Fun with Fridge Assembly

Today I assembled a fridge (refrigerator). There is something so rewarding and satisfying about putting appliances together or taking them out of the box and pluging them in and they work. I do not often get this feeling in science. They have parts and the parts all go together and they are new and shiny! I was a bit flumoxed for a bit because it appeared a piece was missing. But as I was taking the packing list and highlighting which parts we had received (this procedure was done after I had put the fridge together, however the directions say to do this first), it said there were six brakets. I remembered unpacking six brackets, but when I opened the door there were only four. So I looked back to where I had unpackaged the brackets and there sitting on top of a computer was the assembled brackets and bar. Ahh Success!
Now if I could just figure out how to remove the ice maker?!

More Things

16. I've played the piano, flute, oboe, bassoon, french horn (very very briefly).
17. I've always wanted to learn the cello.
18. The only trophy I've ever won was for a basketball shootout at age 12, were I didn't make one basket. I got second place because only two people showed up in my age group. Yeah me!
19. I plan to run a dog kennel when I retire.
20. When I first learned to swim at 5, the life jacket (big and orange) kept tipping me backwards dunking my head underwater. Luckily my parents got me a cool yellow water ski belt, and the problem was solved.

Oops thinking out loud or Nice Arms

A new Sigma rep stopped by the lab the other day, and he was probably a body builder type, because he had the largest arms I've ever seen in person. Now being a bit hormonal, I actually blurted out "WOW" as he was introduced. Now if I had followed with "Nice Arms" I think it would have been less awkward, but I went into "Hi how you doing mode". I actually was thinking, "Damn, those are huge arms, bet they'd look nice rapped around me". Now I'm not really into big beefy guy types but this guy was pretty cute.

Fireflies are cool!

So I've been devoting a half hour between 2 and 3 am to watch the fireflies in my barkyard. Thanks to a small wood in the backyard they are quite prolific. It's like Christmas. I never knew they like woods, I thought they were mostly grass bugs. I also wonder how these little guys got their light up butts in the first place. With the cool breeze and the twinkling lights I twist in my bed to get the best view, though eventually I have to resume normal position and go to sleep.

A Few More Things About Me (This time I couldn't come up with 10)

11. I started my house on fire in high school. The yard/pool light had fallen over on the roof (wooden shingles) of which anyone had neglected to tell me. When I tried to turn the light on, it only got a tad brighter outside, I couldn't figure out was wrong. I flipped the switch a couple of times trying to determine which was off. I picked the wrong one. Light was on. About 30-60 minutes later, it got much brighter outside (due to the roof being on fire). Luckily a volunteer fire fighter was a neighbor and arrived very quickly, jumped on the roof with our garden hose, and we ended up with only medium size hole in the roof. The kicker, it was my parents anniversary. Ooopps.
12. I played a young boy in a college play in 6th grade. This was the first time I received a dozen roses.
13. Sad to say I spent a 100 dollars on fireworks last year of which we couldn't light half off because of the wind. The 1/2 we did light off were really cool though!
14. My favorite sitcom is "Frasier". Though I prefer the shows not about Frasier. He can get whiney and repetitive.
15. Being from South Dakota, I got my driver's license at 14. I passed drivers ed, but only because I got an A on the book learning.

Calling those with Egos, Kids, or Pets

The post office has make your own stamps. How cool is that! Yes that means friends and family are bound to end up with stamps of my pets. Perhaps some of my travel. Check out: www.photostamps.com

wildlife prarie park picts

A few photos from our trip:





Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Chip, or Dale?



These guys were oh so cute!



Oh, Home on the Range, Where the deer and the antelope play, and the buffalo roam



This poor bobcat was stalking a blue bird. It didn't get it, and then went to circling its territory afterwards.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me ( will I get to 100?)

1. I am ambidextrous in batting and to lesser extent Tennis and Raquetball.
2. Grew up In South Dakota. Great Place!
3. I was a devoted Buffy fan. I have every episode on tape. My first website was about Buffy.
4. I love to travel and am happiest on vacation. I've been to France, Germany, Geneva, Tijuana (can't really say you've been to Mexico if you live in California and you only go for one day), Canada (though just Niagara Falls, so not sure if that counts), and Japan.
5. My 5th birthday present was a duck, and is still one of my favorite animals. I can't wait till I own a place and can have one again.
6. One of the things I regret: I had a pony who liked to chase cattle and of corse the first time I decided to ride by myself (age ~ 7) was in the cattle yard. So horse took off, I fell off, did not ride by myself till I was 12. Did not ride again till College.
7. I've been to Oktoberfest In Munich.
8. I am a mild hypochondriac and have mild OCD when it comes to washing my hands and worrying whether I'm going to burn the house or the lab down.
9. I love to ski.
10. I knew a professional beach volleyball player.

I belong in Australia

I took the what English Speaking country do you Belong in Quiz. I really thought I'd come out on the side of America, since I like Pizza and baseball. Question: Which country would say ABsobloodylutely? Who the heck is Franz Ferdinand?

You Belong in Australia

Ace! Sunny, upbeat, and cute You make the perfect surf bum Now stop hogging the vegemite!

What English Speaking Country Do You Belong In?

http://www.blogthings.com/englishspeakingcountryquiz/

thank the lord my power bill is down

My power bill is only $60 this month. I jump for joy. Since November it has been between $120-200. Stupid drafty old house. Of corse now we're at the interesting time of year when its hot in the house but cooler outside at night. Why is just so gosh darn hard to get that cool air inside. Well luckily I put my el cheapo box fan in the window last night and that did the trick, but I'm so darn lazy I didn't move it to the bedroom. So I opened the window and and turned on the air conditioner fan. Not as effective. But luckily I like it nice and toasty. However tonight I think I'll actually just move it. Of corse I could just go buy another box fan. Hmmm lets see which takes more effort. Ok I've decided. just move it. Burns more calories anyway.

Speaking of burning calories. I've been doing all the those things that are supposed to make you loose weight. Eat smaller portions. Eat more often. Walk further. Walk more. And still those pounds just wont' come off. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I still refuse to diet dammit!

a weekend of firsts for the year

Had my first mulberries. First time to wear a tank top to bed. First bug bite. Damn, it's hot for JUNE.

Yumm. Mulberries. I have had them almost everyday since. Why are mulberries so cool! Easy to grow (weedlike). Free! Fresh! Like Blueberries only not so squishy. I adore my neighbor for not cutting them down.

buffalo roam and deer and antelope play

Last weekend we drove the two hours to Peoria, to go the the "Wildlife Prarie State Park"
http://www.wildlifeprairiestatepark.org/ However if you try and google wildlife refuge, forget it you will not find it. Actually screw google, lately yahoo has been doing much better. Sometimes the internet can be so annoying.

Anyway the park was awesome. Got to see the above title animals, plus black bears, wolves, red and grey fox (smell like skunk), cougars(very cute, huge paws), coyotes, badger, bobcats (smelly). Dad took some good pictures except there all trapped on his camera. didn't get to see otters because they had some youngins and weren't out. Anyway if you are ever by Peoria, I encourage you check it out. Everyone seemed pretty happy except for one bear who was wearing a path and pacing.

star wars three problem *SPOILER*

Can someone explain to me how to reconcile Padame dieing. When in episode 6; Luke asks Leia about her real mother and she says something like she was beautiful but always a little sad. come on George. Yes it was much easier to kill her, but you can't go changing the facts Man.

substantial chunk missing

On Tues. I went to get some of my spots looked at. And well they decided to excise right then. this was not good, because I was working with a grad student and had to go in. The surgery was quick and painless except for the anestetic which hurt like the dickens. After being at work for 4 hours I realized, A; I was not feeling well, B: I felt feverish, C: My arm was swollen, And D: I should have read the info sheet earlier where it said to go home and rest and resume normal activities the next day. Well I went to get my pain killers and an Ice pack. Lets just say for a small piece of skin there is an awful big indention in my arm. The good news I'm feeling better. However the first night I kept waking up because I kept thinking someone is cutting my arm. Picture of my stitches and whole in my arm to gross everyone out to follow.