test has a range of 0-100
Your Machiavelli score is: 80
You are a high Mach, you endorse Machiavelli's opinions.
Most people fall somewhere in the middle, but there's a significant minority at either extreme.
Machiavelli Personality Test
~~ victoria on 11:15 AM ~~ 2 comments
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02 August, 2006
OK, now I think I can say it out loud
I get to share some happy news! I have a photo that will be a part of a month-long exhibit at the RPS Collective Gallery in Oakland. The show is called "Don't Fail Me Now" and is a view of the things that carry us through our daily lives. It should be no surprise that my image is very closely tied to the beauty that we have available to us every day here in the Bay Area.
I've had the privilege of seeing a couple of the photos that will join mine in the exhibit and can say that there will be some fabulous photographs in the show! The show will open in concurrence with the First Friday Oakland Art Murmur this Friday, 4 August from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. The RPS Collective is located at 2278 Telegraph Avenue (just off of Grand). If you're local, I hope you can make it out to the show opening Friday evening (pssst! There will be a closing reception on Friday, 26 August from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m., if you miss the opening party!). For those of you who aren't local (and aren't familiar with my Flickr photostream), I'll give you a sneak preview, if you ask me real nice!
Linkies:
Rock! Paper! Scissors!
Art Murmur gallery walk map
Technorati Tags: flickr, Oakland Art Murmur, art talk
~~ victoria on 10:14 PM ~~ 0 comments
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01 August, 2006
Vicster: Confidential
Two messages today, but they can be rolled into one post.
CONFIDENTIAL TO THE 60-SOMETHING-YEAR-OLD GUY ON THE AFTERNOON FERRY:
Dude, everyone on the boat could tell you were totally staring down at that woman's cleavage! The poor woman/victim; I'm not sure if she was too stunned, polite or flattered to tell you to bugger off.
Next time try to be a little less obvious, 'k?
Sincerely,
Vicster
CONFIDENTIAL TO MY FRIEND TIM:
Thanks to you, I am so completely addicted to strawberries w/sour cream dipped in brown sugar! But what's the proper ratio of extract:sour cream? I can't seem to get it quite right.
Still, YUM!
Sincerely,
Vicster
Technorati Tags: Confidential, foodies, ranting, San Francisco Life
~~ victoria on 9:02 PM ~~ 2 comments
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