homemaking with loojie: 08/01/2002

Friday, August 30, 2002

Yahoo Finance abbreviates "Dow Jones Industrial Average" as "DJ Indu Average". When you look at this really quickly, it can appear to read "DJ Hindu Average." You know, that unimpressive South Asian radio personality.

Monday, August 26, 2002

This has never happened to me before.

Today, walking back to my car from the train station, I was accosted by a guy in an unassuming gold Toyota Camry. I didn't think much of it; there I was, dragging my pullman bookbag along Evelyn Avenue, when suddenly this fellow was there at the curb, waving to catch my attention. "Can I talk to you?" he asked me.

I immediately wondered what I'd done to offend him.

"Can I be straight with you?" he said.

"I beg your pardon?" I said, confused. He had an exotic accent. Middle Eastern, I guessed.

"Can I be straight with you." He seemed intent on doing so. I began to feel that pre-emptive guilt that invariably sprouts from the base of my skull at the first hint of any accusation.

"Uhm, OK," I said warily.

"Listen," he said, "you are so sexy -- I mean -- do you want to go somewhere, for an ice cream maybe, have a Coke, a drink?"

I stopped myself from guffawing out loud. Was he serious?? "I'm married," I replied, allowing myself a big smile. I'm unaccustomed to flattery involving my physical appearance, since it's far from the most noteworthy aspect of my identity, at least as I see things. I guess this means that I've now lost enough weight to actually appear attractive to the average passerby. Or something.

The guy pulled his car away from the curb without another word, shrugging and grumbling to himself. I called after him: "Have a nice day."

Sunday, August 25, 2002

Even if you don't go to law school, you still never know when you may need to look something up in Latin.

Friday, August 23, 2002

It's bad enough that I've started concerning myself with how much I weigh on Earth. Now there's a site that tells you how much you weigh on the other planets as well.

Wednesday, August 21, 2002

This is fascinating, but nauseating at the same time. Did you know you can have cremated human remains made into genuine gem-grade diamonds?

From Alyssa: the real truth about what you'll become when you play Dungeons and Dragons.

Sunday, August 18, 2002

Anata no hiza ni suwattemo yoroshii deshoka?

We've recently -- actually, about an hour ago -- redecorated our living room. Where previously the wall behind our couch was adorned with a simple framed print of white lilies on a navy-blue field, that same wall now features four massive Chinese watercolor-painted scrolls. One for each season, you see: bamboo for winter, cherry blossoms for spring, orchids for summer and chrysanthemums for fall.

My husband wishes, at times quite fervently, that he were Japanese. Why this would motivate him to purchase a set of four Chinese watercolor-painted scrolls is beyond me, but that's what he did, and now they're hanging up in our living room.

I justify this purchase in my mind by imagining these scrolls decorating the Zen room that will be dedicated to my husband's Asiaphilia in our eventual house that we'll eventually purchase, eventually. Meanwhile, I'm reminded how little I enjoy "fusion design." *sigh*

Wednesday, August 14, 2002

Remember that sadassed admissions dude at Princeton who hacked the Yale admissions website? Well, it turns out he was actually a dean. Not any more.

Tuesday, August 13, 2002

Frustrated by market ups and downs? Find out what you're really worth. As in, intrinsically. Or something.

In case you're wondering, I'm apparently worth exactly $2,088,544.00. Time to buy that house in Los Altos.

(Link courtesy of Erin.)

Monday, August 12, 2002

I want this laptop, but can't decide if I want it enough to actually buy it.

Just when you think country music can't outdo itself, it does.

Sunday, August 11, 2002

I knew it! Of course you don't need eight glasses of water a day. "The journal asked [researcher Heinz Valtin] to review all the scientific studies he could find and he concluded that someone misinformed has been telling people to drink large amounts of water when most do not need to."

You heard it here first, kids.

Saturday, August 10, 2002

	Yuoo ere-a zee Svedeesh Cheff! Yuoo ere-a a guud cuuk, thuoogh yuoo cun't speek Ingleesh fery vell. Bork Bork Bork!
*Take the What Muppet Are You?* Quiz!**

You've heard of Apocalyptica, the cello quartet that covers Metallica songs. Now there's Sabbatum: "An amazing collection of Black Sabbath tunes played on medieval instruments and sung in Latin language."

I may be weird, but I really like this stuff.

Friday, August 09, 2002

Check it -- my favorite greengrocer now has their own website!

Thursday, August 08, 2002

My husband now wants one of these.

If you've got some time on your hands, this excellent Policy Review essay is worth a read: Al Qaeda’s Fantasy Ideology.

Tuesday, August 06, 2002

Pop, pop, pop ad infinitum with Perpetual Bubblewrap.

Monday, August 05, 2002

I'm still giggling over this New York Times article, one of the cuter ones I've read lately. See, I'm not a religious person; but now, as it turns out, I'm actually postsecular and didn't even realize until now.

In search of some folkloric background on ancient pre-Italian jewelry, I found this terrific resource: C. G. Leland's Etruscan Roman Remains.

Sunday, August 04, 2002

Here's an excellent collection of .wav files, featuring quotes from Tweety Bird. Courtesy of the fantastic Tweety Town site.

homemaking with loojie