Sunday, July 31, 2011

5 Things I Learned at Work This Week

1. We're getting smarter with each generation: Or we at least have higher IQs. Each decade, the average IQ goes up about three points. 
2. SAT scores used to qualify you for Mensa: But they don't anymore. Old people have all the luck.
3. The suspended sheep is the Brooks Brothers symbol: Not very interesting but I've always been confused by a few of Will's shirts. I probably should've known already because Brooks Brothers is the oldest U.S. clothier.
4. Feinschmecker is an awesome word: Awesome and German. It means someone with really sophisticated taste in food, which I am not, but I might start being pickier so I can call myself a feinschmecker.
5. Golden barrel cactuses are called "mother-in-law's cushions": That's all.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Newsprint nails

I am newly obsessed with Pinterest and I can't stop finding things on there that I have to have, make, do. So this weekend I took a couple of my pins and did them.

One of them was this quick tutorial for putting newsprint on your fingernails. I think anything newsprint is so me, even though I really don't read the paper much these days. So now I can read a bit on my fingers.

Here's how they turned out. I happen to think they're pretty cute.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

5 Things I Wrote About This Week

My job so far (and for the foreseeable future) has been writing lists, mostly of 10 (there was an eight and an 11). They're a lot like the kind of things you see on the MSN or Yahoo homepage. 10 Reasons You Should Take a Vacation. 10 Plastic Surgeries Gone Wrong. 10 Questions to Ask Your Doctor. And so on. (Those are made-up examples. If I'd researched botched plastic surgeries, I would definitely be sharing.)

So in honor of the way I'm making money (and because I haven't blogged much lately), here are five things I wrote about this week.

1. Tree kangaroos. They really exist. Isn't that awesome? They look kind of like a cross between a tiny bear and a kangaroo with a raccoon tail.
2. Groin kicks. And the proper way to perform them. Though, let's be honest: there's really no wrong way to kick some guy in the crotch. I guess I should mention this was for an article about self-defense moves, but that doesn't mean I haven't threatened Will several times with my new-found knowledge.
3. Robot teachers. In South Korea and Japan, some classrooms are trying out robot teaching assistants. The Korean one teaches English, and the Japanese one knows how to do things like take roll and scold misbehaving kids.
4. I-45. According to my calculations based on the number of deaths per mile of highway, I-45 in Texas is the 8th most dangerous interstate in the U.S. And 45 around the Houston area is the most dangerous area in Texas for teenage drivers (and probably the people who share the road with teenage drivers). So I know which road I'm avoiding from now on.
5. Dogs acting like people. I haven't quite finished this article yet, but I had the torturous task of researching cute animal Tumblrs on Friday and ran across this dogs acting like people blog. There's also one for hipster puppies. And now I want a fuzzy pet more than ever.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

St. Arnold's

This weekend, even though it was my shortest one in months, felt long and unwasted. I think it's because Will and I played tennis and used my apartment gym. Then we promptly went and made up for the exercise with a visit to St. Arnold's brewery.


We went for the last tour of the day (which we ended up ditching) and it was packed. Seriously, men, women, babies. But we got tasting glasses and several drinks with entrance (don't worry, they have root beer) and had a really good time. Now we just have to play tennis about 12 more times to work it off.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Grown-up life

This is my first post as an official adult. I'm sure you can tell; I'm a lot more mature now.

But I don't have anything insightful to say. The move is done. Furniture (though I don't have a couch yet) has been lifted; curtains have been hung; (most) boxes have been unpacked and recycled.

I started my job yesterday and I'm getting settled in there. It's not too far from my apartment and I think I'll like the people. It seems like it'll be a lot of research and writing, which I hope I keep enjoying.

Now time for bed!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Movin' on up

Image from Robert S. Donovan on Flickr


Well, down really. Tomorrow we're packing up the U-Haul with way too much stuff and driving down to Houston to move me into my new apartment Saturday. And then next week, I start work.

And even though this is what I've been wanting for months (if not the entire past year), I'm getting really sentimental and kind of sad about leaving the DFW area and my family. I guess I just hate change, even the best kinds.

Now who wants to finish packing for me?

Monday, July 4, 2011

Happy 4th!

We always have pretty low-key July 4ths consisting mainly of lots of barbecue (this year stayed true to that tradition) and maybe watching fireworks out our windows. I decided to add a cool cake to the mix this weekend, mostly because I saw this cake online and couldn't resist trying it out. It originated on 17 and Baking, and I used the directions from Glorious Treats.

Inconspicuous outside:


Surprise patriotic inside:


I felt bad for my unAmerican brother-in-law, so since Canada Day was Friday, I made him a cake, too.


 And on an un-cake-related note, here's Will and Jonas! Jonas is big and sturdy enough now that Will's not afraid to hold him.