The Face Transformer

See the face of the future with The Face Transformer. Rather interesting little diversion. Upload your pic and transform your face into a myriad of different styles & races. Enjoy!

365 Days of Cheese

This year-long odyssey through the world of cheese comes to us through the eyes of Kirk Samuels. If you aren't lactose intolerant, I invite you to join Kirk as he brings us a cheese per day. Discover a new favorite - or just try something a little different at your next cocktail party. Don't forget to have a little wine with your cheese!

365 Days of Cheese

Faces in Places

Faces in Places
A photographic collection of faces found in everyday places.

Museum of Food Anomalies

The Museum of Food Anomalies™
An online exhibition of the Art of Regular Food Gone Horribly Wrong. The galleries are updated as new works arrive; visitors are encouraged to submit their own anomalies.

If My Life Were A Horse...I'd Shoot It.

Alas, life intrudes while we pursue other pleasures.

Things have been interesting lately - as they often are. In fact, if my life were a horse, I'd have to shoot it. One minute we're rolling along fine, then BLAM! We hit a brick wall. A brick wall, rife with monetary consequences and trauma culminating in a long recovery period.

Things haven't been all bad, I suppose.
I did get to see my best friend of 22 years walk down the aisle and marry her soul mate. She did make such a beautiful bride. I teased her all weekend about being a Bridezilla. She was a bit of a regimented time-nazi, but otherwise things went rather smoothly. Considering the fact that she works long hours and spends her time between Anderson and Atlanta each week, I think that she pulled off a beautiful wedding without too many tears and freak-outs.

The ceremony was sweet and poignant. Sean and I participated in the wedding party. Seeing as how we had a hand in bringing these two together, I felt that it was a very special honor to be asked to stand up there with them. I could tell that the world disappeared for them as they said their vows to one another. It was especially moving for me. Two people couldn't have deserved one another more. I wish them many years of happiness and bliss.

Unfortunately...(you know there is always an unfortunately when talking about my life) Sean and I are dealing with some issues with the house in Anderson (as if that's anything new).

While I was up for my friend's bridal shower two weeks ago, the pipe in the upstairs bathroom ruptured, spilling over 4,000 gallons of water throughout the house. All the floors had to be pulled up, the ceilings downstairs, and other sheet rock had to be removed. The water totally ruined the 2,000 sq ft of new hardwood flooring we had purchased. Oh, and it shorted out fans and electrical sockets too. It has been a total mess. Now, there are things that we have to fix that we had no intention of doing.

Insurance did come through - although barely because the house was technically vacant. The damage was estimated at nearly $15,000 - they gave us $10,000 for the repairs. I think that we've already spent about $800. Can you see where this is going? Even doing most of it on our own (well, Sean all by his lonesome since I am nearly worthless at this kind of thing), we will still be in the hole after it's all said and done.

Lucky us, huh?

We are also dealing with more family issues.
Mother-in-law waited until we were packed up and getting ready to leave before showing up at the house. Now...it's not like there's anything in there that's hers. After all the mess previously, I personally see no reason for her to step foot back into the house, but anyway. After being snubbed when I tried to give her a hug, I left and went back over to my parent's house. It was too hot to deal with that. Pissed her off, but oh well...I'm not standing outside sweating for no reason.

For some reason, she proceeds to conduct a walk-through over the whole house. Mind you, we purchased this house in 2005 at foreclosure auction so she wouldn't be homeless -and- she stopped paying us rent and abandoned the property, with all her stuff in it, last fall. We've been left holding the bag here. At this point it is truly a trash bucket house. Considering that all of our savings has been stolen, whatever equity and profit we can get out of this house is all we have in the world. We are looking to protect it with everything we've got.

It was like she was casing the joint to see what we had gotten accomplished/what we had in there. Sean said she even unlocked the front door and conveniently "forgot" to lock it back. Now, why would someone do that?

Because we were significantly delayed from leaving when we anticipated, we got up at 4:30 am the next morning in order to drive back home in order to hit work at 9.

We got a call later that afternoon because strangers were trying to break down the back door in order to remove a fridge from inside the house. That caused all kinds of anger and alarm. Needless to say, we were very pissed. Eventually, we got it settled.

So that's the quick breakdown on our crazy/sexy life. Ain't it grand? ;-)

Rantasaurus Rex

I've been known to rant a time or two in my life. Well, okay...more than a time or two.
In honor of my own history with the rant, let me introduce you to Rantasaurus Rex. I think you will enjoy the humor and vitrolic fervor that only fellow ranters can provide. I hope you enjoy - or not you filthy worthless piece of crap loser who isn't even worth the effort to toss my spittle upon...love ya! ;-)

Harry Potter Mania

Well, as anyone not living under a rock can attest, Harry Potter mania is firmly underway. With the release of the seventh & final book of the highly popular series mere days away, plot leaks, potential spoilers, pirated copies, and other attempts have run rampant across the internet.

And it's not just fandom sites and forums this time either.

Even the NY Times published an early spoiler filled review to ruin the experience for others. They purchased a copy of the novel that had been accidentally put on the shelf at a local book seller.

Author J.K. Rowling is furious, as she had previously made numerous pleas for early readers/reviewers not to release salient plot points prior to the worldwide release on July 21st.

My personal spin:
In certain situations, I have been known to seek out spoilers. As is the case with my favorite television show Heroes on NBC. The massive first season launch, immediate connection to characters, and the long breaks fueled an intense desire to know where the story was going. With all the wild theories and speculation, gaining a bit of perspective was almost as important as watching the show.

I see the spoilers for a book - especially a series already six volumes deep - and I can't help but think that there is a certain malice to the way many people are attempting to spread spoilers.

For instance, take a look at this video clip occurring during a midnight release for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

How incredibly mean is that?

I've tried really hard not to pay attention to the spoilers this go around. Yet, even as I attempt to avoid them, they are still creeping into places that you would think they could be avoided. I'm sure that by the time my copy arrives from Amazon.com on Saturday my brain will be in spoiler overload. It's not much fun when you know which characters die, and which characters turn out to be something you never imagined.

In any case, hopefully I will be able to seclude myself from the world this weekend and enjoy each juicy page of the Potter-verse one last time. Happy reading, Potterheads!

"All I Can Say Is That My Life Is Pretty Plain..."

Well, this week is off to a good start.
I am racing towards a deadline to produce many, many pages of documentation (up to 30 so far) for a large proposal. It's due Wednesday night at the latest. I guess we're about halfway there - but what remains is all of the "pull it out your butt" type of fluff. I seriously don't have the energy for this right now.

To make matters worse, I have been feeling not so great this week. I haven't been sleeping well and I have had no time with my husband in weeks. And I do mean no time. We've both been incredibly busy - and he's also been gone quite a bit. I was only away from the desk for a total of 2 hours all day yesterday. Now, my back is hurting.

Last night, I had to take a pill at 11pm and be at the doctor's at 8am for lab work. Once there I found out that Quest Diagnostics, the lab inside my doc's office, is not a "preferred provider" for my crappy insurance plan. I have used the plan approximately 3 times and each time some I have gotten some level of denial once they see the lovely gray insurance card in my hand. The test would have been about $400 out of pocket. Uh...no. Where's the nearest preferred provider? Ok. Thanx.

We had to go down the street to a more appropriate lab.
At least it wasn't halfway across the city.

Tomorrow, I have an appointment with a dermatologist for a second opinion. I have a rash on my arms, shoulders, and legs that is probably psoriasis. It's aggravating and looks horrible. My prior dermatologist ignored it. Now, it's significantly worse.

My mom has been a nervous nelly about these tests and appointments. I believe that she has called me everyday since I found out that I had to have it done. Maybe things will come out okay and she can not worry so much.

I will have to go back to the doctor on Tuesday for results. It's been a full week already and it's only Tuesday. I wonder what other fun and interesting adventures await. Oh boy! I am having so much fun I can hardly stand it. ;-)

Talking Torture

I came across this collection of torture devices and just had to share. I must say that I really cannot believe some of these things. I try to imagine how long I might hold out on my secrets if I were placed in a torture chair, or even one of the more scary devices. I don't think that I would last very long to tell you the truth.

I have a very low tolerance for pain. Maybe I wasn't spanked enough as a kid to build up a better tolerance level. I just know that there would be no way I would survive very long enduring any form of torture.

This really opens your eyes when you consider that all across the world people still endure varying degrees of torture.

What do you think? How long could you hold on on some of these terrific devices? Comment and share your thoughts.

Now, For Something Different

If you are looking for something different, check out the Flickr group Tiny Animals on Fingers.
There is just something captivating about small, cute animals and insects perched on an index finger. It makes the world somehow seem huge beyond belief...at least from their perspective. Enjoy!

Going to Vagus, Baby

Now, this is some interesting new in the world of weight loss.
Could snipping a nerve really help with weight loss? That's what some researchers are saying.

The vagus nerve is one of the largest nerves in the central nervous system. It is also the only one to start in the brainstem and end up in the abdomen. The vagus nerve is responsible for many varied tasks in the body such as heart rate, gastrointestinal peristalsis, sweating, and quite a few muscle movements in the mouth, including speech and keeping the larynx open for breathing. It also receives some sensation from the outer ear.

When the vagus nerve is overstimulated, it can cause one to pass out. Personally, I have experienced this reaction during both an intense coughing session, and ahem...another more intimate situation. It is a rather odd little bugger to say the least and can be frightening if you aren't aware of it's effect. It's also the defense that causes some people to pass out at having vaccinations or having blood drawn.

Now, it seems that this pesky nerve could help with hunger control. It would still be surgery, but it doesn't seem to be as bad. Early results show that when paired with adjustable gastric banding snipping the nerve results in near equivalent weight lost. Anyone familiar with the difference in total weight lost between the "gold standard" of gastric bypass (barbaric slice and hack) and the (in my opinion) more humane banding procedure this is news to rejoice over. A less invasive, safer, and effective surgical treatment...sounds pretty good if you ask me.

Of course, this is just the early research. It will probably be years before the data is sufficient to warrant a push it out to the masses.

Hi! I'm a Mac. And I'm a Mack Truck.

Since the Montagues and Capulets, now deliver a more star-crossed pair
A shiny (new) MacBook kissed by the caress of 18-wheels
Pieces and parts, flying into the air
At 55 miles per hour, the damage was clear
What once was a MacBook, now leveled and sheared.

Alas, poor MacBook...I (hardly) knew him well.

Rest in Pieces, our poor Shiny MacBook
(November 2006 - July 6, 2007)

*(and no, Paul...this is not a joke. The MacBook is toast, just a smear of road jam.) :-(
** photo for representation purposes only.

Independence Day

Tomorrow is the 4th of July.
If it weren't sitting right in the middle of the week this year, for most people it would be a day of parties, BBQ, beer, fireworks, and good times with their family & friends.

For me, the 4th of July has never really been about independence at all.

Thirteen years ago, it was a day about coming together. About finding a lost part of myself that I hadn't realized yet that I was missing. Yet, it was more than becoming the sum of my parts. I had found my home, my center - a place to belong.

I guess, it really was about independence in a way. My lonely heart was finally free from from its bondage. My soul learned to soar into the heavens much like a rocket in flight. Happiness rained down in a shower of sparks, dancing their way across my skin.

"Love is not always fireworks and shooting stars; sometimes it's a simple understanding and trust between two people."

So, happy anniversary, honey!

You are still the spark in my soul.
Thank you for teaching it to soar across the heavens unrestrained in a beautiful blaze.

Poem of the Day: Travelers

These naked breasts wait eagerly
For soft mouths, for your return
My Love
The moon is full,
Shall we dance beneath her shine?
I am yours, as you are mine.

We are explorers of this well-trod ground yet
Still travelers upon a path
An end we cannot see...
I, a part of you, you a part of me

We travel toward some sacred space
Make our tabernacle, our shrine
I shall ready the sacraments,
My Love
With blood, and breath, and wine.

6/29/07 5:19pm

Shopping Alert: Silk Road Trading Company

If you've been looking for soap that is hand-crafted, luxurious, moisturizing, smells fantastic and is environmentally-friendly, look no further than the products from Silk Road Trading Company.

This new business venture created by Jennifer Williamson, artist extraordinaire, and Mike Lyons, IT guy/game guru/le' soapmaker, will surely blow your socks off. This duo has created soaps utilizing the fabulously "famous" perfumes from Mistress Beth at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. The soaps are sold over at Black Phoenix Trading Post, the authorized retailer of all things BPAL-related. With the very finest in fair-trade and eco-friendly oils, these soaps make an impact on more than just your nose and your shower.

Reviews have been rave. Customers can't seem to get enough of these decadent soaps. Some have even said they have become addicted to the luxurious bars.

The first chapter of offerings from Silk Road Trading Company takes us traveling upon the Silk Road. Inhale deeply as our sensory journey takes us to:

Bezeklik, a famous prayer-stops of underground river-fed cave grottoes (a Rhassoul clay base, the scent of underground rivers, damp earth, and pilgrim incense offerings.)

Golkonda, famous mines, west of Hyderabad in India (pure - no perfumes, no colorings, no artificial ingredients whatsoever)

Odalisque, hareems of the Ottoman Empire (blend of two chocolates, rose and lavendar waters, layered over a wicked cocoa butter soap sprinkled with dark chocolate.)

Pearls and Jade, precious gems of the Asian world (sugared white tea, vanilla cream, two kinds of mint, chamomile flowers and a swirl of freshly crushed herbs.)

Seres, mysterious silk-makers of the East (embedded with silk, and scented with Chinese amber, Arabian sadalwood, and silky iris.)

Singapore, gateway of commerce between East & West (green and white teas layered over sweet coconut, ambergris, and the golden opium of the East India Company's infamous trade.)

Taklamakan, the Desert of Death (rough, pumice-laced soap scented with the dry, scouring winds of sandstorms so vast they can be seen from outer space.)

Temujin, better known to the world by the title he won - Genghis Khan (red ginger, cinnamon, clary sage, patchouli, and exotic spices.)

Turfan, oasis of the desert (bursting with deep red wine, pomegranate, juicy fig and the garden flowers of this exotic and lovely oasis.)

Too Fat to Adopt?

Directly from Big Fat Blog:
A couple from Australia have been deemed too fat to adopt a child.

You have got to check this crazy shit out! I am outraged over it. Seeing as how my husband and I might be in exactly the same boat, I am just floored.

Now, I weigh more than this lady. I also suffer from PCOS. If I even so much as smell a calorie, my body is grabbing a hold of it and turning it into a fat cell before I can blink. Losing weight won't fix everything.

Who has the right to say you are too fat, therefore you are unfit to parent a child?
I just really do not know what to say other than, "Fuck you, you ignorant, backwards, judgmental, prejudice, discriminating assholes!"

Friends Don't Let Friends Drink & Blog

Okay...I will admit it. I have been drinking. Maybe just a itsy bitsy little bit.

Normally, I would probably caution anyone that's been drinking with a bit of advice:
1) stay away from the phone in case the urge to call up old boy friends or random strangers overwhelms your normal intelligence and good sense
2) don't blog drunk and
3) don't fall asleep first

But seeing as how I am a) not drunk and b) still have some of my facilities left I have obviously disregarded my #2 piece of advice. Then again, I am home all alone and have been left to my own devices. Anyone that reeeaalllly knows me understands that leaving me to my own devices is probably not the smartest thing to do. So what's a girl to do?

It's Friday night and I am bored. I'm bored, therefore I blog. And when I see this post at some point in the future, I delete?!?

For the Memory of Our Heroes

From our vantage points, behind our desks or safe in our comfortable homes, it is all too easy to forget that there are men and women out in the world today facing horrific situations and risking their lives for our safety, our freedom, our way of life. For the soliders, the policemen, and the firemen facing dangerous situations every hour of every day so that we can continue on, I thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I salute your brave courage and promise never to take for granted what you offer each moment you spend on the job. You offer up your lives. You sacrifice going home to your own families so that I can go home to mine.

In Memoriam "The Brave Nine" -- 9 Firefighters killed in the line of duty fighting a massive furniture warehouse fire in Charleston, SC on June 18, 2007.

Louis Mulkey was 34 years old. He was a Captain with 11.5 years service.
Brandon Thompson was 27 years old. He was a Fire Fighter with 4 years service.
William "Billy" Hutchinson was 48 years old. He was a Captain with 30 years service.
Mark Kelsey was 40 years old. He was an Engineer with 12.5 years service.
James "Earl" Drayton was 56 years old. He was a Fire Fighter with 32 years service.
Michael French was 27 years old. He was an Asst. Engineer with 1.5 years service.
Melvin Champaign was 46 years old. He was a Fire Fighter with 2 years service.
Mike Benke was 49 years old. He was a Captain with 20 years service.
Bradford "Brad" Baity was 37 years old, an Engineer with 9 years service.

Because I'm a Girl that Likes Stupid Jokes...

I figured I'd inflict one on you:

Three Little Pigs

There were three little pigs that went out to dinner together one night. When the waiter came to take their drink order… the first little pig said “I would like a Sprite.” “I would like a Coke.” said the second little piggy. “I want water. Lots and lots of water.” said the third little piggy.

The waiter brings their drinks and then takes their orders for dinner. “I want a nice big steak.” said the first piggy. “I would like the salad plate.” said the second piggy. “I want water. Lots and lots of water.” said the third little piggy.

The meals were brought out and a while later the waiter approaches the table and asks if the piggies would like any dessert.

“I want a banana split.” said the first piggy. “I would like a root beer float.” said the second piggy. “I want water. Lots and lots of water.” exclaimed the third little piggy.

“Pardon me for asking,” said the waiter, “but why have the other pigs ordered dinner and dessert and you only ordered water?”

“Well,” the third little piggy answered “Somebody has to go WEE…WEE…WEE… all the way home!”

Interesting Artwork

I saw this image today and just had to share. I think that it's beautiful. Very simple and elegant, yet oddly strange.

I like surreal art. I have always been a fan of Salvador Dali's paintings.

For more artwork like this, check out this collection of surreal artwork images from the Best of the Web blog.

Incredible Sexy Nature

Nature is sexy...or else she just has a very twisted sense of humor.

You can check out some other pics at Nature is Sexy.

I thought the "dancing tree" was very graceful and pretty.

And to really see what kind of sick mind you have, check out the suggestive pics in the It's Just Your Mind section. Some of these are friggin' hilarious. Enjoy!

My very first LOLCat

I saw this pic and just had to create my very own lolcat. It's not as cute as some I've seen, but I think it still rocks.

Sometimes Life Give You Lemons....

Life has been a whirlwind lately. I guess I should update everyone as to what's going on in my little cosmos.

1) House situation resolved...not
We did manage to get the premises vacated in late November. Of course, that meant packing up and removing all belongings to a temporary storage unit that we paid for for 2.5 months. That has caused more headaches than it's been worth. Been constantly accused of stealing items from the home. Noone took anything from that house. If anything was missing it was missing before we set foot in it. Besides, the house had been left totally open for more than a week. Anybody could have walked in off the street to take whatever they wanted. The neighbors even tried to take the pots that were outside the front door and broke one of them in the process. Those pots had been there for nearly 8 years - unmolested in wind, rain, hail, snow, heat - and their dumbasses come along and ruin them.

We telecommuted for two months between December and February, but work took up so much of our time, and provided constant harrassment, that we were unable to get anything done on the house. We did manage to get a few things off the very looonnnggg list.

First thing, all the locks had to be changed. We had to replace all the mising light bulbs and the shower head that had been taken. All carpeting was ripped up due to damage and smell from the dog. We also started tearing out some sheetrock in the back bedroom in order to fix some serious wall issues. All the windows were also replaced.

We played at painting the kitchen & dining areas. Personally, I hate the color. It's too pale, flat, and looks a little dirty for those fubared walls. We also had a kitchen consultation with Home Depot. The cabinets and appliances that I would like have a price tag of about $8,000. They weren't even remotely top-of-the-line either. Oh well. Finding that out pretty much sucked.

The heating/air unit is also pretty much dead. It is stuck in "heat" mode, which was fine for the winter, but has now become a problem. The system is almost 20 years old. So replacing parts doesn't make as much sense as just redoing the whole system. Of course, that costs a pretty penny. And speaking of pretty pennies.....

2) Financially, we have just been fucked....
Oh yeah...totally and royally fucked. We put a large portion of our available cash assets into purchasing the house. We didn't have a whole lot of time nor choice in the matter. More than half of our cash went in, as did several loans from our home equity and a new loan on the car to pay the purchase price. That left about half of our cash.

We had our remaining funds invested with an economist in Charleston named Al Parish. He has involved with our business since the beginning. We have known him and been acquainted with others that have invested with him for the past 10 years. We decided two years ago to invest some cash with his investment pools. We put a big chunk of money in and also had $150 a week deducted from our paychecks as well over the course of the last two years.

Well, he has been arrested for fraud and it now looks like we are SOL on getting any of our cash back. That money was going to fund an adoption so that we could finally start our family. We have already had to put those plans on hold due to problems with our job and finances before. We were finally in a place to start the ball rolling. Now...we may never recover and we may never be able to have a family.

I am devastated. I am angry. This all makes me sick beyond belief. I have thought some really nasty evil thoughts lately. Because there just isn't any money there, it looks like we won't get anything back either. Five years of savings gone in an instant. To go from one day having a cushion so that if we did lose our jobs, we'd be okay to the next having nothing really is distressing. I don't know what we're going to do.

Read all about the case here: Al Parish News Archive

3) Job is still iffy
Although we have weathered the firing of the CEO, there were some personnel cuts. I cannot say that I didn't agree with most of them, however. Now, there are 6 total employees. I think we're more streamlined and more effective for the most part. The biggest issues is cash flow. We were linked to the Al Parish fiasco when a young inexperienced reporter took some half-assed information and drew some pretty damaging conclusions (ie. that we were out of business and that all employees were terminated as of March 31st!!!). As you can imagine, that has had a detrimental effect on our business.

Plus, the top brass of the company also were investors. So, they have been hit hard by having their money wisked away as well. Which means, we're on our own. They no longer have deep pockets in order to bail us out of any sticky financial situations. Things are very tenuous.

So, without money we're more of less stuck. We have a house that is not in saleable condition, and no money to get it to that point. We have jobs for now, but we're haivng to scramble to build some bank just in case things go south really soon.

Well...life certainly has been giving us lemons lately. Bushels and bushels of them. But we can't exaclty make lemonade because we can't afford the sugar. ;-)

So, for now - we've been forced to drink down this cold sour brew and pretend to enjoy it. Although, all I want to do is give the world (and all these damn "lemons") the big fat finger.