Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Building Blocks
I have mentioned the site The Big Picture before, and even dedicated a post to it. This site showcases some amazing photography, and also highlights events we might not otherwise see in normal news outlets. I was struck by today's feature, the 25th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival at a park in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. The fact that all of these structures are made of ice and colored and lit within is hard to believe. The size of these structures is staggering, and must have been even moreso in person.
The two pictures above are just a taste, you have to see them all. On the actual Big Picture site, the pictures are huge and you can really see the detail. Click here.
Monday, January 5, 2009
And in this Corner...
Yes, I am sharing yet another video, but I had to post this once I found a decent copy on You Tube. Once again, this is live television, which makes the whole thing even better.
This clip doesn't need much explanation, it is just a morning show where the guest is an animal trainer of some sort who has brought along a kangaroo. There is some costumed character known as Marty Monster (I suppose a regular member of the show) wandering about, and the fact that the character looks beyond ridiculous in the first place is just perfect.
Watch through the entire clip as the kangaroo does not give up!
Enjoy!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Not Necessarily the News
I have to admit I have a weakness for watching blooper videos, but especially news blooper videos. I guess it is the whole live tv thing, and the seriousness with which the reporters are delivering their reports while chaos ensues. I don't know, but they make me laugh out loud.
Thought I would share a particularly good compilation. Be sure and watch until the very end. The last few seconds are too funny!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Did you know I go to Paris every day?
I do. And you can too. Or to Lisbon, or Tokyo, or Los Angeles. I do this by visiting the Paris Daily Photo Blog every day, and although I would much rather be wandering the cobblestone streets of Paris in person, I do feel a sense of connection to my favorite city through this blog.
Most major cities, and some not-so-major cities have these sites or blogs, and it is fun to virtually travel and see some local sights, especially as the seasons change, or during the holidays.
Eric, who runs the Paris Daily Photo site, has a list of most of the other city daily photo sites on his blog. Take a peek. A warning- it can get addictive!
The picture above was from the Paris Daily Photo blog today, and I just loved it. One of the things I loved about wandering around Paris was happening upon beautiful statues and sculptures everywhere, hidden in private and public gardens, just waiting to be discovered. This one, just dusted with snow, I thought was so gorgeous. Eric does an especially wonderful job of capturing some beautiful shots in Paris.
Let me know if you "travel" anywhere and find a great site!
Read more...
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Ending the Year Without Pants
If you had a crazy night last night that involved lots of alcohol, or a crowded party, dancing, singing, and counting down the last seconds until the New Year, my hat is off to you, no matter how hung over or tired you may be this morning. For my New Year's Eve, I had a good dose of humiliation. For my friends that know me well, you all can just shake your heads and add another episode of my mayhem to the list. I swear I don't know how this crap always happens to me. I have not, however, lost the lesson on this one.
I actually started by having a fairly decent afternoon. I saw two movies, Doubt and Marley and Me, and really liked them both. I had visited Sam's Club earlier to stock up on a few things and came home to unload my car after the movies. That was when the first not-so-fun thing happened. I had purchased a "flat" of ginger ale at Sam's, one of the long, low cardboard trays filled will single cans meant to save me money. When I opened the back of my car, somehow the flat became airborne and the cans went flying. It was dark and cold and ginger ale was hissing and spitting out of the cans from all directions, and of course cans roll, so I was busy chasing the cans all down my driveway and the street. So, twenty minutes later, I finally have a few cans left in the tray and am headed to my back door to go inside my house. I barely get the door open when a rocket of fur and paws flies by me out onto the deck. This rocket is also known as Baxter, my cat who has recently decided that it is way fun to fly out the door when I come home and make me chase him, terrified he will be squashed by oncoming traffic nearby. I throw the ginger ale inside, run after Baxter, catch him, finally get inside my house, pissed and covered in ginger ale (which is sticky), and now cat fur.
My jeans took the brunt of the ginger ale spraying, so I take those off and then remember that I have a package laying on the front doormat. I had seen it while driving by my house circling to park in back. So, for some reason, sans jeans, I think I can barely crack the door open and quickly swipe the small package from the doormat. I go to do this, and as I do, rocket cat gets a second wind and shoots past/under me, I don't know. I manage to grab him BY THE TAIL, but he pulls me outside. I don't want the other cats to get out (I have 2 others), so I pull the door just barely closed, but as I do this, Baxter yanks me, and bang! the door slams shut AND LOCKED. I am now standing on my front porch in a CROPPED sweatshirt and panties. I say cropped sweatshirt, because I want to stress that I could not be wearing a nice oversized sweatshirt that covers anything, but a cropped sweatshirt that barely reaches the top of my underwear. And COLD? Did I mention how COLD it is???? I reach down and grab Baxter, who is squirming and making noises like a toddler I have robbed of playtime, and I literally started to cry. But then, of course, several cars drove by and started to honk. And I had to laugh. I was trying to wait for the streets to be empty before running around the side of my house-under the bright streetlamps-to the back door-PRAYING IT WAS UNLOCKED. So anyway, finally, I did run around the house and my back door was unlocked. Once inside, Baxter flopped down and looked at me as if to say, Whew! I am tired!
Little shit.
So the lesson I learned? NEVER remove your pants before getting a package from the front porch. Ever.
AND, I am so glad 2008 is over. I didn't stay up to ring in the new year. I went to bed soon after my semi-streaking incident. I have had enough of 2008. I wanted 2009 to get here as fast as possible.
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