tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321488602012-01-29T16:33:53.809-05:00Important BabblingsOn politics, science, religion, books and current events.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.comBlogger1691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-45745498951275105232012-01-27T13:55:00.000-05:002012-01-27T13:55:05.264-05:00This Week's Babblings (1/27/2012)Who Deserves the Blame?
Anyone following the news from Wisconsin about Gov. Scott Walker wanting state employees to "contribute more" to their own retirement plans should read this article by Forbes. Walker has defined the discussion by implying that taxpayers are paying the salaries of state workers and then paying more money on top of those salaries for the state workers' pensions. This Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-49356125174069241212012-01-20T14:03:00.000-05:002012-01-20T14:03:18.069-05:00This Week's Babblings (1/20/12)
I want to try something out. I read a lot of news, blogs, reports and other data online. I want to share a lot of it with people. The most important stuff I put on Facebook, but there's still a lot of stuff I want to share. I don't want to litter up my Facebook page too much, because then everything gets lost in the shuffle. So every weekend I'm going to post a list of links and Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-24910156844244665342012-01-13T22:53:00.001-05:002012-01-13T22:53:07.901-05:00Don't Interrupt My Party With Your DiplomacyIn the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've always been a bit of a history junkie, and the era of World War II is one in which I'm particularly interested. Most of the books I've read have been about the actual war. The stuff I know about the lead-up to the war are those things that took place in the late 1930s, Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-37629009465902153152011-11-17T21:53:00.001-05:002011-11-17T21:53:58.761-05:00Lessons Learned at LibertyThe Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
My very good friend read this book a few months back and suggested it...then he went ahead and gave it to me for my birthday, so I took the hint. After reading the first part of Atlas Shrugged, I decided I needed a break from the drudgery and picked this one up. I'm glad I did.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-90084783218926778162011-10-27T23:36:00.001-04:002011-10-27T23:36:29.540-04:00Occupy Irony
It's probably no surprise I'm a supporter of most of the basic ideas behind the Occupy Wall Street movement. It should also not surprise me that lots of people don't support the basic ideas behind the movement, and that some refuse to even understand those basic ideas. I have no delusion that I can help people understand, much less agree with, those basic ideas (people won't understand what Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-6377588218886105842011-10-25T12:37:00.001-04:002011-10-25T12:39:55.895-04:00Modern-Day PurpleThe Color Purple by Alice Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Most of you have probably seen the movie, or maybe even the stage play, that is based on the book. I remember watching the movie years ago as a teenager and being pretty disturbed by the violence, racism, hatred and sexism that are all central to the story. However, it was long enough ago that I don't remember many details from the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-63929696355223727472011-10-04T19:56:00.000-04:002011-10-04T19:56:47.282-04:00The Folks Come To GenevaMy mom and dad made the trek (via a 4.5 hour flight) to visit me in my new digs here in New York. They landed late at the Buffalo airport last Wednesday night and stuck around until Tuesday afternoon (which was their 32nd wedding anniversary!).
On Thursday we went to Lowe's and bought the stuff we needed to do some home repairs I couldn't do myself and then spent the afternoon exploring the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-23589847431591066062011-09-04T12:09:00.002-04:002011-09-04T12:09:43.732-04:00Opposable Thumbs and Dexterous TonguesThe Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Enzo is a dog obsessed with opposable thumbs and dexterous tongues. In this book he tells us all about his life with Denny, Eve, and Zoey. Enzo "proves" what most dog lovers already tend believe - that dogs understand more and are more involved in the lives of their humans than most people give them credit for.
The story Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-46329081804719262952011-08-28T21:06:00.003-04:002011-08-28T21:24:24.723-04:00Scary Dreams Aren't What They Used To Be...I've never been extraordinarily interested in dreams - no more than I assume the regular person is interested in them. I've never gone much for ideas or theories about dream analysis or symbols. I have, though, always been aware of the emotional influence that my dreams can have on me. Sometimes this influence is positive, and sometimes it can feel a bit like a betrayal.
Recently I've Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-66282527710375402812011-08-25T18:02:00.000-04:002011-08-25T18:02:30.165-04:00Atlas Shrugged #1I'm only about 100 pages into Atlas Shrugged and still have more than 900 to go. I'm reading the book because a conservative I trust suggested I read it as a way to understand his political ideology a bit better. Because I'm reading it to analyze and learn from it (I feel like I'm back in my Spanish Lit days at Weber State University), I figured it would help me if I shared what I thought as I Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-81014072054996448322011-08-20T12:43:00.001-04:002011-08-20T12:44:58.115-04:00The Dowayo of CameroonThe Innocent Anthropologist : Notes from a Mud Hut by Nigel Barley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My graduate school mentor gave me this book years ago after she read it, and I'm upset I took this long to read it!
The book is an ethnography written for the general public. The author, Nigel Barley, is a British anthropologist who decides that in order to have true anthropology street cred, he Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-18300290769532319602011-08-19T22:18:00.000-04:002011-08-19T22:18:02.972-04:00The BossBossypants by Tina Fey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tina Fey is one of the funniest people I know. She's also progressive, intelligent, a feminist, liberal, honest and humble - she's like the perfect package (if you're into progressive, feminist, liberal, funny women).
I admit that I didn't "read" this book as in "look at black markings on a white piece of paper and make sense of those markings.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-23951080799626462952011-08-07T13:49:00.000-04:002011-08-07T13:49:54.423-04:00Hiking The Finger Lakes #2: Montezuma Wildlife RefugeFor our second hike in the series of fifty, Sancho and I visited the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. While we didn't see any wildlife (not even a bird), we did get some good exercise and saw some pretty scenery.
Originally, the area was owned as a private residence in the early 1900s. It was named after the Aztec Emperor Montezuma, and when it was purchased by the government the name Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-62703888887559273182011-08-04T19:58:00.000-04:002011-08-04T19:58:52.086-04:00Revenge Of The ScornedThe Mistress's Revenge by Tamar Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
At first I wasn't sure I was going to like the book very much - the description made it feel a bit cheap, or worse, cheesy. But I figured it could be a good summer read, and it was!
The book is written as if it is a series of letters (written in journal form) from a woman to her ex-lover. She has just been dumped by this marriedBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-15934312955728696062011-07-30T23:29:00.000-04:002011-07-30T23:29:48.077-04:00Hiking The Finger Lakes #1: Sampson State ParkOne of the books that Natalie and I bought at that great used bookstore I told you about in Ithaca was the book "Doggin' the Finger Lakes: The 50 Best Places To Hike With Your Dog." I bought it, and Sancho and I have the goal of hiking all 50 of them. Actually, Sancho wasn't involved in setting that goal at all, but I'm sure he's up for it.
We did the first of our 50 hikes last Sunday, July Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-57121034074603200962011-07-28T12:40:00.000-04:002011-07-28T12:40:06.730-04:00Chinese Women and Their DaughtersThe Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have had this book on my "to-read" list for years, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. It follows 4 mother/daughter pairs. All of the mothers were born in China and immigrated to the U.S., and all of the daughters were born in the U.S. and raised by their immigrant mothers.
Each chapter in the book is a short story told from the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-54623382887473515082011-07-27T17:02:00.000-04:002011-07-27T17:02:27.563-04:00After D-Day in EuropeCitizen Soldiers: The U. S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany by Stephen E. Ambrose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book took me forever to read...almost a month! It's not that it's very long (just under 500 pages), but that it's dense. It probably wasn't the best choice for a 'summer read' - but it was still a pretty good book.
Ambrose (who wrote the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-3893618582454571062011-07-26T23:04:00.003-04:002011-07-27T23:39:38.949-04:00Exploring The Finger LakesWhile Natalie was in town, we worked a lot. We painted a guest room and my bedroom. I'll post before and after photos of my bedroom in another post, but check out what my guest room looks like now!
In addition to all the work we did, we also found some time to play and have fun. On a Sunday afternoon, before spending some time and money at the nearby outlet mall, we had lunch and did a Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-10678727244307534662011-07-25T17:55:00.001-04:002011-07-25T17:57:16.595-04:00IthacaFor those of you who didn't already know, I recently moved from Fairbanks, Alaska to Geneva, New York. I still live in a rural area, but I'm much closer to the comforts of civilization than I was in Fairbanks. While not everything about Alaska was terrible, I'm definitely happy to move on and start to settle myself here in the Finger Lakes area of New York. Now that I am here in NY, I'm Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-8292652338340655462011-06-27T20:48:00.000-04:002011-06-27T20:48:30.292-04:00Is Religion Child Abuse?In my Psychology of Religion class, we discussed the claim made by some that religious indoctrination is a form of psychological or emotional child abuse. As a foundation for our discussion, we read a chapter from Christopher Hitchens' book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, two chapters from our textbook about the role that religion plays in development, and watched the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-91575555088991176762011-06-27T02:59:00.003-04:002011-06-27T03:08:25.781-04:00Princes, Pilots, and RosesThe Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had heard about this book from a few people, and finally decided to read it after I purchased a copy as a gift for Natalie.
For those of you unfamiliar with the book, it is about a little prince who lives on a small planet all alone. The only companion he has on his small island is a rose - a beautiful, delicate rose Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-14083310923531098162011-05-05T02:45:00.000-04:002011-05-05T02:45:41.608-04:00It Can't Be True If It Can't Be FalseAccording to the late Sir Karl Popper, one of the most important characteristics of science and the scientific method is falsifiability. What this means is that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless the theory can be falsified. This doesn't mean the theory is false, but that if it's false, then it can be proven false via observation or experiment.
It is important to realize that Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-44837459998467714922011-04-19T02:59:00.003-04:002011-04-23T19:29:37.758-04:00The Problem of the Third VariableI recently engaged in a mini-debate on Facebook with friend about Planned Parenthood. My debate partner claimed that because 97% of pregnant women who visit Planned Parenthood get an abortion, pregnant women who visit Planned Parenthood were clearly being encouraged to undergo an abortion. And as icing on the cake, he stated that such statistics speak for themselves, as if the conclusion he Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-49186206842520234962011-04-09T23:30:00.004-04:002011-04-23T20:01:11.294-04:00Not THAT AtonementAtonement by Ian McEwan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I watched the movie years ago when it first came out and liked it, so I finally got around to reading the book. I have recently heard really good things about Ian McEwan (this is the first time I'd read any of his work), which was another motivator to pick up the book (it had been on my shelf for years).
Because I had seen the movie, the bookBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-44895103114414785722011-03-25T02:38:00.004-04:002011-04-23T20:01:23.380-04:00The CathedralThe Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A 900+ page novel about a bunch of people building a cathedral in England during the 1100s didn't really sound like such a great book to me the first time I heard about it. But I kept hearing good things about it and had trusted book-suggesters continue to suggest it, so I tried it. And I'm glad I did. I've read better books (Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-2988715244806630912011-03-11T02:30:00.002-05:002011-04-23T19:29:56.738-04:00"Person-Who" StatisticsI know of a person who went skydiving and his parachute didn't open, but he still survived. Hence, everybody can fall out of an airplane and survive.
I know of a person who saw Brad Pitt at her local Starbucks. Hence, everybody will see Brad Pitt at their local Starbucks.
I know of a person who smoked for 62 years and never had lung cancer. Hence, everybody can smoke for 62 years without Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-55007849057855207272011-03-09T01:48:00.001-05:002011-04-23T14:45:29.675-04:00Does Atheism Equal Immorality?Someone recently sent me an email asking me why non-believers are moral. Without religion to teach us what is moral, how do we know what is good or bad? Without a belief in god, what is the purpose of life for a non-believer? If we don't believe in a heaven or a hell, why care if we're moral? This is my response:
"Thanks for asking. I actually see myself as agnostic - I can't prove one way Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-87148014749082245312011-03-07T00:48:00.001-05:002011-04-23T14:45:00.589-04:00The Ignorance of FaithAs a psychology professor, I often talk about topics in class with which some of my students are uncomfortable. We talk about things like racism, sex, culture, intelligence, probabilistic determinism and others. Of all topics students struggle with, the ones that cause them the most trouble are those that conflict with their religious beliefs - regardless of the existing scientific evidence.
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-19739993870820242002011-02-22T19:44:00.004-05:002011-08-28T21:29:36.658-04:00The Mormons' MassacreThe Mountain Meadows Massacre by Juanita Brooks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The Mountain Meadows Massacre is something most people have probably never heard of before - unless you're a Mormon or had ancestors who were part of the massacred Fancher wagon party. This book was the first to seriously attempt an honest investigation of the massacre, unflinchingly seeking the truth. What makes it even Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-82299320617106649722011-02-20T16:43:00.002-05:002011-04-23T20:01:49.136-04:00Black Maids and Their Rich White WomenThe Help by Kathryn Stockett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another great book. I've had a lot of good luck in books lately...from "Cutting for Stone" to "Love at Goon Park" to "god is not Great" to this one. I'm on a roll...I just hope the next one I pick keeps it going!
This book is about Black women in Jackson, Mississippi who work as domestic help for wealthy white women in the early Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-29062747587905690802011-02-14T01:03:00.002-05:002011-04-23T20:02:02.093-04:00Religion Poisons EverythingGod Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
For anyone who has read Christopher Hitchens' work before, the tone of this book will be familiar to them: witty, sarcastic, ironic, blunt, hyperbolic, fascinating, thought-provoking and just a little tormented. Hitchens has been accused in the past of being a flip-flopper on some issues (not Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-31561008108080832192011-02-03T02:34:00.002-05:002011-04-23T20:02:18.252-04:00Monkey LoveLove at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection by Deborah Blum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was one of the most interesting biographies I have read. The skeleton of the book is the story of Harry Harlow's personal and professional life. But on that skeleton the author also hangs an incredibly well-written and fascinating history of psychology, and specifically of parenting, Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-89068925907562516532011-01-12T16:24:00.002-05:002011-04-23T20:02:29.070-04:00Cutting for StoneCutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the best books I think I've ever read. I can't say too much about it without giving too much away. The book was long (600+ pages) and slow, but mesmerizing. The story in the book is told by Marion. He tells of growing up in a mission hospital in Ethiopia with his twin brother. The mysticism of Ethiopia coupled with the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-66311975341211132010-10-24T19:50:00.003-04:002011-04-23T20:02:40.173-04:00Evolution: The Only Game in Town, The Greatest Show on EarthThe Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution by Richard Dawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was an awesome book! Admittedly, a lot of it was a bit over my head. I'm not an evolutionary biologist, but I think Dawkins did a good job (as usual) in explaining the theories, research, and ideas in a way that most people can understand - or at least grasp the 'gist' of his argument.
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-19816482004017640292010-10-17T21:42:00.002-04:002011-04-23T15:10:31.640-04:00Freedom!Much is made in our society (and other democratic societies) about "freedom." We hear about it all the time. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. Free agency. Free to choose. Buy one, get one free. Lately, though, I've been thinking a lot about this idea of freedom and what it really means.
The wise Webster defines freedom as "the quality or state of being free, as a : the absence Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-25526881838076422422010-09-19T17:34:00.002-04:002011-04-23T15:08:43.378-04:00Tea Party PooperI've never been a registered member of a political party. I've never voted a party ticket. In every election that I've voted in, I've voted for both Democrats and Republicans. But the divisiveness of the last two elections has made it more and more difficult for me to do this. And now, with the movement of the Tea Partiers, I'm afraid this is going to become even truer.
The ongoing feud Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-794501371038796882010-09-06T22:30:00.001-04:002011-04-23T14:54:49.335-04:00Fall in FairbanksI've been on some hikes the last few weeks and took lots of pictures. I don't have the photo-taking skill Natalie does, but some of them aren't bad. In the pics from my Labor Day hike, you can see the leaves starting to change color. Enjoy!
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-10519247586172230612010-09-04T02:17:00.001-04:002011-04-23T14:55:07.341-04:00My First 30 YearsI just turned 30. That's 3 decades. That's a score and a half. If I had signed a mortgage when I was born, I'd own the house outright tonight...I can't believe the length of the terms of a mortgage!
People have expected me to have a difficult time turning 30. Nearly everyone I talked to today had something to say about some invisible age-boundary I had crossed. One even tried to tell me I Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-55413714539304855752010-06-02T02:51:00.002-04:002011-04-23T15:09:09.388-04:00New England 2010 By The NumbersThe stats of an awesome trip:
Days in New England = 10
States visited = 5 (MA, ME, NH, CT, RI)
Servings of clam chowdha eaten = 4
Famous psychologists met = 2
Nights Natalie got foot rubs = 6
Miles driven = 800
Temperature in Portland, ME = 99
People interested in our research poster = 2
Cost of 3 scoops of chocolate ice cream via room service = 15 (yes, that's dollars)
Nights Brien got foot Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-41433028173053143062010-05-12T19:02:00.002-04:002011-04-23T14:56:03.710-04:00Student PapersI'm grading student papers this week. I hate it. HATE IT. But every once in a while I find something to laugh about. What's that? You want me to share? Okay, okay. I will!
1. "...all of his principals go flying out the window..." (I imagine little people flying out of elementary school windows).
2. "...she knew with almost certainly..."
3. "...Irish immigrants who met and married out ofBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-59289600701035549352010-04-05T03:28:00.004-04:002011-04-23T14:56:30.177-04:00A One Act Play About Going To The Hot SpringsScene: My cabin in Fairbanks. Girlfriend and I are preparing to go the hot springs. We fill a plastic bag with our towels, swimsuits, and sandals.
Girlfriend: I'll take the bag and carry it with us out to the car.
Me: Are you sure? I don't mind carrying it.
Girlfriend: No, no. I've got it. No problem.
Scene: My car during the 60 mile drive to the hot springs. Time passes full of good Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-65150576520404921412010-03-27T02:58:00.001-04:002011-04-23T14:56:59.538-04:00Spring Break 2010Check out my spring break pictures! Nothing better than March in Alaska with Natalie.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-55167466940652749422010-03-18T20:43:00.001-04:002011-04-23T14:57:27.997-04:00Student EvaluationsI got my student evaluations from last semester today. It's an important day for a professor - it gives us the chance to see how we can improve our classes to help our students succeed.
Ha! I bet I had you believing me there. Really, we like to get them back so that we can make fun of past students. In that spirit, I thought I'd share some of my favorite comments with you:
"Not being Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-44950897759118500982010-03-01T02:01:00.002-05:002011-04-23T14:57:55.265-04:00Only in AlaskaA student email that could only come from Alaska:
Hi, this is _________, and I just got a new computer and attempted to to the M3 self assessment. When I opened the quiz I was not able to select my answers. I am sorry I e-mailed a little late but my husband has been hunting a lot and I have been busy taking care of the skins and cutting the meat for storage. Would it be possible to retake the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-58348394209467238472010-02-24T14:54:00.001-05:002011-04-23T14:58:17.303-04:00If Only I Had the GutsTrue or not, it's funny:
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 7:15:11 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Brand Strategy Feedback
Prof. Galloway,
I would like to discuss a matter with you that bothered me. Yesterday evening I entered your 6pm Brand Strategy class approximately 1 hour late. As I entered the room, you quickly dismissed me, saying that I would need to leave and come back to the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-47180387096732041552010-02-04T02:18:00.003-05:002011-04-23T14:58:36.545-04:00Using Binoculars Is HardI might get in trouble for this one, but it's too good to not share...
Last month Natalie and I went to see all the bald eagles near Alton, IL. We saw more than 15 of them, which was pretty amazing. One of them was perched on a chunk of ice in the Mississippi River, so we got out of the car to take a closer look at him with Natalie's pair of binoculars.
I was standing behind Natalie on the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-72605951386771857682009-12-28T13:41:00.004-05:002011-04-23T14:59:13.851-04:00Another Student StoryAn email from a student about the final paper assignment in my class:
"i personally didn't like this assingment. I know how to talk about it but not write about it and putting it in my own words....
I wrote it out on paper but I am a type slow. I had my cousin typed my other assignments, but she was too busy and I can't type fast enough. I would rather send it before it's done than not send itBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-42769156734784031242009-12-22T05:05:00.003-05:002011-04-23T14:59:32.467-04:00Funniest Commercials EverScripted or not, these are some of the funniest commercials I've seen in a long time!
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-13936005714676603572009-12-21T17:35:00.002-05:002011-04-23T15:00:06.152-04:00Must Be Santa!Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-12100619466342604152009-12-16T15:34:00.003-05:002011-04-23T15:00:35.573-04:00I haven't heard that one before....I was recently at the doctor's office for a checkup. While the doctor was examining me, he asked me what I did for work. When I told him I was a psychology professor at the university, he turned to the nurse in the room and said what I've heard just about every time I tell someone what I do for a living:
"Oh no! We've just been psychoanalyzed!"
What I thought to say in return, didn't, but Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-79971596130973572882009-12-13T03:03:00.003-05:002011-04-23T15:00:53.535-04:00Ice CarvingsIce carvings have started to crop up around Fairbanks. The University places a bunch of them around campus, and they should be popping up soon. These ones come from North Pole. The Santa Clause House there sponsors a competition every December. I went this afternoon to take pictures. Some of them are pretty cool.
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-15571448998089748682009-12-09T20:56:00.005-05:002011-04-23T19:28:48.125-04:00A Favorite CarolAs Christmas nears, I thought every couple of days I'd share a favorite carol. For me, it's always the music of Christmas that brings the spirit of the holiday.
This is Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant sung by the Vienna Boys Choir.
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-58146826295020008472009-11-07T22:47:00.003-05:002011-04-23T15:01:35.557-04:00Another Student StoryMy class had recently taken an exam. I received the following email:
"I didn't think the test was too hard. However, I think if you had asked different questions, I would have definitely done better. But whatever. It wasn't that bad."Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-33214043579744720882009-10-30T17:23:00.004-04:002011-04-23T15:01:52.783-04:00Niece and NephewI stole this from my brother's and sister-in-law's blog. I hope I don't get in trouble, but I had to pass them along.
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-51333279518708677482009-09-30T17:19:00.011-04:002011-04-23T15:02:13.081-04:00Things I've Learned in FairbanksFairbanks!
So I've been a Faibanksian, er, Fairbanksite, er, Fairbanksn, er, Fairbankser for a little more than a month now. I thought I'd pass on some of the knowledge I've gained so far.
1. There really are moose in town. Like, right in town!
2. Flannel, on men and women, is the fashion fabric of choice.
3. Autumn in Alaska is beautiful!
4. A birthday spent at Chena Hot Springs with aBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-75777890605466286162009-08-30T19:29:00.003-04:002011-04-23T15:02:43.960-04:00Alaska!I'm finally settled in the Great White North! You can go see the pictures of the 6 day drive up here, as well as some things around town and my cool little cabin in my picasa album.
The drive up was gorgeous. We made a small detour to drive through Canada's Banff National Park. I thought Utah and Colorado had beautiful mountains, but they have nothing on this place. it was absolutely Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-41153953768138593672009-07-28T19:00:00.003-04:002011-04-23T15:03:12.621-04:00Another Student StoryI was passing an exam out for my students to take. They were supposed to take one test and pass the rest to the person sitting behind them. One girl sitting in the middle of the room with a test in each hand spoke up:
Student: "Why are some of the tests twice as thick as other tests? I'm taking the one in my left hand cuz it's not as thick as the one in my right hand."
Me: "The tests are the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-64043760741443031442009-06-25T16:52:00.003-04:002011-04-23T15:03:50.361-04:00100% American, by Ralph Linton Our solid American citizen awakens in a bed built on a pattern which originated in the Near East but which was modified in Northern Europe before it was transmitted to America. He throws back covers made from cotton, domesticated in India, or linen, domesticated in the Near East, or wool, from sheep, also domesticated in the Near East, or silk, the use of which was discovered in China. All of Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-92090806001102530122009-06-16T13:16:00.002-04:002011-04-23T20:02:57.767-04:00Brrr A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire
My review rating: 2 of 5 stars
I was actually a little disappointed with this book. I loved Wicked, and Son of Witch was pretty good (though not as good as Wicked). Maybe the quality suffers with each successive book he writes.
I felt like the story lagged and dragged through a lot of the book - except for the times when the author sped through what Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-1683724586768069762009-06-11T16:29:00.008-04:002011-04-23T19:19:08.745-04:00The McDonald's Pick-UpLast night I was at McDonald's because they have wireless Internet. My parent's still live in the Stone Age and think dial-up is sufficient.
I'm sitting in a corner, using their Internet to talk to this pretty awesome person named Natalie. I'm near the bathrooms, so there's a lot of traffic as people walk past me. I'm a nice guy, so when someone passes and makes eye contact, I smile. It's Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-70558852628900162632009-06-02T22:49:00.003-04:002011-04-23T15:04:21.944-04:00Another Student StoryThe following conversation took place via email -
Student: "Professor, I know the midterm exam is tomorrow, Wednesday. I was hoping I would be able to wait and take it on Friday."
Me: "Well, it depends on why you need to take it Friday."
Student: "I just bought the book today, and wanted more time to study before the test."
Me: "Are you serious?"
Student: "Okay, fine. I was just curious."Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-21033220000175122542009-04-27T14:10:00.002-04:002011-04-23T15:04:42.311-04:00R.I.P.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-45315108031733490762009-04-08T15:35:00.006-04:002011-04-23T15:05:00.169-04:00Incompetent PeopleThis was an article in the New York Times and recently re-printed in the San Francisco Chronicle. We all know people like this....but what if we are these people?!
Incompetent People Really Have No Clue, Studies FindThey're blind to own failings, others' skillsThere are many incompetent people in the world. Dr. David A. Dunning is haunted by the fear that he might be one of them.Dunning, a Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-8389945534057370312009-03-29T17:25:00.006-04:002011-04-23T15:05:33.500-04:00ReligulousI recently watched the documentary "Religulous" featuring Bill Maher. I wasn't initially interested in viewing the film, but after it was suggested by a couple of friends, I decided I needed to check it out. I also wanted to see if it would be appropriate to show in my Psychology of Religion class. I won't be showing it - there just isn't enough academic value to it.
First, I don't like Bill Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-57601593700238451112009-03-06T15:07:00.004-05:002011-04-23T15:05:58.849-04:00Porn!It's been a while. I apologize to my 3 readers.
Researchers at Harvard University recently published a paper claiming that Utah had the highest per capita rate of internet porn subscriptions. Of course, it is only about .5% of internet users in Utah who pay for porn subscriptions, compared to about .2% for Montana, the state with the lowest number of per capita porn subscriptions. Only a .3% Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-50405593067806220292009-02-07T21:53:00.002-05:002011-04-23T19:19:31.513-04:00Round and Round We GoBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-37997547944130485112009-01-24T22:31:00.003-05:002011-04-23T20:03:09.213-04:00Dogs! Dogs! Dogs! How Dogs Think: What the World Looks Like to Them and Why They Act the Way They Do by Stanley Coren
This is a fascinating book! I actually finished reading it a few weeks ago and just haven't gotten around to writing about (sometimes the dissertation does have to take priority).
The book is written by Stanley Coren, Ph.D. Dr. Coren is a psychologist and member of the faculty at the Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-54849705924295904952009-01-20T13:24:00.005-05:002011-04-23T19:21:30.646-04:00Blind Date
I was reminded recently of a blind date I went on a few years ago. I was home over the Christmas break, and my aunt had this young woman she just knew I needed to meet. I'm usually willing to be set up, so I agreed. I took my younger brother and his fiancee along to make things a little less awkward. Less awkward, at least, until I opened my mouth. After getting in the car with my date, I Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-16685368095301571482009-01-15T12:22:00.001-05:002011-04-23T19:21:58.680-04:00The People in Your NeighborhoodBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-46516805724851685262008-12-19T17:30:00.002-05:002011-04-23T19:22:34.174-04:00Sounds Like a Good Idea to MeBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-67306399489427517852008-12-03T15:53:00.004-05:002011-04-23T14:54:20.906-04:001776 1776 by David McCullough
My review
Last week I spent my time on 10 different airplanes and in 8 different airports. This is the book I took with me to pass the time.
I'm a huge history buff and find most history books interesting. This was no exception. However, I'm not a huge fan of David McCullough's writing. But I don't hate it enough to never read his work again. I just found it a bit Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-91856191426315518572008-11-12T23:30:00.011-05:002011-08-28T21:30:00.457-04:00Love Thy Neighbors...Even if You Think They're WrongI'm an admitted fence-sitter when it comes to the issue of gay marriage. I don't think it's because I'm a coward. I don't think it's because I'm a bigot. I don't think it's because I lack faith. It's simply because I'm conflicted. It's an issue that has kept me up at night. I'm almost envious of people to whom this is a non-issue - those who have been able to make a clear, confident decision. Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-5704255871318058642008-11-06T19:14:00.004-05:002011-04-23T20:03:24.065-04:00His Dark Materials His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the best books I've read in a long time! I'm not sure why so many people are up in arms about these books. Actually, I take that back. Many people are frightened and offended by ideas that contradict their own, especially if those contradictory ideas seem to call religion into question. Lots of people have Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-20805611948494688892008-11-05T16:31:00.005-05:002011-08-28T21:30:20.426-04:00The Official StanceI've posted a few things that point out the negative impact the election has been having on the LDS Church. I've been deeply troubled by the divisiveness and contention that Prop 8 (a ban on gay marriage) has caused in California. I firmly believe that this was not the intent of the general leaders of the Church but instead an effect of overzealous local leaders and members, some of whom Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-18914336107324083952008-11-03T18:12:00.002-05:002011-04-23T19:23:40.120-04:00This can't be goodThe possible future vice-president of the United States:
You can read the story about it here.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-9503483534602994582008-10-31T16:16:00.004-04:002011-04-23T15:07:33.219-04:00Unintended Consequences?A couple of sad and very discouraging articles about how Prop 8 in California is affecting the Church there. Whatever side of the issue you fall on, this is not the purpose. Knock it off, people!
First:
The thought of going to church in her southern California LDS ward makes Carol Oldham cry. She can't face one more sermon against same-sex marriage. She can't tolerate the glares at the rainbow Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-47983180515004518922008-10-24T18:39:00.005-04:002011-04-23T15:07:09.696-04:00Kirby on Gay MarriageRobert Kirby is one of my favorite Mormon satirists. I admit I read some of his books on my mission. Here's a recent column of his from the Salt Lake Tribune. Wise words:
"A couple of years ago, I wrote a column in which I announced my official position on gay marriage. Basically, I don't care. Not only do I not care if gays get married, it is none of my business. As a flaming heterosexual, it'sBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-84394529519989321342008-10-21T20:58:00.004-04:002011-04-23T15:08:22.021-04:00Politics All AroundBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-37044787462846303922008-09-24T19:47:00.003-04:002011-04-23T19:24:04.819-04:00I'm So ProudStanley (my 15-year-old Little Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters) and I were at the Cardinals' game last night. At about 8:30, Stanley turned to me.
Stanley: "Brien! It's past your bedtime!"
Me: "I know. I'm getting tired."
Stanley: "And we all know that you need your beauty sleep, for God's sake."
Nice. I can see I'm finally having an impact.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-42098825244145915422008-09-22T11:50:00.003-04:002011-04-23T19:24:37.458-04:00Awww....politics!Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-36748421216931698092008-09-17T11:50:00.006-04:002011-08-28T21:30:50.099-04:00Joseph SmithJoseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Lyman Bushman
Great book, though it's pretty dense. I started it a couple of years ago and let it drop after 100 pages or so. I started over a few months ago, and stuck it through. For some reason, I was much more interested the second-go.
Most Mormons will be familiar with a lot of the history in the book, but not all of it. In fact, I expect thatBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-64651087369458605992008-09-06T18:17:00.002-04:002008-09-06T18:33:23.914-04:00Stand Up and Be Counted!For those of you who don't know yet, I'm magic. Let me awe you with one of my tricks:Since August 6, 146 (that's one hundred and forty six) people have visited my blog for a total of 217 visits. Thirteen of you were here yesterday (Sept. 5th). Of those 217 visits, 34.5% used DSL, 22.1% used cable, 15.2% used T1, and 2.3% used dial-up (that's my mom). More than half of you used Internet Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-85805371346937691332008-08-31T19:08:00.022-04:002011-08-28T21:31:12.501-04:00Anything's PossibleYes, anything is possible. And that includes a Liberal....maybe even a Democratic....Mormon! For many of you, I know this is inconceivable, and possibly even blasphemous. But despite that, it's true.
You could probably call this post a reactionary post. It's in reaction to a lot of things I've heard and read. Things my friends have said or posted on various websites, and even things complete Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-32506833454144463882008-08-13T14:57:00.011-04:002011-04-23T19:27:26.507-04:00Olympic ExcellenceI've been able to watch more Olympics this year than I ever have before. It's because I have TiVo! I record all the Olympics available on 3 different channels. It's fantastic. Of course, this means the Olympics, for me, will last much longer than the official 17 days. It's gonna take forever to get through all that stuff!
I love the Olympics. I love that I get to watch sports that you never see Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-71185250391188169762008-08-12T01:31:00.003-04:002011-04-23T19:28:00.265-04:00A cool birdFirst introduced to me on another friend's blog:
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-87718054635128652322008-08-07T11:55:00.007-04:002011-04-23T19:28:18.946-04:00What's the difference?Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-9386411009908532532008-07-26T20:54:00.012-04:002011-04-23T19:28:35.693-04:00Music by The Decade IILast time, I shared my favorite music from the seventies. This time, welcome to the eighties! According my limitless talent and unquestioned expertise, experience the best 20 songs released between 1980 and 1989 (in no particular order, of course):
1. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams (1984). Adams was only 9 in 1969. So 69 doesn't refer to the year but to the....well, you know. He finally Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-18787029056422418272008-07-16T14:20:00.004-04:002011-04-23T14:53:23.875-04:00R.I.PThis is what happens when you ask a biologist to care for your place while you're away:
Before:
After:
The last time a friend killed flowers and plants while I was away, it was an engineer. You'd almost expect it from one of them. But a biologist? I guess I should be happy my dog survived.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-10079261345778145852008-07-11T23:26:00.007-04:002011-04-23T14:52:31.923-04:00Dutch Oven Cook Off 2008As you can see from the picture at the top of my blog, Clayton and I recently competed in our hometown's annual Dutch oven cook off. We took 2nd place overall, and 1st place among the novice cooks. Dad and my sister took 4th overall and 2nd among the novices. It's always nice to beat your dad....
For our dessert, Clay and I made a chocolate raspberry cobbler with hand-cranked raspberry ice creamBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-79910401303371844942008-07-11T22:22:00.007-04:002011-04-23T14:52:14.749-04:00The World We Live InThis, my friends, is the world we live in:
#1. "A man is suing over a word in the bible. It's a word the plaintiff says has caused decades of suffering. The suit centers on one passage in scripture: First Corinthians, chapter six, verse nine -- and how it reads in bibles published by Zondervan. Bradley Fowler filed the suit. He says Zondervan bibles published in 1982 and 1987 used the word Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-36779628439368319492008-06-14T18:31:00.011-04:002011-04-23T15:11:16.471-04:00Some things about RomeAfter sharing a bed for three nights in Paris, my traveling companion and I flew to Rome. Luckily, the hotel there was able to give us a room with two beds. I was happy about that because I was tired of being kicked in the middle of night. But that's another story. First, lets talk about Rome...
1. The Colosseum was really cool, even when the old guy who was singing from the balcony left. We Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-75266222283280810852008-06-09T13:38:00.004-04:002011-04-23T14:50:10.962-04:00Relfections on Not Participating in Current EventsI saw a huge steam roller
It blotted out the sun.
The people all lay down, lay down;
They did not try to run.
My love and I, we looked amazed
Upon the gory mystery.
"Lie down, lie down!" the people cried.
"The great machine is history!"
My love and I, we ran away,
The engine did not find us.
We ran up to a mountain top,
Left history far behind us.
Perhaps we should have stayed and died,
But Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-6212666576672299852008-06-04T17:30:00.023-04:002011-04-23T15:11:32.444-04:00Some things about ParisMost of you know that I spent 10 days in Europe last month. I got to spend time in Paris, Rome, and Madrid. Since I know that many of you have not yet had the chance to visit such wonderful places, I think I will take you on the "insider's tour" of each city. First up...Paris!
1. The Champs-Elysees is 17 miles long, at least. Or else the French people have created some type of optical illusion Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-12108094541775364502008-05-26T16:40:00.004-04:002011-04-23T14:48:03.616-04:00Introducing MakalyaNew baby and uncle are doing fine. She was born Wednesday, the 21st. Seven-ish pounds or so, 20ish inches or so. A bit yellowish.
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-26296580897064934232008-05-11T23:34:00.011-04:002011-04-23T14:47:39.010-04:00The Perfect Love StoryIt's not mushy, silly or superficial. It's just the opposite. Of course, just like all other great and abiding love stories, Hollywood has tried to capture it on film. And they did a pretty good job. I don't like to admit that I get emotional sometimes, but this movie gets me. Every single time. An incredible love story between two....people?
Moms and kids. Kids and moms. They love each other.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-82769977232709934232008-05-07T20:04:00.002-04:002011-04-23T19:29:20.687-04:00Better Than Pretty Pets....Huge Spiders!It might be old news, but you still gotta check out this video.Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-66529461708354085232008-04-23T20:04:00.002-04:002011-04-23T19:30:22.079-04:00Prettiest Pets EverBrienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-54891631772326215042008-04-21T18:09:00.004-04:002011-04-23T19:30:42.211-04:00Hunger is the Best Side DishWhile I definitely don't walk my dog Sancho as often as I should, we walk the same route each time we go. A few nights ago it struck me how excited Sancho got as we were out and about. Even though we had walked past the same trees and around the same corners over and over again, he was no less excited to sniff, look, and explore this time as he had been the first time. Some people (who aren't my Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-77192705100598805822008-04-11T18:22:00.003-04:002011-04-23T19:31:49.804-04:00Redneck, anyone?Nothing quite says redneck like using your .22 to hang your plasma TV.
SEDALIA, Mo. -- Prosecutors are not expected to file charges against a Missouri man who fatally shot his wife while he was trying to install a satellite TV system in their home.Henry County investigators ruled that Patsy Long's March 22 death was accidental. Her husband, Ronald Long, fired his .22 caliber pistol from inside Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32148860.post-52785294238388193032008-04-10T16:25:00.002-04:002011-04-23T19:32:16.722-04:00Prohibition is SexyOne more reason to stay away from the bottle!
Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16045825898847988374noreply@blogger.com2