Could this be the geekiest tree topper ever? At least of those commercially available, not handmade, maybe.
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Laurel's Journal
my 11 cents
08 December 2009 @ 05:51 pm
I'm a third generation fan of two soap operas: As The World Turns and Guiding Light. Been watching since I was a kid, before I was enrolled in school. My whole life, really. In recent years, I've gone weeks or months without watching or have watched very intermittently, but they're my shows, dammit, and there are characters/actors that have been on them my whole life.
Guiding Light was cancelled and ended this past September.
Today CBS announced that they're canceling As The World Turns and the last episodes will air in September 2010.
It's hard to convey the familiarity that comes from watching specific characters/actors five days a week (or almost that) for more than thirty years. Even when I haven't watched in ages, I could tune in and it was familiar. And there are so many memories attached to the shows. And, of course, these were the shows I watched and discussed with my Mom for my whole life and sometimes with my grandparents and great aunts.
Some nifty people are putting classic clips of both shows on YouTube (and even some entire episodes) and those are fun to look at and sad, too.
Earlier this year I had to say goodbye to the Bauers, Spauldings, and Coopers; next year I have to say goodbye to the Hughes and Snyders. Feh.
I can think of five or six actors who have been on As The World Turns my whole life, some since the '50s and '60s.
Guiding Light was cancelled and ended this past September.
Today CBS announced that they're canceling As The World Turns and the last episodes will air in September 2010.
It's hard to convey the familiarity that comes from watching specific characters/actors five days a week (or almost that) for more than thirty years. Even when I haven't watched in ages, I could tune in and it was familiar. And there are so many memories attached to the shows. And, of course, these were the shows I watched and discussed with my Mom for my whole life and sometimes with my grandparents and great aunts.
Some nifty people are putting classic clips of both shows on YouTube (and even some entire episodes) and those are fun to look at and sad, too.
Earlier this year I had to say goodbye to the Bauers, Spauldings, and Coopers; next year I have to say goodbye to the Hughes and Snyders. Feh.
I can think of five or six actors who have been on As The World Turns my whole life, some since the '50s and '60s.
16 November 2009 @ 11:17 am
He was admitted to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning.
They're giving him IV antibiotics for an infection in his leg.
He also has fluid in his lungs due to congestive heart failure, so they'll be treating that as well.
I talked to him a little while ago and he sounded tired, but also very glad they went to the ER last night and that he's in the hospital where they can really keep an eye on the infection and deal with everything else.
I updated his CaringBridge site.
They're giving him IV antibiotics for an infection in his leg.
He also has fluid in his lungs due to congestive heart failure, so they'll be treating that as well.
I talked to him a little while ago and he sounded tired, but also very glad they went to the ER last night and that he's in the hospital where they can really keep an eye on the infection and deal with everything else.
I updated his CaringBridge site.
09 November 2009 @ 02:07 pm
I posted TV picks today. Gonna try to get back in the habit of doing them again. (Feed available here as ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif)
rsstvpicksnet.)
rsstvpicksnet.)06 November 2009 @ 10:41 am
Today's Gold Box Deal of the Day over at Amazon is on Ally McBeal: The Complete Series
for just $79. Previously the cheapest I'd seen it is $99 and yesterday it would've cost you $122 at Amazon. List price is closer to $200. (Were I not broke, I'd be tempted to buy the set for myself as I suspect the improved picture quality and extras would make it worth it for moi.)
At long last, this quirky David E. Kelley series hits DVD in the U.S. I bought single season sets from the UK (or was it Australia?) a couple of years ago. I'm really glad to see it get a proper release in the U.S. with all of the original music intact plus some extras.
The show got a bad rap in a lot of ways, I always felt. Sometimes it went a bit too far or ran off the rails, but a lot of the time it was really fun. There were definite elements of fantasy in the show, possibly more so than in any other Kelley series. If your impression of the show is based on commercials, articles, reviews, and clips-- well, you've probably gotten the wrong idea about it.
As with most Kelley shows, this one made me laugh and also brought tears to my eyes at times. And it made me think about some tough issues, too. And, of course, it was fun. And there's his trademark affection for oddballs, because that's just how he rolls. Peter MacNicol really gets to shine here too.
The first two episodes are available for free right now on iTunes. And Amazon has the first episode available for free right now. In case you want to check those out.
for just $79. Previously the cheapest I'd seen it is $99 and yesterday it would've cost you $122 at Amazon. List price is closer to $200. (Were I not broke, I'd be tempted to buy the set for myself as I suspect the improved picture quality and extras would make it worth it for moi.)At long last, this quirky David E. Kelley series hits DVD in the U.S. I bought single season sets from the UK (or was it Australia?) a couple of years ago. I'm really glad to see it get a proper release in the U.S. with all of the original music intact plus some extras.
The show got a bad rap in a lot of ways, I always felt. Sometimes it went a bit too far or ran off the rails, but a lot of the time it was really fun. There were definite elements of fantasy in the show, possibly more so than in any other Kelley series. If your impression of the show is based on commercials, articles, reviews, and clips-- well, you've probably gotten the wrong idea about it.
As with most Kelley shows, this one made me laugh and also brought tears to my eyes at times. And it made me think about some tough issues, too. And, of course, it was fun. And there's his trademark affection for oddballs, because that's just how he rolls. Peter MacNicol really gets to shine here too.
The first two episodes are available for free right now on iTunes. And Amazon has the first episode available for free right now. In case you want to check those out.
03 November 2009 @ 08:35 pm
I have a Peek and I love it. I use it to read and send email, read and send text messages, and to update my Facebook status. Using blip.fm and other tools, I can update twitter accounts and all sorts of other things. Can read feeds, get weather, and other stuff via email.
Text is king here, though you can view pictures attachments on it. It's been fun reacquainting myself with the many things you can do via plain text emails. Posting to LJ is one, of course.
The lovely thing is that unlimited texting and emailing costs $20/month or $250-300 lifetime (lifetime of the unit). Compared to how much a smart phone with a data or texting plan can cost, it's cheap. Also cheap way to get email for those who lack internet access or a computer at home. I still carry a cell phone, but it's on my folks family plan. I may switch to a cheap pay as you go plan as I prefer texting/emailing to talking voice most of the time.
The Peek (and other variants) runs on the TMobile Network, though one never has to deal with TMobile and there are no contracts; this all goes through Peek.
The new TwitterPeek is just for twitter-- doesn't have email or texting, just twitter. And you can only use one account with it. Is an interesting use of the Peek though. The monthly rate for it is cheaper.
Here are the models available currently at Amazon:
I have a few spare Peeks in Aqua which have been upgraded to the Peek Pronto software (by yours truly) so if anyone local is interested in giving one a try, let me know and I can sell you one for cheap or loan you one to try out. You can sign up for a month at the $20 rate and cancel after a month. There aren't any set-up fees or contracts. Also if anyone signs up and mentions me as referring them, I get some months free service (not sure how many) and you may get a deal too. I'll have a look and see what the current offers are. So if you decide to give a Peek a try, get in touch with me and I'll give you the skinny on it. Pester me if you have questions, too.
TwitterPeeks are the same hardware, but with different software I'm guessing. They do twitter and only twitter, but in a very easy fashion.
We purchased our Peeks at Target on clearance when they cleared out the Peek Classics. They now sell grey ones at most Targets.
If you poke around the Peek website you'll find links to their blog and to forums where peek users talk about how they use theirs.
(And yes, those are referral links from ours truly to amazon. If you shop for anything via those links, I get a cut of what you spend.)
Text is king here, though you can view pictures attachments on it. It's been fun reacquainting myself with the many things you can do via plain text emails. Posting to LJ is one, of course.
The lovely thing is that unlimited texting and emailing costs $20/month or $250-300 lifetime (lifetime of the unit). Compared to how much a smart phone with a data or texting plan can cost, it's cheap. Also cheap way to get email for those who lack internet access or a computer at home. I still carry a cell phone, but it's on my folks family plan. I may switch to a cheap pay as you go plan as I prefer texting/emailing to talking voice most of the time.
The Peek (and other variants) runs on the TMobile Network, though one never has to deal with TMobile and there are no contracts; this all goes through Peek.
The new TwitterPeek is just for twitter-- doesn't have email or texting, just twitter. And you can only use one account with it. Is an interesting use of the Peek though. The monthly rate for it is cheaper.
Here are the models available currently at Amazon:
- Peek Pronto Mobile Messaging Device with Lifetime Service Included (Grey)
($299)
- Peek Pronto Mobile Messaging Device with One Year of Service Included (Grey)
($229)</l>
- Peek Mobile Email Device
(comes in grey or aqua or black cherry, $20 on sale, sometimes as much as $50) These are Peek Classics, running the older software. They can be upgraded to Peek Prontos, but you'd need to mail them to Peek or have someone upgrade the software using an upgrade cable. I have one and have done upgrades before. There are charts on the peek site and in the amazon info about the differences between Peek Pronto and Peek Classic software.)
- Peek Pronto Mobile Messaging Device (Grey)
($50 - 80). For some inexplicable reason, it seems like Peek Prontos only come in grey. So if you want one in another color, you'll need to buy a Peek Classic and have it upgraded. Peek doesn't charge for the upgrades on unactivated Peek Classics or on ones with really old software.)
I have a few spare Peeks in Aqua which have been upgraded to the Peek Pronto software (by yours truly) so if anyone local is interested in giving one a try, let me know and I can sell you one for cheap or loan you one to try out. You can sign up for a month at the $20 rate and cancel after a month. There aren't any set-up fees or contracts. Also if anyone signs up and mentions me as referring them, I get some months free service (not sure how many) and you may get a deal too. I'll have a look and see what the current offers are. So if you decide to give a Peek a try, get in touch with me and I'll give you the skinny on it. Pester me if you have questions, too.
TwitterPeeks are the same hardware, but with different software I'm guessing. They do twitter and only twitter, but in a very easy fashion.
- TwitterPeek Mobile Tweeting Device with Lifetime Service Included
(comes in grey or aqua, $199)
- TwitterPeek Mobile Tweeting Device with 6 Months of Service Included
(comes in grey or aqua, $99)
We purchased our Peeks at Target on clearance when they cleared out the Peek Classics. They now sell grey ones at most Targets.
If you poke around the Peek website you'll find links to their blog and to forums where peek users talk about how they use theirs.
(And yes, those are referral links from ours truly to amazon. If you shop for anything via those links, I get a cut of what you spend.)
Current Location: Minneapolis, MN
22 October 2009 @ 04:03 pm
One of these days I'll put together a roundup of coverage of the end of the Metrodome (as far as baseball is concerned) for WinTwins.net. I also plan to do a series of posts about my favorite Metrodome memories.
But now, I just want to link to Joe Posnanski's "Riding the Metrodome" blog posting as it's awesome. Or at least captures a certain essential qualities of the Dome and Twins fans relationship with it:
A person could probably fill a book with quotes bashing the Metrodome. I can envision a book that's half positive and half negative about the place. Could have two covers.
Here's my other favorite part of the piece, after discussing how it was really past time the Dome was retired (as far as baseball goes):
Yup, that about sums it up.
Some non-sports fan and non-baseball fan friends of mine have been befuddled when I told them the Metrodome is not a baseball stadium. But the thing is . . . it isn't. Dave St. Peter of the Twins has lately referred to it as "playing baseball in the corner of a football stadium" and that's somewhat apt.
The biggest issue for fans seeing games there is that the seats don't face the baseball diamond. They're oriented to face a big long rectangular space of a football field. Now, my family has been going to games since the Dome opened and have figured out which seats actually face the correct way. But there are thousands of seats in the Dome that face the wrong way so if you sit in them, you have to sit sideways in your seat or have your head turned for almost the entire game. Seriously, not fun.
Of course the biggest issue for players is the fact that the roof of the Dome is the color of a baseball. So when the ball is flying through the air and a player is down below attempting to catch it . . . it's really really damn hard to see the ball because it matches the ceiling.
Those were the two things that were probably most hostile toward the game of baseball in the Dome, though there are others too.
I grew to love the place, in a way, but it is a love/hate thing to be sure.
But now, I just want to link to Joe Posnanski's "Riding the Metrodome" blog posting as it's awesome. Or at least captures a certain essential qualities of the Dome and Twins fans relationship with it:
But it’s probably fair to say that no park in a half century has been quite as despised as the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. I suspect the Metrodome itself would consider that a point of honor. Even people who love it, hate it. Well, how else can you feel about playing baseball in a football stadium with plastic grass, a baseball-colored roof, an echo and a giant glad trash bags just beyond the fence? How else can you feel about going to the ballpark on a beautiful July day in Minneapolis — there aren’t many seasons in America as beautiful as Minnesota summers — and then finding yourself watching something resembling baseball in this dank building with all the romance of a bank vault. It’s like playing Monopoly in your friends basement when it’s 70 degrees and sunny outside.
“What’s wrong with you kids,” our mothers would yell. “Go play outside!”
And that’s what I always wanted to yell — I sensed that’s what EVERYBODY wanted to yell — while watching games in the Metrodome. You know what Dan Quisenberry said about the place when he first saw it, right? “I don’t think there are any good uses for nuclear weapons but, then, this might be one.” He said that about the Dome back in the mid 1980s. John Schuerholz, when he was GM of the Royals, said something similar — something about nuclear weapons and blowing the place up. The Metrodome did bring out violent wishes. Billy Martin, who knew a little something about violent wishes, was direct: “This place stinks,” he said. “It’s a shame a great guy like HHH had to be named after it.”
A person could probably fill a book with quotes bashing the Metrodome. I can envision a book that's half positive and half negative about the place. Could have two covers.
Here's my other favorite part of the piece, after discussing how it was really past time the Dome was retired (as far as baseball goes):
Finally, there was inertia. Are you going to fix your drive or drive around the pothole? Truth is, after a while, you might even kind of learn to love that pothole. After all, it’s yours. And the Dome belonged to the Twins, belonged to Minnesota baseball fans. It was theirs: The worst stadium in baseball. Sure, that means something. It was something to COMPLAIN about. And stuff to complain about brings people together. In the South, it’s the humidity. Hot enough for you? In Buffalo, it’s the snow. In St. Louis, it’s the construction. In New York, maybe it’s the tourists., in Los Angeles the traffic, in Cleveland the Browns. In Miami, it’s the drivers. In Chicago, it’s the Bears quarterback. In Kansas City, it was for many years Carl Peterson … and I think people around Kansas City can’t help but miss him because it’s just not as much fun to complain about Scott Pioli.
The Metrodome would bring everyone together during baseball season. It was so dreadful, so indefensible, so anti-baseball that in a weird way it became the opposite of those things. My suspicion was always that Twins fans could take some pride in it.
How many games did you sit through at the Dome?
Oh man. Probably. Fifty?
Wow. You’re a stronger man than I am.
Yup, that about sums it up.
Some non-sports fan and non-baseball fan friends of mine have been befuddled when I told them the Metrodome is not a baseball stadium. But the thing is . . . it isn't. Dave St. Peter of the Twins has lately referred to it as "playing baseball in the corner of a football stadium" and that's somewhat apt.
The biggest issue for fans seeing games there is that the seats don't face the baseball diamond. They're oriented to face a big long rectangular space of a football field. Now, my family has been going to games since the Dome opened and have figured out which seats actually face the correct way. But there are thousands of seats in the Dome that face the wrong way so if you sit in them, you have to sit sideways in your seat or have your head turned for almost the entire game. Seriously, not fun.
Of course the biggest issue for players is the fact that the roof of the Dome is the color of a baseball. So when the ball is flying through the air and a player is down below attempting to catch it . . . it's really really damn hard to see the ball because it matches the ceiling.
Those were the two things that were probably most hostile toward the game of baseball in the Dome, though there are others too.
I grew to love the place, in a way, but it is a love/hate thing to be sure.
21 October 2009 @ 03:58 pm
Waiting for visiting hours to start in cardio ICU. My Dad will need bypass surgery. Waiting to see him & on more info.
Posted via LiveJournal.app.
Current Location: US, Minnesota, Hennepin, Robbinsdale, 32nd Ct
21 October 2009 @ 01:10 pm
My Dad is having chest pains, they think there's a blockage of some sort . . . going in for emergency angiogram whenever they can get him in today.
I'm heading out to hospital.
prayers appreciated.
I'm heading out to hospital.
prayers appreciated.
19 October 2009 @ 05:25 pm
Got a question for me? Serious, silly, or anywhere in between? Ask away. Anonymous questions are screened and yes, you can be anonymous if you like for asking a question.
04 September 2009 @ 02:44 pm
04 September 2009 @ 02:32 pm
Happy 48th Birthday ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
kaustin!
Here's hoping your Torii Hunter year doesn't in any way involve rally monkeys. I'm just saying is all. *
* This will only make sense to some of you baseball fans out there.
kaustin!Here's hoping your Torii Hunter year doesn't in any way involve rally monkeys. I'm just saying is all. *
* This will only make sense to some of you baseball fans out there.
11 August 2009 @ 12:22 pm
I love my Roku.
It's a magic little box which plugs into my TV set and has a dead easy remote control. It connects to your internet connection wirelessly or via ethernet and delivers content from Netflix Video on demand and Amazon Video on Demand. Great stuff-- I've watched more Netflix movies and TV shows since getting the Roku than I did in a year when getting DVDs in the mail-- it's just so much more convenient.
And Netflix even has some current TV shows as they air (for no additional charge like there would be if you bought them from iTunes or Amazon) like CSI, Numb3rs, Leverage, and others. Netflix also has movies and shows from Starz, which means you can watch Rob Thomas' latest show Party Down legally without subscribing to Starz.
I didn't think I'd use Amazon Video on Demand much given the many things I can watch from Neflix for free (or, at least, included in my $10/month membership), but it is kindof nice to be able to watch a movie (in HD!) that's a new release for $4 or whatever on the spur of the moment. And they even have had some movies there before their theatrical releases, though those usually cost more money. And they offer season passes for TV shows much like iTunes does, if that's your thing.
(To get Netflix content you need to be a Netflix subscriber using one of their plans that is compatible with video on demand. I think the cheapest option will run you $8-10 per month.)
The latest addition to the lineup of content you can watch streamed from the internet is Major League Baseball! I'm a beta tester for Roku these days (shhhhh) and have been testing out the MLB thing for about a week; I'm happy the deal has been announced now so I can talk about it. For just $35 for MLB.tv for the second half of the season, I can watch any/all the games I want on the Roku (except when blacked out, but those are usually available to watch later on, just not live). I watched Johan Santana pitch for the Mets the other day and hit a double and a single to boot. Sweet. And watched an extra innings Angels game and checked in on Tigers and White Sox games and Mets games and . . . well, all sorts of stuff. The quality isn't as good as what you'd get with the Extra Innings Package on DirecTV, of course, as this is streaming over the net, but it's hundreds of dollars cheaper. For a TV fan it's a bargain and watching the games easily on my big screen TV works a lot better for me than watching the games on my laptop or having to hook up my computer to the TV.
If you already have a computer hooked up to your TV, you can check out this content easily enough that way. And I know Netflix and Amazon and MLB can work with Plex and probably other XBMC variants if your fluent in that software. And these capabilities are available from some TiVos and other boxes too.
There are a ton of options these days for getting TV, movie, and music content off of the internet and into your home theater system.
I love the Roku because it costs just $100 and you just plug it in and it works. Like magic! Simple set-up, simple remote. It's lovely.
You can order the box from Roku or you can order from Roku via Amazon (and I get a little bit of the money if you do so via my links):
I keep getting the itch to set up a home theater PC of some sort and have been playing with a variety of software on my Mac, but pretty much every option I come up with would cost more than $100 by a good measure and require a lot of tinkering on my part. I may yet do it someday, but it all makes me appreciate the Roku all the more. It's simple and it works and provides a ton of bang for your buck. And they have more partnerships in the works for cool content. MLB is just the latest cool addition.
(If you have questions about the Roku, I'm happy to answer them when I get a chance. I'm usually happy to answer questions about TV or gadgets.)
It's a magic little box which plugs into my TV set and has a dead easy remote control. It connects to your internet connection wirelessly or via ethernet and delivers content from Netflix Video on demand and Amazon Video on Demand. Great stuff-- I've watched more Netflix movies and TV shows since getting the Roku than I did in a year when getting DVDs in the mail-- it's just so much more convenient.
And Netflix even has some current TV shows as they air (for no additional charge like there would be if you bought them from iTunes or Amazon) like CSI, Numb3rs, Leverage, and others. Netflix also has movies and shows from Starz, which means you can watch Rob Thomas' latest show Party Down legally without subscribing to Starz.
I didn't think I'd use Amazon Video on Demand much given the many things I can watch from Neflix for free (or, at least, included in my $10/month membership), but it is kindof nice to be able to watch a movie (in HD!) that's a new release for $4 or whatever on the spur of the moment. And they even have had some movies there before their theatrical releases, though those usually cost more money. And they offer season passes for TV shows much like iTunes does, if that's your thing.
(To get Netflix content you need to be a Netflix subscriber using one of their plans that is compatible with video on demand. I think the cheapest option will run you $8-10 per month.)
The latest addition to the lineup of content you can watch streamed from the internet is Major League Baseball! I'm a beta tester for Roku these days (shhhhh) and have been testing out the MLB thing for about a week; I'm happy the deal has been announced now so I can talk about it. For just $35 for MLB.tv for the second half of the season, I can watch any/all the games I want on the Roku (except when blacked out, but those are usually available to watch later on, just not live). I watched Johan Santana pitch for the Mets the other day and hit a double and a single to boot. Sweet. And watched an extra innings Angels game and checked in on Tigers and White Sox games and Mets games and . . . well, all sorts of stuff. The quality isn't as good as what you'd get with the Extra Innings Package on DirecTV, of course, as this is streaming over the net, but it's hundreds of dollars cheaper. For a TV fan it's a bargain and watching the games easily on my big screen TV works a lot better for me than watching the games on my laptop or having to hook up my computer to the TV.
If you already have a computer hooked up to your TV, you can check out this content easily enough that way. And I know Netflix and Amazon and MLB can work with Plex and probably other XBMC variants if your fluent in that software. And these capabilities are available from some TiVos and other boxes too.
There are a ton of options these days for getting TV, movie, and music content off of the internet and into your home theater system.
I love the Roku because it costs just $100 and you just plug it in and it works. Like magic! Simple set-up, simple remote. It's lovely.
You can order the box from Roku or you can order from Roku via Amazon (and I get a little bit of the money if you do so via my links):
- Roku Digital Video Player
- Roku Digital Video Player PLUS Premium Cable Pack
(comes with HDMI, composite, and component cables so you can pick out whatever cable works best with your system)
I keep getting the itch to set up a home theater PC of some sort and have been playing with a variety of software on my Mac, but pretty much every option I come up with would cost more than $100 by a good measure and require a lot of tinkering on my part. I may yet do it someday, but it all makes me appreciate the Roku all the more. It's simple and it works and provides a ton of bang for your buck. And they have more partnerships in the works for cool content. MLB is just the latest cool addition.
(If you have questions about the Roku, I'm happy to answer them when I get a chance. I'm usually happy to answer questions about TV or gadgets.)
14 June 2009 @ 05:05 pm
This winter, I purchased a heated cat throw for my cats which I use as a heating pad for them. Around here, we call it the "toastypad". It sits on a couch and is big enough for both of my large cats to curl up on it together, which they do with great frequency. Sometimes one will sprawl across the whole thing, but then they're like that.
It plugs in to a standard outlet, but it also came with a plug in for a cigarette lighter in a car so one could use it in a vehicle. (I've thought about using it as a cheap seat warmer during the winter time for myself.) The cover zips off and can be washed in a machine. The heating element seems to extend for most of the pad/throw.
It doesn't seem terribly warm at all if you touch it, but supposedly when a cat is on it, it heats to 102 degrees and given how much my cats like to sleep on it, it must work. To get them to try it the first time, I had to use a little catnip, but after they tried it, they were hooked. Doesn't use much electricity. I've never used it for them to curl up in like in the pictures promoting it, I just lay it down flat and they sleep on it.
Anyway. I'm telling you all of this because right now Amazon has the very same throw I purchased at Drs. Foster & Smith for $50 or more for just $22: K&H Thermo-Kitty Heated Throw for Indoors and Car, 24 By 36 Inches, Rust & Cream
(that's a referral link so I get a cut if you shop at Amazon from it). Were I not so broke, at this price I'd be tempted to buy another as a spare or to deploy in the car or on another couch or something.
If you look around, it appears that lots of the heated beds, throws, pads, and such for pets are on sale at pretty steep discounts right now, especially the ones from K & H. So if you're in the market for such a thing for a cat, dog, or other critter, it's a good time to shop for 'em.
It plugs in to a standard outlet, but it also came with a plug in for a cigarette lighter in a car so one could use it in a vehicle. (I've thought about using it as a cheap seat warmer during the winter time for myself.) The cover zips off and can be washed in a machine. The heating element seems to extend for most of the pad/throw.
It doesn't seem terribly warm at all if you touch it, but supposedly when a cat is on it, it heats to 102 degrees and given how much my cats like to sleep on it, it must work. To get them to try it the first time, I had to use a little catnip, but after they tried it, they were hooked. Doesn't use much electricity. I've never used it for them to curl up in like in the pictures promoting it, I just lay it down flat and they sleep on it.
Anyway. I'm telling you all of this because right now Amazon has the very same throw I purchased at Drs. Foster & Smith for $50 or more for just $22: K&H Thermo-Kitty Heated Throw for Indoors and Car, 24 By 36 Inches, Rust & Cream
(that's a referral link so I get a cut if you shop at Amazon from it). Were I not so broke, at this price I'd be tempted to buy another as a spare or to deploy in the car or on another couch or something.If you look around, it appears that lots of the heated beds, throws, pads, and such for pets are on sale at pretty steep discounts right now, especially the ones from K & H. So if you're in the market for such a thing for a cat, dog, or other critter, it's a good time to shop for 'em.
04 June 2009 @ 04:57 pm
OMG! Of course I'd heard that Bachman's is the official florist of the Minnesota Twins-- they give away floral arrangements (or gifts cards for them) at the Dome these days.
I hadn't yet seen these awesome Twins baseball floral arrangements and gifts that Bachman's now carries. Wow! If anyone ever wants to send me (or us) flowers or a plant or something for our wedding anniversary (or other occasions for that matter), these are swell.
And they actually look decent, don't have stupid carnations dyed blue or anything dumb like that. Assuming the real deal would look as nice or nearly as nice as the ones do in the pictures.
(I hate it when flowers are dyed. Or rocks, for the most part. Or fish-- seriously, there are these neon colored tropical fish at pet stores right now which were dyed somehow to look like that. Gah!)
I hadn't yet seen these awesome Twins baseball floral arrangements and gifts that Bachman's now carries. Wow! If anyone ever wants to send me (or us) flowers or a plant or something for our wedding anniversary (or other occasions for that matter), these are swell.
And they actually look decent, don't have stupid carnations dyed blue or anything dumb like that. Assuming the real deal would look as nice or nearly as nice as the ones do in the pictures.
(I hate it when flowers are dyed. Or rocks, for the most part. Or fish-- seriously, there are these neon colored tropical fish at pet stores right now which were dyed somehow to look like that. Gah!)
04 June 2009 @ 11:25 am
I think Kate Harding is awesome because she's smart and loves Al Iverson, who is one of my favorite people and oldest friends. If Al thinks she's awesome, she must be and if she thinks Al is awesome, she's got excellent taste and is likely awesome herself. It's a festival of awesome.
Kate also just happens to a pretty fabulous writer. She created the blog Shapely Prose and writes smart and funny stuff there; she also contributes great stuff to Salon's Broadsheet.
And she has a book out which she co-authored with Marianne Kirby called Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere: Quit Dieting and Declare a Truce with Your Body
which sounds pretty darn good.
She's on a self-funded book tour right now which will take her to Brooklyn NY on Friday night and Chicago on June 11th and Minneapolis on June 28th. You can find out more about the book and her book tour at KateHarding.info.
Kate also just happens to a pretty fabulous writer. She created the blog Shapely Prose and writes smart and funny stuff there; she also contributes great stuff to Salon's Broadsheet.
And she has a book out which she co-authored with Marianne Kirby called Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere: Quit Dieting and Declare a Truce with Your Body
which sounds pretty darn good.She's on a self-funded book tour right now which will take her to Brooklyn NY on Friday night and Chicago on June 11th and Minneapolis on June 28th. You can find out more about the book and her book tour at KateHarding.info.
Current Location: at home in Minneapolis
02 June 2009 @ 11:03 pm
"I'm pretty boring, I guess."
--Joe Mauer, after tonight's game
Current stats:
--Joe Mauer, after tonight's game
Current stats:
| G | AB | BA | HR | RBI | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| 29 | 102 | .431 | 12 | 35 | .516 | .873 | 1.388 |
29 May 2009 @ 12:12 pm
I like to think that y'all read my TV picks, but just in case you don't and you care: a new episode of Pushing Daisies debuts on ABC this Saturday at 9pm central time. ABC will air the remaining episodes on Saturdays at 9pm.
Once they're done airing Daisies, they'll air the remaining episodes of Eli Stone (starting on June 20th) and then the remaining episodes of Dirty Sexy Money (starting on July 18th). I hope all three shows get good ratings as I liked them all and am bummed that they've been canceled. I know I'll be tuning in to ABC on Saturdays at 9pm this summer.
(I've seen the final episodes of Pushing Daisies and they are excellent.)
Once they're done airing Daisies, they'll air the remaining episodes of Eli Stone (starting on June 20th) and then the remaining episodes of Dirty Sexy Money (starting on July 18th). I hope all three shows get good ratings as I liked them all and am bummed that they've been canceled. I know I'll be tuning in to ABC on Saturdays at 9pm this summer.
(I've seen the final episodes of Pushing Daisies and they are excellent.)
01 May 2009 @ 11:15 pm
It appears lots of folks didn't know the cherry had gone walkabout.
Here ya go:
And here's the page about the sculpture in question: "Spoonbridge and Cherry".
Here ya go:
- The Cherry is Going on Vacation
- Removing the Cherry
- Refinishing the Cherry (this post has the most detail on where the cherry went and what was done to it)
- Putting the Cherry Back on the Spoon
And here's the page about the sculpture in question: "Spoonbridge and Cherry".
Current Location: Minicon party @ DemiCon