Pant ... pant ... Lee Anne (threegardeners) just played me in Scrabble with one hand tied behind her back and beat me handily. I guess practicing on teens doesn't really keep your skills in shape!
What are your non-gardening hobbies?
I think I told this story last year when we had a thread on books, but it's pretty funny. About 15 or so years ago, when audio books were relatively new, my wife and I were in a B&N and decided to try one. We chose Shelley's Frankenstein. We put in on that night and laid down to listen. Well they picked the world's most monotone woman to narrate it. Within about ten minutes, we were both fast asleep. It was better than chloroform.
We though that we were just both tired so we tried it again a few nights later. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ. One more time - same result. We still crack up about it today. There was a commercial a few years ago that reminded me of it. A rental car company talked about using aromatherapy in the cars and they show all the people out cold in the car!
Might need a copy of that - sometimes both DH and/or I have terrible insomnia.
That will cure it.
I will play scrabble with you! I play the lexulous game on facebook. scrabble without the name. you can play real time on it as well. Let me know where it is you go. I was playing scrabble on my niece's Ipod touch last week. that was a cool thing! she was up 40 points but we had to put it away and go home and so never finished the game, I was catching up!
Martha
I play at www.lexulous.com
the e-mail addy I use is ssmwplm@yahoo.ca
my username is ssmwplm
you can set it up with your info...cool!! and good luck!!
Oh, and before anybody mentions about posting my e-mail addy, that is a catch-all addy, not my personal one...it's the one I use to play around with online ^_^
I think the line "better to Keep quiet and be thought a fool..." is from Lincoln
I looked it up last night and the consensus was that the origin is unknown. It's similar to something in Proverbs.
Many quotes originated in the Good Book---for many years, folks had nothing else to read. Too funny about the audio book, Victor! Way back in the land of records, I had Robert Frost reading his poetry. Awesome----wish I had that on a disc today.
Ok. other hobby now. The muse calls. DH says my music sounds like Erik Satie.
I LOVE flying! Before we were married, my DH paid his cousin to rent a small 4 seater-plane and fly us over Vancouver. It was my first time in a plane and I loved it!
I think US Airways has a fly-fishing package.
Speaking of reading - does anyone have Amazon's Kindle?? They came out with the next version today. I think it's really cool but still too expensive. Should be under $200. It's still $350.
Edited to include link.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00154JDAI/ref=amb_link_83626371_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=gateway-center-column&pf_rd_r=0NP3072MKJSHPN4M30JR&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=469548931&pf_rd_i=507846
This message was edited Feb 9, 2009 1:13 PM
I've seen the Kindle Victor, but I don't think I'd personally like it. I hate reading on the computer as it is - anything longer than a page or two and I lose interest. Can't figure out why...
But anyway, I can't picture curling up on the couch with a cup of tea and a ... Kindle, lol. Give me an old-fashioned book any day.
Also didn't realize they were still so expensive!
What is a kindle? besides something you start fires with...
Agree - can you turn down your favorite pages and underline passages? Can you doodle in the margins? (Don't answer - those were rhetorical questions only.)
Who'd a thunk it! I thought it was gonna be like a Kinder Surprise with a little book inside. I too like reading tomes, particularly dusty old tomes. Does it come in book scent? I might try it if it came in book scent.
Actually you can those kinds of things, Carrie. Most important thing for me - can I skip tot he end to see how it turns out?!
I love the smell of old books.
victor: I love the smell of old books
me too, except when they make me sneeze (stupid allergies)
and now don't forget to be careful - don't give old books to kids per CSPIA unless it has been tested for lead! (stupid CSPIA)
Hmm - was not aware of that. I'll have to ask my rare bookseller friend about it.
oops CPSIA. I'm not totally familiar with the stupid law, have a good friend who is a knitter and now can't knit for kids (like there's lead in yarn or stuffing!). I know books are included but it looks like it is (of course) more complicated than that:
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/101faq.html#educational
Perfect example of a law that seems good at face value (prevent lead in kids' toys) that is executed in a really bad way (how many crafters will go out of business if this isn't fixed?)
I just discovered I have a new non-gardening talent: electrician. I sorta got carried away and over powered the growop with a few too many plug ins (kick butt shop grow lights, humidifier, enviro-heater) and blew out a quadrant. After perusing a 48 year old fuse box TAA! DAA! flicked the right switch on the first get go. Note: I'm most proud of myself because I didn't flick any of the other switches just to see what they would do. Man I was tempted.
haha.... this thread is funny! Love finding out all of this about everyone. I'm sure you'd be a great electrician Dahlia.
No kindle for me--I read while watching TV, or in bed---hard to hold a computer monitor on my lap----obviously, no lap top. I find computers are hard on the eyes--cannot read for very long, but a book---I'll get lost in it. Dahlia---smart going---you're braver than I am! When I have to get the generator going, I'm a nervous wreck!
nothing like pull starting a cold generator.... mine takes me forever... there are times I have to rest after pulling and pulling... just can't get it fast enough...it's at those times I realize my polish side takes over and the italian goes somewhere else... Randy gets it going pretty fast though
Knitters can't knit but the vast majority of kids toys can come from a country that allows the use of lead in toys??
There was a piece in that CPSC page from Coats and Clarks, a leading maker of yarns and thread that outlined their dyeing process and that their levels of lead were extremely below the standard and that many of their hand knitting yarns had no lead detectable.
Natural colored yarns {like it was on the sheep or alpaca} haven't got any unless the animal was chomping on lead sandwiches before it was shorn. You should be able to knit freely for kids without a problem.
Anyhow, knitting is not a problem for me since I knit my last kid's sweater 27 years ago. haven't knit a stitch since.
Did you know that there are plants that can take up the heavy metals in the soil? the process is called phytoextraction. Ohio state U. did a study using mustard greens.
Martha
This message was edited Feb 10, 2009 8:35 AM
This message was edited Feb 10, 2009 8:37 AM
I know my knitting friend said they'd like the enforcement or law to change so that if you can show the materials you use don't have lead that you don't have to have those finished products tested. It costs like $10k to test a product, and the fines if you don't are large. So if you're a small time individual business doing kids stuff, you can't afford that stuff, so you go out of business. That's a lot of small businesses, like my friend to trys to make some money on the side (and now that she got laid off, trying to make it a full time thing). The big and medium businesses can afford this testing, but the small shops can't (and I also found out there are few companies that can do the testing, so there's another problem). Just dumb all around.
And if you're like me who tries to get your friends' kids nice handmade stuff, you won't be able to anymore. Via etsy.com I've gotten little toy train and cars made of wood, bibs, winter hat for the baby, etc. I like not giving store bought stuff, let alone China made stuff. Will be much harder to do.
Crazy, isn't it Dave? Maybe we can encourage kids to knit?
Robin, the Kindle - especially the new one, is very small - about the size of a magazine. You definitely can read it in bed. I have not personally seen one but supposedly the screen is very easy on the eyes - 16 shades of gray now. It's just way overpriced. Who would buy one of these in this economy??!
I wonder, do you have to buy the books for the thing also?
Yes - it's downloaded wirelessly. I think the price varies, but NYT bestsellers are $9.99. Cheaper than the hard copies.
True...but no re-sale value...
That's true, but eventually, like music, all books will be 'digitally published.'
noo..say it ain't soo!!
Although, would save an awful lot of trees.
Maybe they can start using renewable resources like bamboo...which they already make sheets and towels out of it.
That explains the splinter I got after yesterday's shower.
lol
I can't imagine my generation giving up books. We like the feel, the smell, the concept of owning the book. If priced reasonably, I would use kinder. But I'll want a traditional copy of my favorites.
Maybe today's kids will feel differently.
I've been having that conversation with my bookseller friend and wonder what effect that will have on the market for rare books. On the one hand, they will be seen as a scarcer asset, but if people people value them less and less as time goes by, they will lose value. I think it will be a sad day.