tiny = cute

even this page with a mini bagel recipe (which i want to try, maybe this weekend because yeah they do look good) admits tiny = cute. they also reference the site cuteoverload.com as a supportive of this notion. that site posts pictures of super cute little animals (mostly), a large number of which are cute primarily by virtue of their tiny size.

interestingly, i've had a number of conversations with various people lately about the whole tiny = cute thing. being not tiny, it definitely resonates. now, i know that you don't have to be tiny to be cute. that is, tiny is not a pre-requisite for cuteness. (i have to believe that; otherwise me and the rest of my amazonian family are scuh-rewed as far as cuteness is concerned). but it seems that anything (or anyone) tiny has a cuteness advantage, if you will. like, if cuteness were scored on a scale of 1-100, they would get to start with an extra 30 or so points, regardless of their "actual" (i.e., non-size related) cuteness.

so, that is why my sister and i emit a disdainful sigh when we see some cute tiny girl in her cute tiny clothes. it's not that we hate these girls or dislike ourselves, it's just that we are reminded of that point disadvantage that we were born into.

but we can totally reach the top shelves in the kitchen and kick those tiny cute people's butts in volleyball, so i guess it all evens out. plus, i'd rather be hot than cute. ha!

window or balcony

saw this on design*sponge this morning. it's a thingy called bloomframe that is both a window and a balcony. pretty cool idea. i can imagine this being great to use in a tiny space. anything to let the outdoors in a little more. they can add it to existing structures... i'm thinking my bedroom could use a balcony sometimes, since i have a nice woodsy view that i don't get to enjoy as much as would be ideal.

head. ache.

i got home and was happy to get my new memory card for my camera for my trip. it holds 1700 pics at the highest resolution i have, which i think will be plenty for sure. but...

i also got a letter from my health insurance company. apparently i was in the emergency room in a hospital in rockford, il (what the?) on feb 13th (huh?). this came as quite a surprise to me. i was nowhere near rockford on feb 13th, but my insurance was billed for $3100+ of emergency room charges. so i called my insurance company and they could, of course, do nothing for me. i called the hospital's billing department and didn't get a person, so left a voicemail. i'm not exactly holding my breath on getting a call back tonight. ugh. this is one of my biggest annoyances: when i have to take time out of my day and make a bunch of efforts to try to rectify some problem that i didn't have anything to do with. hopefully it gets resolved fairly easily - i've never had to deal with something like this before so it's totally unknown territory to me. i'm hoping that it was a simple clerical error rather than some huge fraud or identify theft. (knock on wood.)

parenting styles

i came across this article on yahoo! news this morning about how college students today are more narcissistic than those of previous generations. it's not surprising, and the article goes into how technology these days encourages self-centeredness and attention-seeking, which i definitely agree with. however, i think that it's a situation where certain areas of technology have grown (youtube, etc) because of the self-centeredness, rather than the idea that is is other way around (i.e., the technology leading to narcissistic views/behaviors).

it got me thinking... from my teenage years on, i would see children in stores, restaurants, etc. walking all over their parents. the kids always got their way, and the parents were hesitant to discipline them in any way (forget about a smack them on the butt) for fear of being seen as the enemy and having to deal with an unhappy kid. not shocking that these kids have tended to develop a monstrous sense of entitlement, which i think is definitely related to what the study found in terms of current college students' beliefs about their self-importance.

when i would see permissive parenting in action (ha), i remember repeatedly thinking about how my sister and i would never have gotten away with acting like that, particularly in public. we would have been promptly removed from the setting, told that how we were acting was unacceptable, and punished in some way. we likely cried, yelled at our parents, or even told them we hated them (sorry mom and dad), but it didn't damage us. we also were not brought up in the "everybody gets a trophy" world. we experienced loss and disappointment, which, while it must be difficult for parents to see their children go through, is important to learn about. we learned that we wouldn't always get what we wanted in life and how to cope with that. we learned humility and graciousness, and to be appreciative and thankful for what we had, rather than just expecting it to be given to us.

i don't know when the shift occurred from the authoritative parenting of my childhood to the more permissive style, but it seems to have been in the mid to late 80's. i'm hoping that others in my generation see the damage that exceedingly permissive parenting does and that, as a result, there is a swing back to more authoritative styles. i see more parents able to discipline their kids, and enough research and literature has come out about how parenting that combines love and limits (example here) is what is best for kids.

i'm planning on being a very loving and supportive parent when i have kids someday, and i completely believe in allowing children to have appropriate levels of independence and their own opinions, which they should feel they can share freely. but, there will definitely be rules and limits, which will be enforced.

i think my parents definitely brought us up right, and i hope that someday i can do the same for my kids.

decent day so far

today has started off pretty good. i'm most of the way recovered from being sick on friday and saturday, and feel rested and have a lot more energy than i did over the weekend. i also got told i look "super skinny" today, which made me feel good, though it may be mainly due to my not eating a lot over the weekend. it was definitely nice to hear either way. note to self: wear these pants more often.

the only frustrating thing right now is that there is a woman i work near who apparently thinks she works in isolation or that everybody in a 30 ft radius wants to hear her screen saver. usually she just cranks her music up way too loud so that we can all "enjoy" it (at least it's classical, so not intolerable). she just got a new screensaver, however, that has a delightful "chirping birds" sound effect. so, we all thought we were crazy hearing birds chirping, but soon figured out she was the culprit (as usual). it's like the people that leave their cell phones on super loud and leave them on their desks while away at meetings. i think the guy that does that is the same one i hear clipping his fingernails every so often.

shoe wheel

saw this on apartment therapy chicago. it's a storage wheel for your shoes, fits up to 30 pairs, and doesn't take up a lot of space. pretty cool, i thought, and probably much better than the laundry basket i pitch mine into at the end of the day. $65 at rakku designs.

addicted

yeah, i realized this morning that i'm now addicted to exercise. if i'm going to be addicted to something, at least it's something good for me. i'm to a point where if i go more than a day without doing something physical, my body gets mad at me and i feel lethargic, sick, and generally not myself -- withdrawal symptoms. i do need rest days here and there, which is fine, just not two days in a row with complete inactivity. i realize now that the source of my blah's yesterday was my relative laziness on monday and tuesday. i exercised last night and immediately felt much better, which has carried through to today. doesn't change my situation at work as far as feeling frustrated and bored, but at least it makes it more tolerable and helps me be more optimistic about making or finding some sort of change.

nikon s50c

i came across this camera this morning. it's soo cute and awesome. 7+ megapixels, all sorts of bells and whistles, it's teensy, and the coolest thing is that you can email pictures directly from the camera if you are in a wi-fi hotspot. this would be super cool for ireland if anybody is feeling insanely generous. :P it's about $350 from what i can tell.

modern + vintage

i'm obviously in the middle of browsing the design blogs i have bookmarked...

i saw this setup (from a display in a store called fresh kills featured on apartment therapy). I thought it was very cool looking, but probably a bit dark for my taste. i liked the curvy vintagey mirror in contrast with the clean lines of the modern/mid-century style couch. i tend to go for more modern designs, but really dislike the sterile look of all straight lines and minimalism. more visually interesting pieces like this mirror make a space feel more homey to me. i even think it serves to emphasize the lovely simplicity of the modern lines more than if those modern lines were surrounded and accented with more modern lines.

manly

saw this over on uncrate and thought it was cute/funny. this keychain is designed off the molecular structure of testosterone. pretty clever. struck me as appropriate given the recent exchange i had with my sister regarding manliness. while it is by definition manly, i don't think that this trumps the fundamental equation we derived (beer = man), particularly since a guy probably should not be trying to prove his manliness via a shiny keychain. also available in serotonin, with necklaces/earrings in caffeine, dopamine, acetylcholine, and estrogen. they maybe, just maybe, took this too far. i really shouldn't have dug around even that much. all sorts of nerdy stuffs on that site. at first glance too nerdy even for me, though i bet i could find something to buy.

tony blair

here is a little eye candy for my sister, who thinks tony blair is hot. i saw it and thought he looked pretty good, if a bit like an opera singer.

blah

for whatever reason, i really didn't feel like coming into work today. i think it's because things are slow, so i get quite bored. i'd rather be drowning in work at this point. something needs to change. i have my annual review with my boss tomorrow, so maybe something will come up then.

panniers

i'm torn regarding which blog this goes on. it's sort of related to training, but not for triathlon. i would say it falls more under "personal," so it's going here. i ordered my panniers for my trip to ireland. these bags will have to hold all my stuff for two weeks - eek! they come in a pair and attach to each side of a rear rack installed on the bike. they also have a shoulder strap and unhook from the rack easily, which will be nice and easy for when we have to unload for the night. i think the yellow will look way nice with the maroon bike i'm taking. they are so waterproof that they can be submerged completely underwater and your stuff will still stay dry! they weren't the cheapest panniers i found, but i figured i might as well just invest in good ones that will last a lifetime or two. ortliebs seem to get great reviews among experienced tourers. i, of course, scrounged the internet for the best deal, and wayne (www.thetouringstore.com) had the best prices by far. i got the last set of yellows in the '06 closeout "bin." he is super nice, you call the 800 number on his website to reach him. he was driving when i called, pulled over, and took my order right there on the spot. i love the mix of high tech internety stuff and low tech pen and paper order taking. i can't wait to get the bags and start really thinking about what i can and can't take along.

super clearance

i'm so proud of my bargain radar. i went over to rei (i could spend hours there) at lunch today to check out some panniers and other accessories for my trip to ireland in april/may, and came back with some good finds. i found some cycling shorts that i had been eyeing online. they were on sale online (and i'd link them but i can't find them on the website), but were on "super-clearance" at the store. originally $55, but i got the black pair for $20ish and the blue pair for $15ish. yes, i bought both colors. when you find a deal like that, you gotta buy both. they are mountain bike type shorts so they have the chamois and compression shorts underneath a baggier short. they will be nice for ireland since i probably won't feel like being in tighty shorts in every town we visit. they might even look good with my new cannondale cycling shirts i got for $10 (marked down from $60, yes i'm bragging here) from nashbar. also got a cutesy knit ski cap (also on super clearance).

cleverest

saw a great vanity plate today in the parking garage at work on my way in from lunch. it just said "my plate." kudos on your cleverness, whoever you are. stuff like that just makes me smile.

hey oh!

snowy snowy here in chicagoland today. the plows can't keep up and the drive in to work took me 3x what it normally does. on a positive note, we get to get out early so we can hopefully have a bit of an easier commute home. i'm supposed to drive up to swimming practice at 7:30 tonight, but unless something changes significantly, i don't think i'll be going. not worth the horrid drive. i'll swim on my own tomorrow or something.

robot valentines

saw these today on notmartha. thought it was too cute to not post. you can just download the adobe file and print them off yourself. the designs are simple and clever. from whirr.

bike chain bottle opener

how cute! the bottle opener handle is made out of a recycled (and cleaned haha) bike chain. the one pictured is their special valentine's day version, but they have regular ones all the time. from elsewares.

eternal embrace

i'm blogging like a nut today, i know...
i saw this picture and how perfect as we approach valentine's day, though i suppose it is a bit morbid. these hugging skeletons were found on an archaeological dig in italy. they are trying to figure out how long they have been buried and how old they were when they died. it is a very unique finding and the pictures are pretty amazing.

note to self

next time i need a flexible curtain solution, this is definitely the ticket. it is a telescoping rod system that goes floor to ceiling with an adjustable arm that you can hang a panel on. this way, there is no drilling, no holes, no worrying about where or how to mount hardware. it's not super cheap, but isn't outrageous, especially considering the flexibility. this could be used to divide up a room as well, though you would likely need to purchase several. overall, a very clever idea. found on better living through design.

help me raise money

if you have been following my other blog at all, you know that i am going to be raising money for the leukemia and lymphoma socity as a participant with team in training. links and info are available on my other blog. my fundraising page is set up now, and i wanted to post the link here. if you are able to post the link on a blog, or in your email signature or in some other way pass the information along so i can try to make my fundraising goal. the earlier i make it, the better! thanks!

phil is a liar

so much for early spring. we are getting snowed on here today, they said 3 inches, but it's going to be more and the commute tonight is going to be no fun. not nearly as much as the other side of the lake, but enough to clog the tollways and send cars into other cars. oh joy. and i have to go back out at 6:30 to attend a clinic/meeting thing. hopefully my car and i will both make it back in one chilly piece.

duh bears

it's a sad cold day in chicago. not only has it been negative a million degrees that past few days, but the bears had a horrible sad depressing game yesterday in miami. there are no words. you all know what happened, so i don't need to go into any detail about dropped snaps, bad throws, etc etc etc, but needless to say it was a long drive home. um, yeah not much else to say. i do like peyton manning, though, so it was good to see him win. only wish it hadn't been against the bears.

ireland

i'm so excited! i just got approval from my boss to take two weeks off at the end of april - beginning of may to go to ireland. my friend and i will by cycling the irish countryside, staying in hostels and bed and breakfasts, eating and drinking at pubs and just enjoying ourselves. i've never been overseas before and ireland has always been in my top 5 places i'd like to visit, so needless to say, i'm ecstatic. i kept trying to convince myself to go ahead with it, and finally a coworker was like, "stop trying to sell yourself on it. just go." i'm so glad for the opportunity and am already thinking about what to pack. i'll need to pack light since i'll be carrying everything on my bike with me!

update: tickets bought! flying out on april 28th and returning may 13th. window seats each way. sorry i won't be around for your birthday, mindy, but i'm counting on a souvenir making up for it!