My Oyster

Facebook in Real Life...

I saw this on a friend's blog and it really made me smile.

I watched it twice.

I am a Facebook fan, for sure - but you do have wonder about the difference between our approach to society online v. in real life...

Yankee Stadium Tonight...

502px-2008_MLB_All-Star_Game_Logo.svg, originally uploaded by guyonthecomputer.

I am watching the 2008 all-star game with my father. ZZZZZZZ.

Apparently it is a big deal cuz the game is being played at Yankee Stadium during this, its last year. The new one opens next year.

I have only been to Yankee Stadium once.

It was to see Patti LaBelle and Cyndi Lauper perform for 55,000 screaming fans at the closing ceremonies for Gay Games IV which were planned to coincide with Stonewall 25, the 25th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Inn riots in Greenwich Village in New York City, and the June 26th "International March on the United Nations to Affirm the Human rights of Lesbian and Gay People".

It was a memorable visit.

The Orchid Whisperer...

Orchids at Botanical Gardens, Medellin, originally uploaded by Frank Shufelt.

I recently became the proud father of some amazing orchids. Fifteen of them, to be exact.

I have no gardening experience. I do not have a green thumb. I once considered buying an orchid at Wholefoods - but it seemed like too much of a commitment at the time.

Fortunately, I got the gaggle (herd?) of orchids from a friend's mother who is an expert cultivator. She was careful in the clippings she gave me and sent along written potting instructions too.  She is wonderful. 

Also, fortunately, I have a friend - John - here in DC who is an expert on orchids. He even blogs about one of his beauties every friday. I call him the Orchid Whisperer.

John came over today and we spent 4 hours planting my orchid clippings. They now live out on my balcony. He thinks some of them should survive - even under my care.

I hope they survive. They were a very special gift and their path to my balcony in Columbia Heights was an exciting one.

The Language of Flowers...

All flowers have a meaning. The Victorians used to use flowers as a symbol to express their feelings.

I still use flowers to express my feelings.  I like to have fresh flowers around me at home - especially since I am working from my home now when I am in DC.  The tulips above are in my living room and looked especially radiant this weekend in the light at sunrise.

Now tulips in general mean fame, charity and the perfect lover.

For some reason on this trip to Whole Foods when presented with the rainbow of tulips, the yellow ones stood out.  Interestingly, the meaning of yellow tulips is...hopeless love.  Oh, those Victorians!

On the same shopping trip, I was struck by these daffodils.  The stems were so short and there were no blooms yet.  They were really kinda ugly - but look what they became. 

These are in my dining room and I look at them while I am working.

And the  meaning of Daffodils?  Respect.  So it seems appropriate that I have these daffodils in the bamboo vase that I got in Japan and that looks to me like a kimono.

And color? Doesn't color have meaning too. Of course it does.  But really, color has more than just meaning.  It has impact.

For centuries it's been known that colors can dramatically affect our health, inner harmony and even our emotions.  Color is a living energy. It is a property of light.

Yellow is the solar plexus chakra. It energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetite and helps in digestive problems. Spiritually it is the color of wisdom and connects us to our mental self.

Ahh...yellow - the perfect antidote for the tail end of winter!

Washington is not miserable...

Really.  Or at least not the most miserable.

Just ask Forbes magazine.

Misery is defined as a state of great unhappiness and emotional distress.  Forbes has come up with an index to measure the misery of the 150 largest cities in the U.S.

For all these cities, the misery index looks at the unemployment rates, personal tax rates, commute times, weather, crime and even some measure of pollution - or toxic waste really (the measure is superfund sites).

Washington was not in the top 10.  I am a bit surprised - as our crime is pretty bad as are our commute times.  I guess our weather is ok.  employment is probably pretty good and stable - thanks to the federal govt.  There really isn't a lot of toxic waste in DC - at least not in the literal sense.

So the big losers - home to the miserable masses...

1. Detroit, MI
2. Stockton, CA
3. Flint, MI
4. New York, NY
5. Philadelphia, PA
6. Chicago, IL
7. Los Angeles, CA
8. Modesto, CA
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Providence, RI

Yeah DC!  We aren't the most miserable!

For a video tour of the top ten - go here.

Say it with tulips!

I reeallly like tulips.  I love their simplicity and form and even their stems and leaves.  I like their basic coloring - very crisp but rich.

When I was in graduate school in Seattle, I would always try to have some fresh tulips in my house to keep me cheery during the drudgery of writing my thesis.  It usually worked.

To this day, I still try to get fresh tulips every week in the springtime.  The pic above is of some tulips at my parents house today.  Daryl is peeking around them. 

The pic below is of some tulips at my place in DC earlier this week.  It was snowing.

Now some fun Tulip facts:

Even though tulips are now commonly associated with Holland (and Washington state), they are originally from the Middle East and were the favorites of Turkish sultans.

In fact, the word "tulip" actually comes from the Ottoman Turkish word for turban or muslin.

When the tulip first arrived in Holland in the late 1500s, they were considered a precious commodity and even a single bulb cost lots-o-money.  Even the wealthy had trouble attaining a full bed of bulbs.

In Victorian times, red tulips were considered a declaration of love, making them an ideal gift for any romantic occasion.

Maybe getting tulips for myself every week is like declaring my love for myself on a regular basis.  Not such a bad idea...

This seems about right...

You Are a Yule Log

While you do have holiday spirit, you have a secret, heathen past.

What Holiday Food Are You?

and then I did some looking around - as I didn't really know what a yule log is.

A Yule log, sometimes known as the Great Ashen Faggot, is a large log which is burned in the hearth as a part of traditional Yule or Christmas celebrations in some cultures.

It can be a part of the Winter Solstice festival or the Twelve Days of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Twelfth Night.

The expression "Yule log" has also come to refer to log-shaped Christmas cakes, also known as "chocolate logs" or "Bûche de Noël".

Yes, I Did...

I took the pledge.  Buying handmade things. That is very cool. 

I like the rationale. 

It makes for better gift-giving.  Handmade gifts are one-of-a-kind and made with care that can be seen and touched.  They are the result of skill and craftsmanship that you don't find in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

It's better for people.  Buying handmade helps us reconnect.  Otherwise, we end up all looking alike.  We end up losing our ties to the local and human sources of our goods. 

It's better for the environment.  Handmade gifts are not a major cause of global warming or the poisoning of our environment.  Small-scale independent artists and crafters don't contribute to the mess of mass production.

I would add a fourth reason.  Buying handmade is more fun.  It's like shopping in an art gallery.  All the pieces are unique and have an interesting story.

I will do my best to live up to the pledge this holiday season. 

In truth, I am very attracted to handmade arts, crafts, and goods.  My favorite part of traveling is to look for locally made goods to bring home with me.  I like doing that at home in DC and Maine too.  So taking the pledge won't really be a hardship.  It's closer to me.

If you want to take the pledge or learn more - go here.

If you want to discover cool places to buy handmade - go here.

Enjoy! 

Apparently, I am writing this blog for 8 year olds...

I did this cute little web analysis of my blog.  It determined that the reading level of what I write here is just perfect for elementary school kids.  Ouch.

I also did the Huffington Post.  Ariana's blog reading level is Junior High.  A bit more high brow than me.  I guess I don't feel so bad though, cuz Dr. Phil's blog also requires an elementary school education.

In case any of you out there are interested...here is a top 10 list of additional reading for elementary school readers.

• The Folk Keeper • Franny Billingsley
• Walk Two Moons• Sharon Creech
• Because of Winn-Dixie • Kate DiCamillo
• Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key • Jack Gantos
• Among the Hidden • Margaret Peterson Haddix
• Our Only May Amelia • Jennifer L. Holm
• The Lives of Christopher Chant (3 book series) • Diana Wynne Jones
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe • C. S. Lewis
• The Thief • Megan Whalen Turner
• Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief • Wendelin Van Draanen

Must Love Dogs...

This dog is so sweet.  His name is Gauge.  I am not sure what breed he is.  Maybe pointer or somesuch.

He hangs out at the bike shop here in Augusta.  As soon as you get out of your car, he runs up to you and sniffs you and wants to get to know you.  So friendly. 

He made my day today when I picked up my bike.  I think I may be a dog person.

And...apparently, there are lots of reasons why dogs are better than men.  See here.