Links
Home
Mike and Lauri
Old Journal
Lists of reads, poetry, films, etc

Blogs I check out cause they are better at finding stuff
LILEKS (James) The Bleat
Fraters Libertas
HughHewitt
Andrew Sullivan
Common Sense and Wonder
A Mind That Suits
Talking Points Memo
Matt Margolis
Chief Wiggles
The Marmot's Hole
The Winds of Change
Instapundit
Peeve Farm
what-o!
One Hand Clapping
Voices: Stories from 9 11 and Beyond
God Talk
La Shawn Barber's Corner

What I read on the www
Tucson Arizona news
What's going on at work
National Review
Blackmask
The New Colonist
WSJ Opninion Journal
The New York Times
The Washington Post
The Los Angeles Times
New York Post
Townhall
Steyn Onlin
Arts &Letters Daily

Stats

Bike, walking, transit and urban blogs
Bicycle-Eye
Velorution
The Cycling Dude
Johnny Payphone
City Comforts
Atlantalarry
The New Colonist
Live from the Third Rail
Joyrides Without Maps
Trail Journals
Going Underground's Blog
73bus
Urban Tapestries
Neil Gaiman's Journal

Cooking
Alton Brown - Good Eats Guy
FoodBlog
Recipe Maven's Journal
The Accidental Hedonist

This and That
Cronaca
Nature is Profligate

Testing
Coming back after a long time to see if it still works.

Moving Time
I'm trying out Live Journal right now so come over and see me at www.livejournal.com/users/byways/.

Cotton Candy
Topic: Poetry
Walk, walk, walk, walk
Along the street and tired
Eyes lift to the clouds made of
Orange cotton candy in a sky
Thinking of losing the day.

Walk, walk, walk, walk
Feet tired but look at the sky.
Look at the moon in a fat crescent
Welcoming the evening and
Silvering the twilight.

Walk, walk, walk, walk
Others walk and fade into
The twilight. The dark.
Just a little more and then
The bus. Sit on the bus.

Terrible, horrible, no good day (days?)
Topic: Whatever
I messed up my computer on Sunday morning and spent the entire day restoring it and trying to fix it. One problem is that it's a Windows 98 and so old that when I had to download new updated versions of some programs, they didn't like it. The new programs (and may I say that it's really tacky that you can't download old programs) made other programs not work (and may I say that I am so ticked at Microsoft I even started looking at getting a Linux operating system).

I do need to upgrade my OS and it would be interesting to try Linux and if that doesn't work, move on to a new Microsoft upgrade (Ugggg!). I don't dislike Microsoft for making money but for trying to control my computer. The Internet Explorer is the biggest problem. I had to get a new MSMoney which requires the latest version of IE but the latest version of IE closes down when I try to get around in Yahoo so I had to install Netscape to use with Yahoo and am so pissed off at all this messing around.

I was still thoroughly stressed on Monday since I was so upset on Sunday (no computer!) and didn't sleep well so I then managed to not have a real happy Monday. This morning I have a dentist appointment, but it's only a cleaning, so I'm hoping a more leisurely arising and such due to the cleaning, will lead to a better day.

Autism
I took the
The Autism Quotient Test at Newsweek and got a score of 31. That's a bit high I think. Average is 11-22, men usually score 17 and women 15. 23-31 is above average, 32-50 is very high (high functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome score about 35). I've known I was a bit skewed toward the autism side on the continuum but I do think that 31 is a bit high. Maybe it's because I've been helping with training for two weeks at work and all that perkiness and being "up" have really got me down.

I've always had a problem with all the social cues that everyone gets and can't read people very well. I function ok though and enjoy social occasions to some extent as long as I can have some down time by myself. It's better as I get older since I don't worry so much about what people think of me. I do know that I'm considered cold and unfriendly by some people, which isn't true but I don't really know how to change that. Let's change that last sentence a little I do know sort of know how to act friendlier but it's often such an effort and I don't know why people need me to constantly reaffirm that I love them. We aren't talking about significant others or family members but people I just meet at work or wherever.

Ever since I read much about autism or asperger I realized I leaned toward that. What is irritating is I seem to have more of the the social ineptness than the genius and brilliance in math or such. Damn, you'd think that if I have to be a klutz at relationships I should have some compensating ability, but I haven't found it yet.

Ok I scored high on the autism test, I score high on the ADD tests, I'm INTP and I'm still functioning and raised two really wonderful children. Not bad.

Sky at evening
Topic: Walking through the world
I'm still trying to get in five miles a day of walking except when I ride my bike to work so I'm beginning to see some beautiful sunsets since between walking the five miles, the bus ride to take care of the rest of way home and stopping at a store, it's getting close to 7:00 pm when I get home. There were some beautiful pink clouds to the west but to the west the cky was that clear twilight light blue that is so beautiful. I always think of it as eggshell it looks so fragile and delicate.

Wilcat Welcome
Topic: Whatever
I helped for two hours yesterday morning and I am so sore today. Actually just my upper arms. Wildcat Welcome is when we help the students move into the dorms. It really is fun. We had a dorm that is mostly freshman and the parents and kids were a little hyper but grateful for the help. A couple even tried to tip us even though that's not allowed.

Yesterday was the first day they could move in. We arrived at 9:00 when they could start coming and it looked so empty but within a few minutes we had all the work we could handle. At least the dorm we were assigned to had an elevator. One down the road had no elevators and three floors. A couple of us helped helped one girl carry some stuff to her third floor room in that one and it was hard but she should stay in good shape.

In the afternoon I spent a couple hours helping made Id cards for the students, and a few employees. It was fun. We have the same setup as DMVs and the end product is a little plastic card. I don't use mine much except for checking books out of the library and getting into our building when we work on Saturday when you not only have to swipe your Catcard to get in the building but to make the elevators move. The students use them for everything so parents were anxiously putting cash on the cards and worrying about the meal plan.

Last week I spent an afternoon at the international students orientation since I work in the tax area of our payables and payroll, so I have truly been a part of welcoming the students this year. Usually I just notice that there seem to be more people walking around the university. It is nice to see them back, not just because they are why we are here, but there's an energy they bring.

Fresh basil
Topic: Food
I'm trying to grow some herbs on my balcony and it's so so. The tarragon and rosemary are trying to die. The cilantro is just sitting there, but the basil and mint are growing like crazy. I picked a bunch of the basil and mint and hung them up to dry and then realized the basil would be great with the chicken breasts I needed to cook.

I chopped a handful of basil leaves finely and added a couple cloves of minced garlic. I mixed this with olive oil and rubbed it all on the chicken breasts. These were broiled about 12 minutes on the first side and 6 minutes on the second side. I had the broiler a little far away at first so it took longer than I expected.

I softened some chopped onions in olive oil and added black rice (forbidden rice) and let it heat in the oil for a couple minutes. Then I added vegetable broth and some tarragon (dried, bought) and salt, covered it and let it cook till the water was gone.

With the chicken and rice I had grapes and carrot sticks so it was a yummy supper. The best part is that I cooked up two packages of chicken breasts so I cut the rest into chunks and put portions in plastic baggies and froze them. These are great for lunches as they are really finger foods, if you just let them thaw, and the next week is going to be so busy I doubt I will get a real lunch hour.

Lower the carbs
Topic: Food
It's still too hot to cook much but eating all those sandwiches is putting a few pounds back on so I went out and bought all kinds of fruits and veggies so I'll eat f & v instead of bread. I also bought some chicken so I'll need to cook that but I plan to keep it as simple as possible.

I just received a new issue of Cooking Light so I'm sure that by the time I've read through it I'll be psyched up to cook something.

Working and walking
Topic: Walking through the world
I had to work today and my niece is getting married and I couldn't be there so the first part of the day rather sucked. It was cooler today so I decided to just walk to my usual weekend errands in an effort to improve the day, so I did and managed to rack up 5.55 miles, according to my GPS. This is only outside, where GPS tracks and only when I remember to turn it on. I have to turn it off when I'm on the bus so it doesn't count the miles done on the bus.

I just don't like riding my bike everyday but if I don't keep track of my walking I tend to take it easy. I'm trying to walk five miles any day I don't ride my bike to work.

I do feel better but my feet hurt. I haven't done as much walking recently because of the heat so I'll have to keep it up to get my feet in shape. I also need to wear walking shoes instead of sandals, but it is just too hot for closed shoes.

The foods of summer
Topic: Food
Since the heat hit I've degenerated to eating deli food, frozen dinners and cottage cheese with whatever fruit I have on hand. Basically anything to keep from cooking. I'm still eating lots of fruit but I just can't handle much cooking. In the fall I'll start looking at recipes again.

Actually I do cook occasionally but it's things like boiling eggs for breakfast and making toast. I am becoming good at making great sandwiches. In fact I've got quite a selection of sliced meats and cheese and I picked up some good bread today, parsley swiss and cinnamon raisin. It really is possible to eat well without cooking. Sort of!

Evolution's Rainbow - by Joan Roughgarden
Topic: Books - Mystery
Joan Roughgarden is a transgendered woman. Ok, she used to be a man, or, at least, had a man's body. I think this is a very interesting and important book but I did get confused as to what people were when she was talking. She started with showing the many sexual and gender types in animals and then leads into the many types of sexual and gender types and expressions in humans. Part of this is the many types of genetic diversity in humans that isn't really talked about.

I've always thought that sexuality was on a continuum but it seems to be more like a tree. I also never really considered that there was a difference between gender orientation and sexual orientation. She brings up the cloning and genetic manipulation and how so often this is also a part of trying to make people be "right", "perfect", "the way they are suppose to be".

This is an excellent book.

With Intent to Kill - by Dell Shannon
Topic: Books - Mystery
After getting home I spent the rest of the day doing a little cleaning and finishing up books that I had started. Here's two of them and I have more to go. I have such a bad habit of starting too many books at once and then not being able to finish some of them so I'm trying to finish them.

This is the 19th Lt. Luis Mendoza mystery. It starts with Higgins' own daughter's birth, though he couldn't be happier having his two step children, the children of Dwyer who was shot down in a bank. Meantime the detectives of LAPD Homicide are keeping busy.

A man is shot while walking his dog. A policeman is shot when pulling a car over for a traffic violation. A young lady is found strangled by the railroad tracks which turns into an interesting mystery. A telephone lineman is shot by a paranoid householder. They are sure a candy maker has just killed for the third time and may get away with it again.

Geopsychology Walking
Topic: Walking through the world
I actually got up early enough today that it was still cool and at 7:00 I started out to try a little Psychogeography walking. See my entry on July 3rd, about the Utne article, though the correct link to Glowlabs is glowlab.blogs.com/.

I decided to go with the First Left, Second Right and First Right, starting with walking west on Broadway right outside of my apartments. I wandered through the residential area south of Broadway which made for interesting wandering since many of the streets are cul-de-sacs and I had decided that I wouldn't consider that a valid turn. Some streets are blocked by walls due to the commercial buildings on Wilmot. I walked along some nice residential areas and crossed a wash at Harvard and Malvern, where I stopped to take some pictures. I finally ended up at Wilmot and Barnan.

I crossed Wilmot and wandered south of Park Mall ending up in a park that runs along the south and west sides with a wall between the park and the mall. I had sort of realized there was a park there but had never walked through it. It's nice though there's not much there, just trees, grass and a couple back stops if someone wants to hit a ball, but no real ball fields. I pretty much quit counting at this point as it was 8:00 and getting hot.

I walked through the park and entered Park Mall to enjoy the cool. I kept getting passed by the power walkers taking advantage of the room to move before the crowds appear. I figured I had done enough walking and walked over the Starbucks where I sat and read for an hour. What a great way to start a day.

Schooled to Kill - by Dell Shannon
Topic: Books - Mystery
This is the 17th Lieutenant Luis Mendoza mystery. Yes, I am reading them all again, if I can find them, though not in order. An eight year old girl is raped and left in Elysian Park and all the detectives look at their own children more protectively. I thought it was interesting that the girl's teacher allowed to her walk home alone six blocks to pick up a book she had forgotten to bring. This was written 1969 and now, 2004, it would be unthinkable for an eight year old to walk six blocks by themselves much less be allowed to by a teacher. It's rather sad really. I doubt there are any less children being abused since if you are a sicko, you'll find a way.

A guy comes into the station to report that a total stranger has asked if he wants to kill someone for money. A body is found in the trunk of a car that has been parked in a neighborhood for a couple days. A lady is found dead in a Union Station restroom from a bungled abortion. A man goes starts shooting at people in the street from his house. The usual craziness of humanity.

At home Luis, a confirmed cat person, is confronted by an English sheepdog that stowed away in his wife's car. Their four cats, and Luis, are not happy but the dog loves them and along with Alison refuses to send the dog to the pound to be killed.