Do You Remember Having Shrinky Dinks

As Kai was watching a few taped episodes of Pinky Dinky Doo this morning an interesting thing happened. One of the episodes is called Pinky Shrinks. Becky asked me if I remember Shrinky Dinks. Of course everyone knows that most men's mental ages are that of a twelve year old and mine is no exception. I immediately started to laugh. I vaguely remember these little craft projects. The idea behind this craft is that you decorate a piece of plastic and then put it into an oven of some kind and the plastic shrinks. Your Shrinky Dinks will decrease to about one-third it's original size, hehehe.

If I were in a band

... it would apparently be a bluegrass band from somewhere in the deep south. I would likely be the person playing the jug (you know, the person who blows across the mouth of a jug and makes deep hooty noises?) and perhaps adds some other percussion sounds here or there. I've never claimed to be very musical, despite eight+ years of parental investment into piano lessons.

Anyhow, this fun little meme that I found over at Halushki (quite likely one of the funniest blogs out there) is how I spent my lunch hour while working on a day that everyone else seems to be not working. It's technically a holiday, but I'm expecting a guest next week from Ontario, and I thought I'd pay it forward, if you will, with my work attendance.

I'm so happy I have a flexible-hours job.

So the meme basically goes like this:

1. Click on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. Click on this link: http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. Finally, click on this link: http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/

The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

You then take the pic and add your band name and the album title to it, then post your pic.

Okay, I admit it. I cheated a little with the picture, because the first one I had just didn't cut it, but the band name and album title are both legit.

Incidentally, our imaginary band would later release a second album titled "Walk in the Sun", which would prove to be significantly less popular than the first, and thus the band would quickly dissolve and we would all go back to our day jobs.

Speaking of which, I need to get back to work. Be sure to leave a comment if you give it a try.

Passionately passive-aggressive

Thanks to everyone who commented about me sending my kid to his room... I assure you, there are no rusty nails (well, maybe only one or two), and certainly no meat that I'm aware of, rotten or otherwise. I have actually considered putting a computer in Kai's room, only because he is the only person in the house who uses our old desktop, but I'm with you on the TV thing, Katie. I've never - not once in my life - had a TV in my bedroom, so I think I can justify not letting him have one.

And thanks bubandpie for the sweet comment about my new banner. I'm quite happy with it! These were flowers that Keith and Kai had waiting for me when I returned from Acapulco - gerbera daisies - my favourite. Mind you, they've all taken on some odd kind of blight and are covered with black speckles... I digress. Anyhow, now that I know how to change my banner, I'm sure it'll be updated once in a while just to keep things fresh.

I wanted to share something I found online today - it made me laugh right out loud, only because I was remembering so fondly the things that I used to do unknowingly (albeit inconsiderately) that annoyed some of my old roommates. I'm sure we all have fond memories of our old roomies' irritating quirks or likewise the things that irked them about us. There is one in particular that made me giggle while thinking a friend making a threat with his rotary phone. You know who you are. So check it out. Especially those of you who were old housemates or roommates of mine. Enjoy!

Of course, be warned - we all know about the site now, so it might not be best to submit your own experiences. Although that would be the ultimate in passive-aggression.

This day in history

I saw this meme a couple weeks ago, but it seemed appropriate to wait until today to post my version.

Here's what you do:

1. Go to Wikipedia and type in your Birthday Month and day only.

• April 5

2. List 3 Events that occurred that day.

The earliest on the list of events, and the only one that makes reference to a holiday that is now all about green and beer-drinking:

• 456 - St. Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary Bishop.

For the science-geek in me:

• 1804 - The first recorded meteorite falls in Possil, Scotland (High Possil Meteorite)

I don’t know how I have never noted this one, but:

• 1994 - Kurt Cobain commits suicide.

3. List 2 important Birthdays.

Because she was a legend:

• 1908 - Bette Davis, American actress (d. 1989)

Because he’s so the opposite of Bette Davis:

• 1964 - Christopher "Kid" Reid, American rapper (Kid 'n Play)

4. List 1 Death.

Because I have enjoyed the Group of Seven since I was less than 1/3 my current age:

• 1974 - A. Y. Jackson, Canadian painter (b. 1882)

5. List a Holiday or Observance. (if any)

In honor or trees:

• Arbor Day in South Korea

6. Tag 5 other bloggers.

No thanks… I’ll just let you play along if you’d like.

The Book Meme

aka Either I don't read very much or I've just read lots of books that aren't popular enough to make book meme lists

I saw this meme over at two lime leaves, and I thought it looked like fun. Then I prepared my own version and it became very apparent that I'm not into either (1) classic literature or (2) popular fiction. I kind of knew this already, but I've think this will prove it to everyone. I think the original meme suggested that people mark books of interest as read, read again and again, and want to read. I'm following Kirsty's lead and I'm just bolding the books I've read, and leave those I haven't plain. Brace yourself:

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) – I’ve only read the first 3 pages. I don’t think that counts. It’s not a religious issue, it just didn’t catch my attention and I am easily distracted.
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) Matt – I still have your copy. I’m sorry – I still haven’t read it. I’ve eyed it a couple times recently, though.
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling) I know enough about this series only to change “Sorcerer’s” to “Philosopher’s”, because it is only Sorcerer in the US, and I was in Canada when I read it. Much to Shannon’s dismay (and others, I’m sure) I’ve still never read more than the first book. It just didn’t do it for me. Partially, it was because I was irritated that people were comparing it to Tolkien and I found it rather one-dimensional, very unlike Tolkien.
17. Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) – I’ve only actually read the first half, but I do intend to finish it. It is one of three books that I’ve literally been halfway through for about a year.
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible - Most of it, at least.
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card) – many many many times. Highly recommend it, and the other 3 books in the series, and the 4 books in the parallel series. But start with Ender’s Game.
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davies) – gosh. Thank goodness for high school required reading, or I would look like a complete dunce here…
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding) READ
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. Tigana (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) - apparently there is a very good chance that my fuzzy memory of reading this book is correct, as it is required reading in grade 3.
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) – again, required reading.
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

I don't like the idea of tagging people, but I have to admit, I'm curious about what Bub&Pie's list would look like. If anyone else wants to play along, leave a comment and let me know.

And now for a word from our coffee pot

You know those annoying 5-question surveys in the chick magazines that you can't help but take when you're waiting to be called at the doctor's office?

Thanks to Pieces, I was led to this little gem.

Me:

You Are an Iced Coffee

At your best, you are: hyper, modern, and athletic At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you're out with friends Your caffeine addiction level: medium

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Keith:

You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

I love that at our worst, we are both cheap and angsty. Oh, and that I'm hyper. The only really wrong thing here is that Keith really isn't addicted to caffeine AT ALL. He pretty much has coffee when I make it and he notices it's there.

And for the record, we're both black coffee drinkers.

Phew!

After a day of not having anything at all on our blog, and considering (and actually) starting a new blog, it seems we have managed to remedy the blank emptiness that was Canucks at large all day.

Silly corrupted template file.

Got to get to bed. We're painting a local high school tomorrow starting at 8 AM. More soon. I promise.

blogger is having issues

This is just a test... it seems that our blog is having some trouble today.