And ...

I saw the most awesome rainbow on my way home from the bookstore today! The clouds were gorgeous, and one particularly striking one cut across the middle of the rainbow. Mind-blowing, to say the least.

I was at the bookstore because I was looking for a new book titled I'm Perfect, You're Doomed: Tales from a Jehovah's Witness Upbringing. It won't be out until March, though.

Felt fish, etc.

I made this fish last Wednesday night. His (yes, it's a male -- he has a bit of a kype :-) back was supposed to look like his front, but I screwed up. Anyway, I'm very happy with him.

The back

I finished reading The Golden Compass Saturday night (I wrote about the movie here). It's an excellent book! Last night, I started The Subtle Knife (the next book in the trilogy).

Good night,
Sylvie

Random Thoughts of 2-16-09

A year ago, I mentioned my crocheting woes (here and here). I finally bought one -- the egg-shaped one -- of the ergonomic hooks I mentioned a year ago, and I think it’s helping.

OK, I’ll try to be nice here: I actively avoid the company of very young humans. Having said that, I am participating in a tradition in my office -- when a co-worker or their partner is pregnant, a bunch of people pitch in and make a baby blanket. Each person knits, crochets, or weaves a 9-inch square, and a couple of people assemble the blanket. For the latest one, someone has volunteered to sew a fabric backer to the whole thing. So, while I do not approve of the rampant breeding taking place, nor do I wish to cuddle any of the resultant spawn, I do like to sit around with my co-workers during lunch whilst knitting or crocheting, and I do think that it’s a sweet gesture that the parents really like. Another cool thing was that for for the last blanket, my co-worker was expecting a girl, and the mother said that she didn't want any pink stuff or any of those stupid and embarrassing games at her baby shower. How refreshing.

Last weekend, I attended the local Darwin Day event and the annual quilt show. Over 300 people were at the Darwin Day event, which was very encouraging. I only saw three familiar faces, which was also encouraging because that means that there are more freethinkers out there!

Remember the quilt show that I was too sick to attend last year? Well, I went this year -- very nice (I got sick a week later, though). I went with a friend from work. It was our first “Furlough Friday” as government employees, so we decided to live it up a little. We had an excellent breakfast at a little café and then checked out the quilts at a couple of locations – 1) a gallery, which included some really old pieces (very cool) and 2) the quilt show, which was all new stuff.

As I mentioned, this February, my body waited an additional week to get sick. I just had five days (well, this is the fifth) off of work – the result of a couple of holidays and a funky (I hate that word; can’t believe I just used it) schedule caused by the furloughing of government employees. The will to live is returning to me after feeling like cat shit (the worst form of animal feces) for several days – I’ve never had a headache that lasted for so long. My eyes are bloodshot from coughing and my throat feels like it’s been sandpapered. Oy vey. This morning I feel like dog shit, which is an improvement. I hope to be upgraded to some form of herbivore shit soon, so that I can return to work tomorrow. Speaking of the furloughs, I don’t mind having my pay reduced by 10% if it means that people don’t get laid off. Of course, the governator is still threatening to lay off people. He is such a bully.

On a more positive note, a Pacific Treefrog has been croaking outside of my window for quite a while, and it makes me very happy. A couple of weeks ago, the treefrog and an Oak Titmouse were calling at the same time, and it was so wonderful that it was almost more than I could bear. I nearly plotzed with joy!!!

Ta ta for now,
Sylvie

One more thing Obama said

Oh, and Obama also mentioned restoring science to its rightful place. Props to science AND a polite acknowledgment of non-believers. I know it was just a speech by a politician, but woo hoo!!

The American Humanist Association congratulates Obama

The American Humanist Association is running an ad focusing on Obama's lack of religious upbringing. Via Pharyngula.

I am still pissed off that Obama allowed that anti-gay bastard Rick Warren to pray/perform at the inauguration, and that the inauguration was laden with religion. Obama did make a small gesture toward freethinkers by acknowledging the existence of "non-believers" in this country without any negative overtones.

A bunch of us watched the inauguration on-line at work, and we cheered as Bush and Cheney left.

Good night,
Sylvie

Number Six is dead

Some recent deaths in the world of sci-fi, etc.

• Patrick McGoohan, who played Number Six on The Prisoner (a great show)

• Majel Barrett Roddenberry of Star Trek. Remember that she played the dark-haired Number One in the pilot episode? She got to wear pants in that episode, and she was second in command. Then they turned her into a blond nurse in a mini-dress. How insulting.

• Ricardo Montalban (Khan from Star Trek)

Darwin Day is less than a month away

Check it out: In honor of Darwin Day (February 12th), Aphra at The Answer's 42 is sharing some lovely copyright-free wood engravings. And speaking of evolution, let's not forget Alfred Russel Wallace.

Visit this site to find a Darwin Day event near you.