October 2008

links for 2008-10-24

  • I wish there was early voting in my state. If there was, I would take advantage of it, especially so it would be easier to take PunditGirl, now a third-grader, to the polls with me to vote. She's still going with me, but we may have to stand in line for a while to make that happen, rather than the quick in and out I try for in the slower daytime voting.
  • This week has really opened my eyes to something I never noticed before. Those few weeks where I really wasn’t spending any money, I didn’t feel deprived. I wasn’t fighting with myself to not spend money. It just became habit. But then, once I did start spending, boy, oh boy, did I spend. It became easier and I had less feelings of guilt the more I did it. That’s scary. It's seems that, for me, spending is definitely a slippery slope. And I have absolutely no interest in seeing what's at the bottom of that slope.
  • Ok, is it just me? Or do plus-sized departments just plain suck? Why is it impossible to find anything nice that doesn't scream stripper (ummm yeah size 22 should NOT come in skimpy styles…) or only look like the little suits with jackets that my grandma would wear.
  • Have you found yourself thrust into the role of having to give potentially painful care to a loved one? Any words of wisdom to share with those who might find themselves in that position someday?
  • Neo-haggling is being hailed as the latest trend in shopping.It is the art/passion of looking and asking for a discount on everything you buy. I didn't know it but I am a leaning-neo-haggler. While I don't haggle for everything I buy, I absolutely haggle on many items.

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Black Juice

On Tuesday, Prince J said several times — “No more short stories, YAY!” or ” Thank goodness we are finished with short stories!” The boy is not a fan of short stories and I can understand that. Some short stories for kids and teens really really stink. But, some are fantastic.

That sums up how I felt about Black Juice. I loved some of the stories, others I wanted to just sleep through.

The elephants – loved.
Wooden bride – loved.
Yowlinins – loved.
The tar pits – fascinated but not sure I loved it. I’d like to read the book, she should write the short story into a book.

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links for 2008-10-23

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links for 2008-10-22

  • This is the first of several interviews with women in technology. Today you'll learn about Shelley Powers. Shelley is perhaps best known as a writer. Her most recent books are Learning JavaScript and Painting the Web. She's also a programmer and web developer, and she applies a powerful and logical mind to everything she does.
  • Lonely is like your shadow. Sometimes, it's just there. Does it matter? Often not. I can't really do anything about feeling Lonely sometimes. It can creep up on me when I'm home alone just as easily as it pops up in a crowd of friends. Lately, I've been feeling really good. About my life, about my friends, about my work. But Lonely is there, too. I invite Lonely to the party, because I believe strongly that the best way to deal with feelings is to feel and acknowledge them.

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links for 2008-10-21

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The Undead Kama Sutra

The Undead Kama Sutra is another one of those books plucked off of the “just returned” library shelf. Both the title and the cover were appealing, so into the bag it went.

Darn, it’s the third book in a series. I hate reading books out of order – even if you don’t have to read them all to know what’s going on, I think you get more out of the characters if you’ve watched them in the books that came before.

It’s a wee bit Christopher Moore-like, a wee bit Carl Hiaasen-like, it’s even a week bit Douglas Adams-like. It was also a wee bit amusing. Gotta go back and read the first two!

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links for 2008-10-20

  • Halloween doesn't have to be all about the candy, even when kids are involved. With a little planning ahead, you can have other Halloween treats that will still be tasty and fun. I've been scouring blogs for weeks looking for Halloween ideas, and I'll be sharing lots more Halloween tips next week, but today I'm here to encourage you to make some caramel apples this Halloween.
  • No matter where you stand on this, the question seems to be not only where the candidates stand on Net Neutrality, but how the policies and laws enacted over the coming months and years might end up affecting, or even controlling, our conversations on politics. Who controls the information pipelines? Will you be able to get to this website a year from now?
  • On Thursday, October 23, hip hop fans will tune into the BET Hip-Hop Awards. They will watch Lil Wayne battle it out with Jay-Z and Kanye West for winning the most awards. Viewers will also see performances by Young Jeezy, Ciara, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, and Nas, among others. What hip hop afficiandos won't see, however, are awards for female artists. Despite the success of British artists M.I.A. and Estelle, no women were nominated for a BET Hip-Hop Award, just as there were no women honored with awards at VH1's Hip-Hop Honors on October 6.
  • If you’re new to HauteLook, BlogHer readers will receive a $20 credit following the sign up process. Code: OliveandFriends

links for 2008-10-20 Read More »