Stephen Fry
I just discovered stephenfry.com. With apologies to those who have known and loved it as it deserves, I, a newbie to frydom, present it as brilliance incarnated.
Just listened to the first two episodes of "Series 2." (I listened to it as a podgram, but you can get the audio episodes on his site on a desktop computer too, or in iTunes.)
I'm sure I would love to read his writing, but to hear him speak it with that Fry voice is ineffably fulfilling. (and it makes me use words like "ineffably")
I have yet to explore the rest of the site; that's my plan as soon as I "publish post."
www.stephenfry.com
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Stars, moons, nebulae, and planets of the day
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Do what I do, browse the universe with your morning cup of coffee.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Do what I do, browse the universe with your morning cup of coffee.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Monday, September 14, 2009
App of the Day
It has to be Blogwriter, since I'm composing this on the iPhone. Free version works great.
Hidden gems of wikipedia
Best of Wikipedia
I'm not going to talk about Wikipedia itself—I find it very useful and all (with grains of salt at the ready), but you already know everything you want to know about it, I'm sure.
Twice a day "Best of Wikipedia" highlights a weird, fascinating, and/or loopy entry; visitors can also nominate their picks.
http://bestofwikipedia.tumblr.com/
I'm not going to talk about Wikipedia itself—I find it very useful and all (with grains of salt at the ready), but you already know everything you want to know about it, I'm sure.
Twice a day "Best of Wikipedia" highlights a weird, fascinating, and/or loopy entry; visitors can also nominate their picks.
http://bestofwikipedia.tumblr.com/
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Site of the Day: What's that song mean?
I'm not going to recommend a site for song lyrics—there's tons of them out there, and each one seems to be as good (bad) as the other.
After wading through many sites for song meanings, however, I do have one that stands out. There's no guarantee that anything on it is true, but at least you can easily find your song or artist without being bombarded by obnoxious ads.
http://www.songfacts.com/
After wading through many sites for song meanings, however, I do have one that stands out. There's no guarantee that anything on it is true, but at least you can easily find your song or artist without being bombarded by obnoxious ads.
http://www.songfacts.com/
Friday, September 11, 2009
Starting Apps
Facebook ... free
Kindle ... free
NYTimes ... free
TwitterFon ... free
WeatherBug Elite ... 99¢
Brushes ... $4.99
iBird North ... $9.99
Just Tune ... 99¢ (guitar tuner)
Pandora ... free
Public Radio ... free
Remote ... free
Shazam ... free
SmackTalk ... 99¢
TED ... free
What's On TV? ... free
Wikiamo ... free
YouTube ... free
Kindle ... free
NYTimes ... free
TwitterFon ... free
WeatherBug Elite ... 99¢
Brushes ... $4.99
iBird North ... $9.99
Just Tune ... 99¢ (guitar tuner)
Pandora ... free
Public Radio ... free
Remote ... free
Shazam ... free
SmackTalk ... 99¢
TED ... free
What's On TV? ... free
Wikiamo ... free
YouTube ... free
Starting Sites (no one should be without) III
Pandora
If you don't use it, start. On the iPhone, too.
http://www.pandora.com/
If you don't use it, start. On the iPhone, too.
http://www.pandora.com/
Starting Sites (no one should be without) II
Go Fug Yourself
Guilty secret (no longer): I waste a lot of time looking at celebrity fashion and critiques thereof. My favorite fashion site features two writers (Jessica and Heather) of infinite wit and irrepressible sensibility. Ogling Tilda Swinton and Rumer Willis just doesn't get any better.
http://gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/
Guilty secret (no longer): I waste a lot of time looking at celebrity fashion and critiques thereof. My favorite fashion site features two writers (Jessica and Heather) of infinite wit and irrepressible sensibility. Ogling Tilda Swinton and Rumer Willis just doesn't get any better.
http://gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/
Starting Sites (no one should be without)
The Daily Dish
Andrew Sullivan, of The Atlantic Monthly, blogs about politics, culture, and blogging itself. A self-described conservative, Sullivan collates much of the daily chatter that would otherwise be bewilderingly noisy. I don't always agree with him, but I trust his discernment, and he's proven that he'll admit when he's wrong.
Look for occasional Mental Health Breaks for just that.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/
Andrew Sullivan, of The Atlantic Monthly, blogs about politics, culture, and blogging itself. A self-described conservative, Sullivan collates much of the daily chatter that would otherwise be bewilderingly noisy. I don't always agree with him, but I trust his discernment, and he's proven that he'll admit when he's wrong.
Look for occasional Mental Health Breaks for just that.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Blooming blooms
I wish pictures and internet could transmit scent—this variety of daphne is the sweetest:
and dianthus (dianthi?) are no slouches in the pretty-smell department:
On the right you can see one of my garden markers—gel pen on river rock.
and dianthus (dianthi?) are no slouches in the pretty-smell department:
On the right you can see one of my garden markers—gel pen on river rock.
flowers of the day
I'm feeling a bit cranky about politics and such... thought I'd restart some blogging time with FLOWERS
The lilacs were, as usual in New Hampshire, lovely this spring. I caught our Pocahontas just before the main bloom:
I planted a new columbine variety; here it is in almost-bloom:
and full blown:
The lilacs were, as usual in New Hampshire, lovely this spring. I caught our Pocahontas just before the main bloom:
I planted a new columbine variety; here it is in almost-bloom:
and full blown:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Dickensian nap
I know you were wondering—the Dickens URL for this blog is:
http://dickensurl.com/48a7/Thats_the_state_to_live_and_die_inRrrich
(see dickensurl.com for explanation)
http://dickensurl.com/48a7/Thats_the_state_to_live_and_die_inRrrich
(see dickensurl.com for explanation)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Art in progress
My friend Mike Fitts, a kick-ass artist in Charlottesville, recently posted a series of photos on Facebook. The series shows one of his paintings from beginning to completion.
Mike paints in oil on found metal. He fashions metal into a canvas shape around wood framing and paints small objects—often kitschy or vintage—realistically to the point of trompe l’oeil. Below, a painting that will be in a show in NYC later this spring.
and the final painting—the twinkies are actual size; the whole piece is 15 by 21":
Mike paints in oil on found metal. He fashions metal into a canvas shape around wood framing and paints small objects—often kitschy or vintage—realistically to the point of trompe l’oeil. Below, a painting that will be in a show in NYC later this spring.
and the final painting—the twinkies are actual size; the whole piece is 15 by 21":
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Voilà . Le mouton
sorry this post is so late—just getting back to blogging after vacation. thanks to Holly for fulfilling my Little Prince Dreams (Mes Reves du Petit Prince)!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Recently illuminated lyrics
I realized two instances of misheard lyrics this weekend. Both involve "ué":
Song: Cars, "Let's Go"
What I heard: "and a risky mouth"
Actual lyric: "and a risqué mouth"
Song: "Lush Life" (recorded by Nat King Cole, among others)
What I heard: "gray faces with distant gay traces"
Actual lyric: "gray faces with distingué traces"
Song: Cars, "Let's Go"
What I heard: "and a risky mouth"
Actual lyric: "and a risqué mouth"
Song: "Lush Life" (recorded by Nat King Cole, among others)
What I heard: "gray faces with distant gay traces"
Actual lyric: "gray faces with distingué traces"
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Photographic image of the day
This gorgeous, painting-like image is the Astronomy Picture of the Day. See description below.
Suspension Bridge Solargraph
Credit & Copyright: Justin Quinnell
The six-month long exposure compresses the time from December 17, 2007, to June 21, 2008, into a single point of view. Dubbed a solargraph, the image was recorded with a simple pinhole camera made from a drink can lined with a piece of photographic paper. The Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon River Gorge in Bristol, UK, emerges from the foreground, but rising and setting each day the Sun arcs overhead, tracing a glowing path through the sky. Cloud cover causes dark gaps in the daily Sun trails. In December, the Sun trails begin lower down and are short, corresponding to a time near the northern hemisphere's winter solstice date. They grow longer and climb higher in the sky as the June 21st summer solstice approaches.
Suspension Bridge Solargraph
Credit & Copyright: Justin Quinnell
The six-month long exposure compresses the time from December 17, 2007, to June 21, 2008, into a single point of view. Dubbed a solargraph, the image was recorded with a simple pinhole camera made from a drink can lined with a piece of photographic paper. The Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon River Gorge in Bristol, UK, emerges from the foreground, but rising and setting each day the Sun arcs overhead, tracing a glowing path through the sky. Cloud cover causes dark gaps in the daily Sun trails. In December, the Sun trails begin lower down and are short, corresponding to a time near the northern hemisphere's winter solstice date. They grow longer and climb higher in the sky as the June 21st summer solstice approaches.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Losing at Scrabble
Words that Laurie has played against me in Scrabble (so far):
nevus
quinoa
skirl
equator (played alongside another word with all tiles; score 78)
nevus
quinoa
skirl
equator (played alongside another word with all tiles; score 78)
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Cartoon/Poem Duo of the day
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
—Robert Frost
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Blog of the day (week, month, year)
There is a New Yorker cartoon blog. Go immediately to
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/cartoonlounge/?xrail
and click on everything.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/cartoonlounge/?xrail
and click on everything.
Poem of the day
Alba
Climbing in the mist I came to a terrace wall
and saw above it a small field of broad beans in flower
their white fragrance was flowing through the first light
of morning there a little way up the mountain
where I had made my way through the olive groves
and under the blossoming boughs of the almonds
above the old hut of the charcoal burner
where suddenly the scent of the bean flowers found me
and as I took the next step I heard
the creak of the harness and the mule’s shod hooves
striking stones in the furrow and then the low voice
of the man talking softly praising the mule
as he walked behind through the cloud in his white shirt
along the row and between his own words
he was singing under his breath a few phrases
at a time of the same song singing it
to his mule it seemed as I listened
watching their breaths and not understanding a word
Climbing in the mist I came to a terrace wall
and saw above it a small field of broad beans in flower
their white fragrance was flowing through the first light
of morning there a little way up the mountain
where I had made my way through the olive groves
and under the blossoming boughs of the almonds
above the old hut of the charcoal burner
where suddenly the scent of the bean flowers found me
and as I took the next step I heard
the creak of the harness and the mule’s shod hooves
striking stones in the furrow and then the low voice
of the man talking softly praising the mule
as he walked behind through the cloud in his white shirt
along the row and between his own words
he was singing under his breath a few phrases
at a time of the same song singing it
to his mule it seemed as I listened
watching their breaths and not understanding a word
—W.S. Merwin
Idea for a game show
A room (or several bookcases, or whatever) is filled with "junk" items—the sort you find in a secondhand/antique store.
Just one of the items is worth a lot. Contestants try and distinguish it. They keep what they find (garbage or gem).
Kind of "Antiques Roadshow" meets "The Price Is Right"
Just one of the items is worth a lot. Contestants try and distinguish it. They keep what they find (garbage or gem).
Kind of "Antiques Roadshow" meets "The Price Is Right"
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Seahorse of the day
Pygmy seahorse, Tulamben, Bali, around 32 meters deep near the wreck ship, U.S.S. Liberty
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