It's just stairs, people

Look at this...a-maz-ing...

http://www.stairporn.org/tags/wooden%20stairs/

A drink with jam and bread

No matter how many times I see this thing I tear up a little. It is a pure happiness that rushes over me. Who cares that it is for some "reality" tv show, we all go along with the fantasy because we are all looking for evidence of the brotherhood and sisterhood of humankind. This feels like that. And they picked the perfect song.
I am sure you have all seen it already, but I don't think that one can see it too many times. Enjoy!

But why let the facts slow down a good headline?

Here's some of that food for thought I promised you....
after you read this wonderful article, add these 5 little jems to your critical thinking todo list...
1 Do the Conclusions Fit a Little Too Well With Cultural Stereotypes?
2 Does the Study Agree With the Headline?
3 Can You Spot the Double Standard?
4 Is There Another Conclusion That Would be Just as Valid?
5 Is the Study Even Science?

The article is by Beth Skwarecki who I would like to thank for introducing me to Ben Goldacre, who writes the “Bad Science” column for the UK’s Guardian....I can't wait to dive into some of his old articles.
links to follow, for the good stuff:)
have a beautiful evening

DIY and BWO, maybe I am a lazy snob?

while puttering around the blog block, I found some jems to share.
Mental Multivitamin and from there; Semicolon.
and this... which tickled my funny bone and took the pressure out of something that was suppose to be fun in the first place, and then turned into a chore that I was skillfully avoiding. But now, with my new BWO mantra, it just might be fun again.
What started this little treasure hunt?
Why, I was googling ( I just Googled google-ing to make sure that was the right way to say it, HA!) a quote from The Hours to see if it was something that was from Virginia Wolf or just from the movies interpretation of her. She says "I choose not the suffocating anesthetic of the suburbs, but the violent jolt of the Capital..." And I thought it was so poetic and pin pointed how I feel about urban life, my urban life, that I wanted to know more...
I have noticed a trend with a lot of my friends and family towards 'getting off the grid', homeschooling, homesteading,DIY, etc. and while I admire it for many reasons, I have to say I am confused by it as well. It often seems paired with a distaste for cities. It seems like a distrust of people, and a need to retreat. I am all for the DIY ethic, but what is your time worth? For example making your own bullion, which I read recently someone I know was doing. If it's only 2 dollars in the store, but takes you all day to make...? Is that the best use of your brain, and multiple talents? and I know we pooh-pooh at people who have the gardeners, housekeepers, etc. but if you were free from scrubbing the tub, and in turn helping support a small business (your dog walker, for instance), is it really that bad? I guess my point is what would you be doing, if you were free to be doing it? 2 more hours a day to dance, paint, write that book? I am not in that position yet, so I am going to scrub my tub. But you can bet your butt that my work ethic won't disappear when I can afford to have someone else scrub it for me. I will just have a clean tub AND time to go skip rocks with my husband. or blog. I realize that I am making a value judgment as to what it right for my time, so don't be offended if you are into making dehydrated goodies for your family in your spare time.For those that have the courage to start their own small businesses making soap or baking bread, need patrons too.I think I am just fascinated about where we draw the lines with our money and our time, aren't you?

I love it!

Time

and speaking of expressing yourself...I often find it hard to make my point of view clear because I mix in emotion, when I should stick to straight facts. In the midst of an issue like Prop. 8, emotions run high, so I was glad to find this lovely article, that says so clearly what I feel, but sometimes can't put into words. Thank you Joseph L. Conn for doing that for me. Yes, I am aware that prop 8 passed, but with the way our system works, it is going to be a back and forth battle for sometime. Just look at prop 4. This is the 3rd time we have voted it down in California, and I am sure we will be seeing something similar to it on the next ballot. Evolution is a slow process; look how long it took for women to get the vote.Susan B. Anthony died 14 years, 5 months and five days before passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. She had worked all her life for this one gift, and I am grateful to her every time I step into that voting booth for her dedicated life.
So don't get frustrated whatever way you believe. Just pick your side, and know that it will take time, time, time. I've picked mine.

Expess Yourself hey, hey

The Madonna concert last night rocked! She was non-stop dancing, she jumped double dutch! On her old songs, she gave them new twists, and she even did one from Evita, which I love(d). My favorite Madonna song is Crazy for you, she didn't do that one, but she did basically everything else I could have wanted so I am by no means complaining. It was a great show. Thank you Michael and Peter!