three hundred fifty nine

you can actually eat enough to make your stomach explode, though it takes an awful lot. normally a stomach holds around 1 to 1.5 L of food/fluid. pathologists believe a stomach is okay holding as much as 3 L of food/fluid, and most stomachs rupture around the 5 L mark. read more here.

on that note, happy thanksgiving!

three hundred fifty eight

some things should always come with an asterisk. for instance: for better or for worse*.

*that is, unless we can no longer stand to even be in the same room as one another and cannot communicate without some form of yelling or derogatory and condescending tones. then this agreement is henceforth null and void.

three hundred fifty seven

1 out of every 4 women will face physical violence in her lifetime.

three hundred fifty six

quinoa and apples make for a delectable combination.

three hundred fifty five

today i learned what a persimmon tastes like. yum!

three hundred fifty four

carnegie deli has the most disgusting sandwich i've ever seen. i almost barfed. it also has the biggest salads i've ever seen. i almost ate 1/4 of it.

three hundred fifty three

i miss nyc.

the horns. the accents. the ethnic diversity. the food. the oddly yet completely satisfying feeling of crossing the street without waiting for the "walk" sign. in front of a cop. without getting yelled at or threatened with a ticket.

three hundred fifty two

planning a trip with 2 people when you all live in different time zones is way too stressful.

three hundred fifty one

yes, virginia. a college degree is worthwhile. read all about it here.

my only question: when is my doctorate degree going to start earning me $90k a year? oh, that's right. i work in healthcare..

three hundred fifty

costa rica is the 7th happiest nation on earth. and i will be very happy when i arrive there in 1 week!

three hundred forty nine

according to a recent study, most american women do not understand basic fertility math and conception facts.

for example, most women surveyed believed a 30 year old woman has a 70% chance of conceiving, and a 40 year old woman has a 60% chance of conceiving every month. reality check: a 30 year old woman has a 20% chance of conceiving, and a 40 year old woman has a 5% chance of conceiving every month.

it's *almost* enough to make even my biological clock start ticking.. but not quite ;o)

three hundred forty eight

the patriots and the jets are the most equal-matched teams in the NFL. they've been playing each other since 1960, and their rivalry often matches that of the red sox/yankees. i also learned it used to be possible to tie a football game, as the jets and pats did on oct 2, 1966. read all about it on wikipedia.

three hundred forty seven

some things are very short lived. for instance, yesterday's post about loving yourself where you are..

my mom introduced me to brick reservoir running path today. there's a house with a yard backing up to the path, and according to my mom, it has this fake rock that plays music all the time for the walkers/runners. pretty neat, huh? well - NOT today.

i made two laps (each is 1.5 miles) around the path, passing the rock twice.

the first time the rock was playing colbie caillat's "fallin' for you", which is the song i most associate with my 2nd romantic relationship. the first time i heard it was the very day i realized i was falling in love with my soulmate. it now makes me cry every time i hear it. BARF ME A RIVER.

okay, ran a bit faster and wiped my eyes, pretending they were tearing because of the wind.

the second lap the rock was playing the script's "breakeven", which was released that same fall my soulmate broke my heart, causing me to leave boston (the city i love) and move as far away as possible (seattle). BARF ME ANOTHER RIVER.

seriously?!? of ALL the SONGS in the WORLD! THOSE TWO?!?

ugh.. some things are very short lived.

three hundred forty six

something very significant has happened to me on this date for the past 3 years, all relating to relationships:

-- 11/11/08 my first ever adult boyfriend broke up with me via text (don't worry, i forgave him b/c ultimately it was the right decision and we're still friends);

-- 11/11/09 my third boyfriend and current ex literally walked into my elbow and life (we are unfortunately not friends. perhaps one day, but i still care too much for him and can't quite handle the fact he's living with his new girlfriend.. love stinks sometimes);

-- 11/11/10 a simple hug to support a friend while visiting his relatives' grave sites to honor them on veterans day turned into an intimate moment that made me question if we could be more than friends (after a difficult discussion, we went the friend route, and he became one of my best friends for life);

because of this pattern, i had (perhaps unrealistic) high expectations for 11/11/11: i'd awaken to a healed heart! the love of my life (or one of them) would appear! i wouldn't have to be the only single girl at all my friends weddings!

alas, this did not happen. however, what i did learn today is that - well - even though i would want all of those things, i don't NEED them. i continue to learn to be okay with where i am in my life right now. i continue to learn to accept me for me. it's an ongoing process, but i'm getting there.

three hundred forty five

the world can be a beautiful place. but it can also be sick, sick, sick. had the atrocities associated with penn state not occurred in that location and in those numbers, we may have never heard about them. but we should be outraged, nonetheless. no child should suffer like that. more needs to be done to protect our future generations. i have no sympathy for coach paterno. i respect his record and penn state as an institution. however to fail to report such a heinous crime.. i'm absolutely disgusted. thank you to the board of trustees for recognizing that, and best of luck to you as your community moves forward.

three hundred forty four

watching the country music awards tonight made me realize country music is not what it once was; somewhere johnny cash is rolling in his grave.

three hundred forty three

autism remains such a mystery, but a recent study suggests children with autism have more brain cells in their prefrontal cortex. it's a small study, and much research is still needed. but it's an incredibly interesting clue.

three hundred forty two

smile, and you'll be perceived as being younger. according to this recent study, people were more likely to underestimate a person's age if they were smiling, and people with neutral faces were most accurately judged.

three hundred forty one

i apparently do have the ability to dream several nights in a row, not just once every year or two. and apparently all i needed to reach a deep sleep was a memory foam mattress cover. thanks, mom. now, if only i could learn to control my dreams..

three hundred forty

costa rica has no standing military force, though maintains a small force for law enforcement and foreign peacekeeping. it's been this way since 1948 when the military was abolished. interestingly, costa rica has not seen civil war since this time (unlike it's central american neighbors) and the budget once given to the military now goes towards education, security and culture. progressive, much?

three hundred thirty nine

you can run, but you can't hide.

three hundred thirty eight

on this day in history, elton john announced his retirement from live performances in 1977. obviously he rescinded this statement.

three hundred thirty seven

montana is a big ass state. which i knew. but was reminded of when it took a day to drive across.

three hundred thirty six

driving by the kangaroo and kiwi for the last time yesterday was the hardest thing i had to do in quite some time. if my dad wasn't in the passenger seat, i think i might have lost it.

three hundred thirty five

i own way too much stuff. seriously, mark my words - half this stuff is going. i won't move it again. and to reiterate: goodwill is still my new best friend.

three hundred thirty four

goodwill has become my new best friend.

three hundred thirty three

at 29, it's really funny to watch an underage drinker get grilled by the cops who busted a house party due to noise complaints. especially when one cops says "as long as she's not driving then i don't care right now", to which the 20 year old answers by taunting them with "you're just jealous because i have my youth." oh, kids today...

i should also add, going to a house party that's more like a college frat house when you're 29 is also an experience in and of itself..

three hundred thirty two

today i left the best job i've ever had knowing full well it will be hard to find another quite like it. however i'm certain i'm not ready to call seattle my home, therefore moving on is necessary. keeping the faith is difficult.

three hundred thirty one

hot toddies cure the common cold. and laryngitis. and headaches.

three hundred thirty

having officially entered the final year of my 20s, i can honestly say that i've lived quite a life. and i'd like to take this time to give thanks to whatever powers may be that have allowed me to live such a beautiful, frustrating, eye-opening, sad, joyous, always evolving, remarkable one.

three hundred twenty nine

i have pretty good self control. i usually don't cave, even when under pressure. however, tonight i lost all ability to resist temptation. tonight i had to turn the heat on. i guess sometimes even the strong must give in.

three hundred twenty eight

the washington board of PT requires 40 continuing education credits. i thought it was 30. i have 37.5.. therefore i need 2.5 by tomorrow!

three hundred twenty seven

at the northwest chocolate festival today, i learned that the cocoa bean has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any food in the world, second only to the acai berry. i can live with that.

three hundred twenty six

having worked my final saturday of the year, i've learned i much prefer the sunday-thursday schedule to the tuesday-saturday schedule.

three hundred twenty five

today i became acutely aware of what courage it must take to stand on a corner holding a sign that says: "family has fallen on hard times, anything helps." it was being held by a man, likely in his mid-40s, dressed like an average guy would dress. he was not some stereotypical drug addict or teen delinquent. he looked totally normal. he looked like a dad. he avoided nearly all eye contact; it was more than apparent how embarrassed he was to have to be standing there - begging. you could almost see him thinking, "how did this happen? how did it come to this?"

it actually made me start crying.

three hundred twenty four

while on the market ghost tour, i learned that seattle's gum wall is officially the 2nd most unsanitary attraction in the world (right after the blarney stone). and i also learned that in the old days, barber shops did more than cut hair - they performed simple surgeries, tooth extractions, blood letting and gave leech treatments.. after blood letting procedures, the barbers would take the bloodied bandages and fling them on a line outside, giving rise to the symbolic red, white and blue striped pole (red & white for the bloody cloths, and blue to symbolize the veins).

three hundred twenty three

today while at my moroccan cooking class, i learned that both spanish paella and mexican nachos were dishes created due to having left-overs and not knowing what to do with them.

three hundred twenty two

sometimes we get the answers we want. sometimes we get the answers we weren't expecting. but trusting that things will all work out one day, when so many times you've been so certain, only to wind up disappointed and hurt in the end.. the trusting's the hardest part.

three hundred twenty one

today i learned a far easier way to walk to REI from my apartment.

three hundred twenty

my cilantro always goes super limpy and wimpy and gross after just a day in my fridge. so i've tried keeping it out of the fridge with even worse results. so finally looked up "best way to store fresh cilantro" and here's what i found out: cut the ends off like you would a fresh bouquet of flowers, and place in a small glass of water. place a plastic bag over it. then place it in the fridge. the site also suggests changing the water if it becomes cloudy and brown. my wimpy limpy cilantro was resurrected!!! i wish i had a "before" shot, but here's the "after" and you'll just have to take my word for it.

three hundred nineteen

using a stencil to carve a pumpkin is far easier than freehand.. why didn't i discover this earlier?

three hundred eighteen

at covington cellars friday night wine flight and tasting, i learned a lot about the wine making process, thanks to one of the more informative tours i've been on (highly recommended). for instance:

*you can make white wine from red grapes -- the color comes from the amount of time the skin is in contact with the juice.

*the fermentation process in white and red wine is completely different. also, red wine prefers to listen to sports broadcasting while fermenting; white wine prefers pop music along the lines of lady gaga and shakira.

*when swirling the wine in the glass, take a look at the "legs" dripping down (a marker of viscosity); more legs in white wine typically means higher sugar content whereas more legs in red wine typically means higher alcohol content.

three hundred seventeen

while having girl time at the local vine on capitol hill, i learned there is such a thing as bubbly pinot noir. next time i have a formal event that requires toasting, that's going to be my drink of choice. move over champagne!

three hundred sixteen

on this day in history, 1928 to be exact, the first clinical use of a respirator occurred at children's hospital in boston to save an 8 year old from respiratory failure. hmm.

three hundred fifteen

nothing beats a couple glasses of wine and catching up with your girlfriends.

three hundred fourteen

i almost never turn the television on, but today i just wanted to relax with a glass of wine and some mindless entertainment. there is literally nothing, i repeat - NOTHING - no tv on monday nights.

three hundred thirteen

i love pumpkin beer.

three hundred twelve

tom douglas's coconut cream pie is truly a little taste of heaven in your mouth. and i don't even like coconut. it's that good.

three hundred eleven

at some point staying home on a friday night, drinking hot chocolate then falling asleep on my couch at 7:30 while watching office reruns became okay. when did i get old?

three hundred ten

if someone is not willing to make you a priority in their life, then perhaps it's time to realize you should not be making them a priority in your life. even if it hurts.

three hundred nine

the 2002 oakland a's was a team comprised of undervalued players, but they went farther on $41 million than the yankees did on $125 million. moneyball was an incredible movie, drawn out at parts, but pretty educational and inspirational.

three hundred eight

according to a recent study, hormonal contraception can increase the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. this makes apparent the importance of using non-hormonal forms of birth control in addition to oral and injectable contraception, especially in african nations.

in other news, i need to go back to school for my public health degree.

three hundred seven

tonight i took a bartending class (thanks, groupon!) and learned the very basics of home bartending. basically, if you have 2 parts alcohol (of your choosing), 1 part triple sec, and a lemon or lime - you can make almost any drink you want. i also learned that the quality of the fruit is far more important than the quality of the alcohol.. in other words, don't worry about that $50 bottle of vodka. spend it on real lemons rather than the canned stuff.

ps: i'm usually not a girly drink kinda gal, but my lemon drop was pretty good, if i do say so myself!

three hundred six

catching an accidental glimpse of the all blacks playing in the 2011 rugby world cup reminded me that, no matter how much time has passed, you never really fully totally absolutely completely get over a broken heart. despite moving on, there will always be a hole. it may get smaller, but you will always be missing a part of yourself that the person took with them when they left. on one level or another, there will always be some amount of sadness.

three hundred five

it never pays to overeat. even if it tastes really really good at the time..

three hundred four

brussel sprouts are actually brussels sprouts. my whole life i've been calling them by the wrong name.

three hundred three

i typically have really good body awareness as a rule. however, seeing a video of myself performing an overhead squat made me realize i need to watch my lumbar lordosis a bit more than i had been.. darn hypermobile joints!

three hundred two

i'm officially over baseball season.

three hundred one

i'm pretty sure my hamstrings will never stop being sore.

three hundred

the buffalo bills are actually the best team in the AFC east division, having beat the patriots. that and they are tied for best in the league with the packers (not super surprised) AND the detroit lions.. what a bizarre start to football 2011.

two hundred ninety nine

there are times when staying up all night is detrimental to your productivity the next day. and then there are times when staying up all night is 100% worth it.

two hundred ninety eight

being awake for 72 hrs straight while attending a continuing education course on a complex topic such as the neurovestibular system is not conducive to learning. that said, i am actually understanding it way better than i ever did in school.

two hundred ninety seven

downtown chicago has roads under roads under roads. it's really bizarre. they also love their revolving doors, which i'll admit is quite practical.

two hundred ninety six

blisters on your hands really suck. especially when you wash your hands and use hand sanitizer all day long. THE BURN!

two hundred ninety five

score one more for the insane level of political correctness: there's now a movement to boycott ben & jerry's ice cream (read here). i say, pass the schweddy balls!

two hundred ninety four

things can change. goodbye and good riddance, don't ask don't tell.

two hundred ninety three

i feel great satisfaction and awarded by tangible results. first time completing a real "knees to elbows" maneuver today was a pretty rad moment, i must admit.

*this is NOT me, but you get the idea..

two hundred ninety two

i hadn't gone for a real run in a couple months. basically once i accomplished my goal of running a 5K, i never set a new goal and just stopped. but today i learned, i still got it.. i was able to run my 3 miles without walking, despite not training. thank you, muscle memory!

two hundred ninety one

american airlines has the most comfortable head rests of any airline i've flown recently. and i've flown almost weekly for the past 2 months.

two hundred ninety

technically i knew this already, but i was re-reminded today: as a whole, boston seriously has the worst cabbies in america. seriously.

two hundred eighty nine

there's another valentine-like day in the middle of october. it's called "sweetest day" and has apparently been around since 1921. i learned this b/c while card shopping i noticed a section below the halloween cards for this supposed holiday. i say - we already have a candy holiday on october 31 and a "barf me a river" day on february 14.. do we really need another holiday that combines the two? read about it here.

two hundred eighty eight

sometimes working out can help you detoxify when you have a cold. sometimes it just makes it worse. hello, sinus pressure..

two hundred eighty seven

i'm allergic to seattle.

two hundred eighty six

us airways is by far my least favorite airline to fly. however, i've finally flown them from phoenix to seattle *without* them losing my luggage. kudos, us airways.

two hundred eighty five

time has a way of making us forget, or at least diminishing painful memories. especially when things are not overtly reminding us of them on a daily basis. truly, this has its benefits. but may we always remember this day..

so hard to believe it's been 10 years. i still cannot look at the images of the flaming, smoking towers without crying. the greatest city on earth was forever changed, and with it, the world.

two hundred eighty four

you actually can drink too many tequila shots.

two hundred eighty three

seasickness really stinks. i keep thinking "maybe this will be the time i don't get sick" but that hasn't worked yet. too bad i love boats..

two hundred eighty two

spray tans, even the really good ones, come off in chlorine. sadness.

two hundred eighty one

saying you won't drink the water is entirely different from actually not drinking the water.

two hundred eighty

rosetta stone has done me well: adios seattle, hola mexico!

two hundred seventy nine

seeing hall & oates at bumbershoot seriously made my dreams come true.. (sorry, couldn't resist.)

two hundred seventy eight

technology and me will never mix. we are too much like oil and water. i think that is why, ultimately, i am not meant to be in seattle. lovely city, but we do not have the same 'word'.

two hundred seventy seven

riding 50 miles on a bike when you haven't been on a bike for, umm.. at least 10 years (not counting the few international wine-and-bike tours i've done that have been no more than 10 miles), is not the greatest idea. silver lining: redhook brewery at the half.

two hundred seventy six

i have a ridiculous time accepting compliments, to the point of negating them to an unhealthy level. low self-esteem is an interesting thing and something i've been working on for, well, my entire life. oddly enough, this was written recently and sums things up perfectly.

two hundred seventy five

september is national yoga month. learned that from this month's kripalu online publication. love that place. absolutely love it.

two hundred seventy four

speedos actually can be attractive.. on the right guy. "no balls seattle" runaway bride hash - you've got my vote!

two hundred seventy three

i should have been more consistent with my spanish lessons, now that i'm going to a country that speaks spanish.

two hundred seventy two

apparently baby fever is real: read. my favorite quote of the article, tho?

Conversely, hearing a baby screaming, smelling a dirty diaper or being exposed to spit-up or other "disgusting" aspects of babies, led other people to not want a baby or come down with what you might call "anti-baby fever."

two hundred seventy one

after 3 nights of not sleeping, even my very uncomfortable bed can seem appealing.

two hundred seventy

hurricane irene can't stop the wilsons (and rugers) from having a good time. congrats to two dear friends on starting a beautiful life together.

two hundred sixty nine

i get really cranky when i'm tired and i take it out on people who do not deserve it. that's not cool, and i'm working on it.

two hundred sixty eight

sometimes all it takes is talking to the right person (even if you have to go through many others first) to get the answer you're looking for.

two hundred sixty seven

even when you know you're making the right decision, knowing that you're also hurting someone in the process really stinks.

two hundred sixty six

when you have to really think about when the last time you saw a person was (hint: it was approximately 3 months ago), it's been far too long.

two hundred sixty five

it is possible to inspire others without realizing it. and it feels pretty darn good when they tell you, in all honesty, that your actions truly changed their behaviors.

two hundred sixty four

having a close male friend that can give you free and honest advice, especially when it comes to matters of the heart: priceless.

two hundred sixty three

you can only ignore things for so long.

two hundred sixty two

i've never seen depression spun in a positive way until i read this:

"it is often, finally, a woman's own pain and sadness that make her change her life. finally it is impossible to deny her feelings any longer..

"into such a life, depression comes as a gift, bringing the chance to strike root in a deeper ground inside oneself. depression comes as a gift forcing oneself to listen to the voice of the self within..

"depression serves a woman as it presses down on her forcing her to leave behind that which was not of herself, which had influenced her to live a life alien to her own nature. her suffering, now substantial, insists that she no longer deny its truth. she can no longer 'keep a stiff upper lip,' or 'pack up her troubles in her old kit bag and smile, smile, smile'..

-- excerpts from "circle of stones" by judith duerk

it got me thinking.. what if we didn't live in a world that said we had to be happy all the time? that crying or showing 'negative' emotion is a bad thing? what if we were allowed to embrace these feelings as a wake up call to change our lives, rather than just masking them with fake smiles and suppressing them with medications? how different would things be?

two hundred sixty one

this may be the one and only valid argument for getting married: read. though i still ask, are those extra 10 years quality years? or are they miserable b/c you're stuck in an unhappy and unhealthy relationship? (hmm.. i might be a *bit* biased..)

two hundred sixty

one in 5 american children live in poverty; mississippi is home to the largest ration at 31% of kids living in poverty. the devision between the haves and have-nots just makes me sick.

two hundred fifty nine

strong really is the new skinny. slowly coming to terms with this after a lifetime of struggling with body image and eating habits. here's an oldie, but a goodie.. read.

two hundred fifty eight

'bachelor pad' is by far one of the dumbest tv shows ever. i couldn't even watch it for a half hour. that said.. a recent australian study claims that watching tv for 1 hr every day will shorten your life by 22 mins.

two hundred fifty seven

if you sign the designated driver pledge at a mariners game, they give you a free soft drink ticket.

two hundred fifty six

i have the potential to be a total bitch. and i hate that. always working on my inner self..

two hundred fifty five

choose your travel partners wisely.

two hundred fifty four

sometimes your gut is wrong and things work out. sometimes things go exactly as your gut warned you.. like when you miss reception "open" hours and have to spend the night in your car. in your sleeping bag. in iceland.

two hundred fifty three

some people are just harder to let go of than others. seeking inner peace and acceptance..

two hundred fifty two

industrial strength ear plugs are one of the best inventions. ever.

two hundred fifty one

a trip to the blue lagoon is the single best way to start a trip to iceland.

two hundred fifty

waking up at 4am to catch an early flight is no fun. nor is spending 40+ bucks on a cab b/c the light rail isn't running. but listening to the old crooners on the radio in the cab ride to the airport makes it a little bit better.

two hundred forty nine

deleting photos from a memory card is never easy. especially those that you kept merely because they once brought such comfort just by gazing at them. but it is yet another necessary step in moving forward from a past that will never again be the present.

with a still very heavy heart.. goodbye, g..

two hundred forty eight

always burn a scented candle while cooking fish.

two hundred forty seven

today i learned it's a bad bad idea to drive anywhere in seattle during seafair week.

two hundred forty six

a bruised back does not make for good form during sit-ups.

two hundred forty five

kinesio tape works wonders. especially when it's hot pink.

two hundred forty four

reality bites.

two hundred forty three

pushing yourself to do things that make you uncomfortable can end in three ways: (1) you're still totally uncomfortable, (2) it turned out much better than you had anticipated and you actually enjoyed yourself, or (3) you can at least say you came out with a funny story.

after my kayaking adventures with a 40+ singles meetup group, can you guess how my my day ended?

two hundred forty two

i will never be the champion of beer olympics. and i'm okay with that.

two hundred forty one

congress is the only occupation i can think of that you still get paid for not only not doing your job, but for refusing to do your job.

two hundred forty

doing yoga in my favorite park in seattle (gas works) - feet in the grass, sunshine on my face, warm breeze thru my hair - has got to be one of the best experiences i've had in this city. oh, and the fact we awakened from savasana to a group of male folk dancers prancing about with jingle bells on their legs seriously made my day.

two hundred thirty nine

the current generation of middle-aged women are the most stressed out people in america, and they are the first generation of women who may not outlive their male partners by 5 to 7 years as a result.

ladies - take care of yourselves!

two hundred thirty eight

patience is a virtue that i am realizing i've been losing as i've grown older. i hope i can regain the seemingly endless patience i once held.

two hundred thirty seven

according to my OT colleagues, there are apparently tools out there ("leg spreaders") to assist with self-catheterization.

two hundred thirty six

even when you're pretty sure things won't work out the way you might hope, going with your gut when making big decisions is still the only way to ensure you never have any regrets.

two hundred thirty five

americans, many of my friends included, reached a new low today. i saw a total of 3 - THREE - posts on facebook discussing the absolutely horrific events that transpired in norway, and too many to count regarding the death of singer amy winehouse.

now, i think amy was an extremely talented artist who unfortunately could not control her demons, and i mourn the loss for her family and the music industry. she was far too young. but the fact that her death seemed to make more of an impact on us than 85+ people being murdered by a right-wing christian extremist in a terrorist attack in norway.. i am saddened. i mean no offense. but come on. and to have the headlines next to each other. it just seems wrong.

rest peacefully, amy. and rest peacefully those innocents in norway whose lives were tragically cut short. and may we keep them in our thoughts.

two hundred thirty four

1 out of every 3 people born in the usa after the year 2000 will develop type II diabetes. that ratio changes to 1 out of 2 minorities (source: food, inc.. which i've seen before but for some reason missed that statistic). something must be done.

two hundred thirty three

alex steinweiss was the creator of the album cover.

after WWII, columbia records came up with a new format, the long-playing record, and alex was given the task of creating a protective jacket for this new LP. before the 1940s recorded music was sold in plain packaging, often in thick books (hence the name album) with the titles merely written on the binding. alex became the first art director for columbia in 1939 -- and it was here that he introduced album art as we know it today. between 1939 and 1973 when he retired, he designed roughly 2500 covers.

mr. steinweiss just passed away on 18 july 2011. thanks to NPR's all things considered for introducing me to this interesting man who is such a part of music history, and to wikipedia for filling in the details.

two hundred thirty two

and on the gazillionth day, god said "let there be free birth control!" what a wonderful thing this would be.

two hundred thirty one

it's all about the journey, not the destination.

two hundred thirty

i can do a push up - the real kind, not the knee kind. i can only do 1 with good form, but i can do it. curious to see where i'll be in a few months..

two hundred twenty nine

we can't control where our minds wander, as much as we might try to. time just has to take it's course.

two hundred twenty eight

it is what it is.

two hundred twenty seven

it may be waaaaay past my bedtime, and it may be kinda dorky - but i don't care.. attending the midnight showing of the last movie of one of the most beloved series of all time was a once in a lifetime experience. farewell harry potter. you will be missed!

two hundred twenty six

i had no idea fight club the movie (one of my favorite movies ever) was based on a 1996 novel by chuck palahniuk.

two hundred twenty five

thanks to my friend vicky from my younger years, i now know the origins of glory days, my favorite of all favorite bruce songs. despite it's cheesiness and simplistic features, it can put me in a good mood no matter what happened in my day.

two hundred twenty four

serendipity is real. but it can lead you in very opposite directions, depending upon how you choose to act or not act in that particular situation.

two hundred twenty three

today is 11 July 2011, or "7-11" day, when you can get a free slurpee at 7-11 stores. on the news, they gave a bit of info on the history of how the slurpee came to be.. read all about it here, and enjoy one for free!

two hundred twenty two

baby shower registries are far scarier than wedding registries.. burping towels, diaper disposals, nursing bra pads. oh my.

two hundred twenty one

today i learned the very basics of roller derby, having gone to support a friend for the first time. it was awesome. and i will totally be a spectator again.

two hundred twenty

it's a small world, after all. firm believer in the six degrees of separation after tonight.

two hundred nineteen

doing something to please someone else is never a wise decision. owning up to the fact you don't want to do that something, while disappointing to the other party, is ultimately the way to go.

two hundred eighteen

a study recently published concluded that in regards to long term relationships, cuddling is more important to men and sexual satisfaction is more important to women. kinda bucks the ol' stereotypes, huh?

two hundred seventeen

sometimes chemistry is instant and sometimes it isn't. but just because it's instant doesn't mean it will work out (as i know all too well). and just because it isn't instant doesn't mean it's not worth another shot.

two hundred sixteen

i have the ability to run a 5K without stopping.. laugh if you must - but for me that's a MAJOR accomplishment! wahoo firecracker 5000!

two hundred fifteen

signing up to run a 5K the night before the race, without officially training, just because you had a few cocktails and thought it sounded like a good idea.. is actually not a good idea.

lesson: never commit to something while intoxicated (even if only mildly). peeing my pants with nerves for my first 5K tonight at midnight. yikes.

two hundred fourteen

if you set your expectations too high, you'll most likely be disappointed. but if you set your expectations lower and perhaps more realistically, you'll often be pleasantly surprised.

two hundred thirteen

we all know sunlight is a natural source of vitamin d, and why folks in seattle are essentially all deficient b/c there's such a lack of sunlight here. well, today i learned it's also a source of vitamin k. i've always known to eat my green leafy veggies, but a little sunshine will also help boost those levels.

two hundred twelve

red potatoes that have been simmering for 30 mins in chicken broth seasoned with thyme, cayenne pepper and a bay leaf are fantastic.

two hundred eleven

oregon bay shrimp seriously are the best shrimp in the world.

two hundred ten

emotion needs to be separated from science. as a healthcare provider, i can attest this is often difficult to do - but we have research for a reason: to come to conclusions via clear and objective findings. case in point: avastin. while taking away the last hope someone might have has got to be heart wrenching, i applaud the FDA for allowing the facts to speak for themselves.

two hundred nine

i learned i've lost a lot of my dancing skillz... hello ballet 101 - and to think i was worried you'd be too easy. bah.

two hundred eight

i just finished watching a movie called "timer" (highly recommended). it got me thinking.. if i could have a timer implanted on my wrist that would go off when i met "the one", would i want it? sure - it would save the heartache felt when a relationship ends. but would we ever grow as people if we never experienced life in a way that made us learn from our mistakes.. would we ever really learn who we were or what we wanted out of life?

i don't think we would. and though it would be really tempting to get such a device.. i think we'd be so consumed with living for the future that we'd forget how to live for today.

two hundred seven

my friend brett used to sing a cappella and actually performed the national anthem with his group at safeco field. who knew?

two hundred six

i need to get back into my once-a-month massage routine. it seriously can change your life.

two hundred five

having your patient fall (or, in this instance - be "slowly lowered to the floor") while you're working with them is pretty much the worst feeling you can have as a therapist.

two hundred four

this past sunday i completed a 5 week swing dance class, and for most of the time, there was one guy lead who looked really really familiar. i just couldn't place it. well. tonight while watching the news i realized why - he is a local news reporter on KOMO 4. ha!

two hundred three

according to a recent UN study, nearly 2/3rds of all deaths in the world are caused by noncommunicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and heart and lung disease. and nearly 80% of those deaths are in developing countries. good to know, as most funding, research and treatment in developing countries goes towards communicable diseases, such as HIV and tuberculosis.

this is particularly interesting to me as i've always had a passion for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, especially related to its effect on african nations. i wonder - when i do eventually go back to get my MPH, will the focus for a global health concentration change?

two hundred two

okay, so i'm a firm believer in "age doesn't matter" and acknowledge i tend to be attracted to - and date - older men (though i'm open enough to have also dated younger ones, too). but at some point i'm learning a line needs to be drawn.. and i believe that line is when the guy is closer to your mom's age and could potentially be your father. at least that's how i felt after learning a man who is admittedly attractive and was chatting me up the other day was 45. then it gets a little weird, right?

though i guess these guys don't feel the same; he's 51 (was an actor on Lost) and she's 16 (apparently a country singer). her mom gave consent b/c "they're completely in love." umm. who let's their child marry at 16?!?! and what 16-year-old looks like that?!? i smell divorce. barf me a river..

two hundred one

i am really bad at taking my own advice. it always amazes me how objective i can be when listening to others but how short-sighted i am when it comes to self-analysis.

two hundred

i knew it! watching 'jersey shore' (and other such reality tv shows) does make you dumber. to quote the article, you are what you watch.

one hundred ninety nine

so we already learned that this april was the coldest april ever on record in seattle's history. okay. but today i learned that - as a whole - this was the second coldest spring ever recorded, and we only missed the record by a very minuscule amount. i sure know how to pick 'em..

one hundred ninety eight

i generally eat healthily and am pretty active. and i never believed this to be true, but can now attest to it - your metabolism seriously stops at 28. ugh.

one hundred ninety seven

victory is so sweet.

one hundred ninety six

according to a recent survey, salary is very closely associated with weight AND gender: as a man's weight goes up (and over), his salary will increase; as a woman's weight goes up (and over), her salary will decrease. skinny women are paid more than overweight or even average women with equal credentials, but fat men are compensated more than their healthier peers. interesting..

one hundred ninety five

the NHL was formed on 26 nov 1917, after the national hockey association was suspended. it originally held 4 teams - all canadian. the first american hockey team to join the NHL was the boston bruins in 1924. now the b's are going for their first title since the 1970s. to note: there have only been 15 other seven-game stanley cup finals.. the bruins will face the canucks in the 16th ever.

one hundred ninety four

dancing is joyful.

one hundred ninety three

while whale watching for orcas today, i learned orcas aren't actually whales, but members of the dolphin family. however, "whale watching" apparently sounds cooler than "dolphin watching". either way - we saw (non) whales! whoo!

one hundred ninety two

you are never too old to rock out.

today i saw an 88-year-young man in a townie bar in port townsend, wa, tapping his feet and tearing up the dance floor (or attempting to) while listening to a hard rock band.

photo courtesy

one hundred ninety one

75% of alzheimer's cases are caused by unknown etiology, basically a combo of age, genetics, environmental and lifestyle choices. 25% of cases are essentially strictly genetic.

one hundred ninety

from a friend's facebook post today stating (literally) "you learn something new everyday": there is such an industry as aquaculture - like agriculture, but instead of land, it deals with water.

one hundred eighty nine

tuesdays are the worst days to go food shopping in terms of buying food, b/c the shelves are basically empty awaiting the new shipments due in that evening.

but tuesdays are the best days to go food shopping in terms of eye candy. apparently all the non-gay attractive men in capitol hill are getting groceries tuesday evenings. who knew they even existed?

one hundred eighty eight

lisa bloom recently wrote a book entitled "think" about how the tabloid media is making us dumb. while collecting research for her book, she found young female college students can name more Kardashians than wars we are in. they would rather be hot than smart. half of young women would rather get hit by a truck than get fat. twenty-five percent would rather win a reality tv show than a nobel prize.

where is our world headed?

one hundred eighty seven

today i learned how KEXP keeps going.. it truly is powered by its listeners.

one hundred eighty six

it's gross, but peeling your sun-burned dead skin off is strangely satisfying.

one hundred eighty five

saying goodbye never gets any easier with time. but the old cliche is true: it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

for g..

one hundred eighty four

hope may turn out to be false hope. but though the pain of this discovery can be deep, i still believe that hopelessness is far worse.

one hundred eighty three

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind (oddly, fitting to mention now with my heart being broken. yet again.) is completely one of my favorite movies of all time. but it seems fantasy is starting to cross with reality. a new study shows there is a cortisol blocking pill that can dull painful memories. of course, the purpose would be for treatment of PTSD. but the possibilities, as well as ethical issues, seem endless.

one hundred eighty two

seeing is believing. and once you see it, you can't un-see it. for better or for worse.

one hundred eighty one

i've proved to my friend nate (who was visiting from the east coast) that you can indeed get a pretty severe sunburn through the clouds. especially when at elevation and snowshoeing on mt rainier. ouch.

one hundred eighty

i now know what stinging nettles feel like.

one hundred seventy nine

not all broken hearts are created equally.

some are instant and so painful that you can hardly breathe. but some occur months or even years after the event, triggered by a memory or a newly learned fact about your ex. and even though this kind of heartbreak is not as intense, it's still just as deep, because it's letting go of that final bit of hope you didn't even realize you were still hanging on to.

what becomes of the broken hearted? they keep moving on, often suffering through additional heartbreak, all the while trying to keep their hurt hearts open, awaiting the time they meet the person who will not put them through the same.

one hundred seventy eight

watching comedies can cause melatonin levels in breast milk to increase in expectant and new moms. this in turn may reduce the development of allergies in their children. so laugh out loud, moms-to-be!

one hundred seventy seven

i'm not a huge fan of sour beer.

one hundred seventy six

today is national tap dance day, the birthday of bill bojangles robinson. that i knew.

what i didn't know (and learned today) was that it's also 'towel day', a celebration in tribute to late british author douglas adams, known best for writing the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. why may 25? it just took that long (2 weeks after his premature death) for fans to organize the tribute. why a towel? i guess in the work there is a pretty lengthy explanation as to why "a towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have."

in addition to learning this, i also learned douglas adams wrote a few episodes for the original dr. who. who knew?

one hundred seventy five

according to this study, women are more attractive to men who DON'T smile, at least upon initial encounter. well - i disagree. if you don't smile at me, forget it. i'm far less likely to talk to you (if you're taking notes...)

one hundred seventy four

a recent study shows that men who are "cultured" are actually happier. so to all my guy friends who've laughed at going to a museum, a play, or a book club - you're obviously not as happy =)

one hundred seventy three

welp, no end of the world. i only feel a little sorry for the many people who sold all their possessions, often donating the money to harold camping's christian organization, and journeyed thousands of miles to prepare for an event that never came. here's an interesting article on the various reactions to the lack of rapture.

one hundred seventy two

if the world ends today, i can say truthfully that i've lived the life i've wanted to live.

one hundred seventy one

if you can avoid it, don't get admitted to a hospital on a weekend. you're 10% more likely to die if you do. read more about the study, here.

one hundred seventy

eating certain foods in combination can have a potential medicinal effect. for instance, tomatoes & olives together may help slow the growth of cancer cells. garlic & onions together may help decrease tumor growth by blocking excess hormones. citrus fruits & oats together can help prevent the oxidation of LDL (the bad kind) of cholesterol. and finally blueberries & walnuts together may decrease cognitive decline & improve memory.

one hundred sixty nine

on my 2nd drum lesson, i learned how to read half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes and sixteenth notes. not bad for someone that's never had a music sheet lesson in her life.

one hundred sixty eight

10-15% of caucasians will have their eyes change color over the years and it will be a normal occurrence (like my brown eyes turned more hazel-y). but oftentimes when eyes change color it's a sign of disease.

one hundred sixty seven

telomeres (focus of 2009 nobel prize winner) are finally becoming part of america's vernacular. ABC world news tonight did a story about them on this evening's broadcast (read here). i remember learning about them in college and being fascinated; the plastic on the end of a shoelace analogy never left me. i also know we have the ability to preserve their length, thus perhaps extending (healthy) lives, through proper nutrition and exercise.

the potential power one has to control the outcome of his life is endless.

one hundred sixty six

today was lesson #1 of my east coast swing dance. i learned the fastest way to make a really awkward situation (read: dancing with 60 strangers) is to be as uninhibited as possible, because, really - it's totally awkward, and there's absolutely nothing you can do but go with it.

one hundred sixty five

today i learned how to sail on the flying trapeze. i nearly peed my pants, but it was awesome.

one hundred sixty four

technology IS bad for you! especially when people use it over common sense, which i'm afraid is becoming more - err - common. here's a perfect example why. long live the luddites!

one hundred sixty three

spinach is high in iron, but vegetable forms of iron are not absorbed as well as meat-based forms. eating foods high in vitamin C (like citrus fruits) with your spinach will help increase the absorption of iron. also, steaming spinach prior to eating will help you absorb more nutrients in general when compared to eating it raw.

one hundred sixty two

today was my first drum lesson. i learned the various drums (bass, snare & tom tom) and symbols (hi-hat, crash & ride). i learned to hit to a 4 count, 8 count, 16 count and 32 count beat. and i learned the basics of reading music. whoo! childhood dream coming true =)

one hundred sixty one

vodka can clean your diamonds and whiskey can clean your gold. bottoms up!

one hundred sixty

the heart can pump blood 30 feet in distance.

one hundred fifty nine

today i went on a tour at celestial seasonings in boulder, co. and i learned all about the way they make tea. i also learned that black, green and white tea are all made from the same plant, the top two leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. however there are some differences:

• black and green tea leaves are picked when the plant is mature, whereas white tea leaves are picked when they are immature.
• black tea leaves are left to oxidize and air dry, whereas green and white tea leaves are steamed before the oxidation is completed.
• tea can be de-caffinated by a process that involves putting so much pressure on CO2 that it turns from gas to liquid, which removes 99% of the caffeine in tea, then the pressure is slowly lifted to return the CO2 back to gas. and the de-caffination process is complete. but if a tea says "caffeine free" then it is not actually tea, instead some kind of herbal infusion.
• green tea contains less caffeine than black tea, but green tea contains more anti-oxidants.

one hundred fifty eight

capers are the buds of the caper bush (capparis spinosa) from the mediterranean region and are generally eaten pickled.

one hundred fifty seven

i apologize for another weather related post, but while i was at the gym this morning, i learned la niña is finally leaving us and hopefully taking the colder-than-normal temperatures with it. the weatherman assured us in seattle, "spring is on the way!" but my favorite part of his statement was this: "spring should arrive sometime between now and the end of june." oy vey.

one hundred fifty six

i've spent over a year deliberating as to why, exactly, seattle and i aren't meant to be. it's beautiful. it has some of the best food i've ever had. and on paper, it truly is my ideal city. but after looking up the weather for tomorrow's trip to denver, the answer finally occurred to me: the weather is the same ALL FRIGGIN YEAR LONG.

vs

one hundred fifty five

people are extremely uneducated about medications, especially over the counter ones. acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of liver failure among adolescents and young adults, and yet only 31% of people know tylenol contains acetaminophen? sad. read full article here.

one hundred fifty four

one of the most beautiful quotes going around the internet is indeed fake. or at least a conglomeration of different quotes. read about it here. regardless of who it can ultimately be attributed to, it still sums up exactly how i feel about celebrating the death of a fellow human being. evil or not, it's still a life, and i have no right to determine who lives or dies. so here it is:

I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

one hundred fifty three

osama bin laden is dead. and i still cry every time i see a photo of those towers in flames.

while i do not celebrate the loss of any life, i feel i must say god bless our troops. what courage, honor and sacrifice. and one day, may all in this country be able to live in peace with one another regardless of political viewpoint. it's about respect. and i'm afraid it has been lost.

until they all come home...

one hundred fifty two

it was the coldest april EVER on record in seattle, with an average temperature of only 52 degrees. it was also the 7th wettest ever on record. you're doing a fine job of trying to get me to stay, seattle. a fine job.

one hundred fifty one

today i learned how to homebrew beer. literally, step by step.

i also learned it's relatively easy to make gluten free beer by substituting sorghum for malted barley, as they have similar qualities. and i learned there is a product (clarinex? i think) that people are discovering can actually be added to beer that already contains gluten and it will extract the gluten. meaning, if you like to drink a certain beer but wish to make it gluten free - there now may be a reasonable way to do that. super interesting to see where that will lead! maybe i'll be able to start enjoying beer more =)

one hundred fifty

it's okay to be a trusting person in general. it's good and admirable to be trustworthy yourself (see yesterday's blushing post). but be careful whom you put your trust in, because more often than not, you will be disappointed.

one hundred forty nine

i've always been really embarrassed by my sometimes uncanny ability to turn crimson with the slightest provocation, even if i'm truly not embarrassed by the situation occurring at that moment. however, a new study suggests it might not actually be a bad thing. read about it here. maybe it's time to embrace my blush!

one hundred forty eight

president barack obama was born in the usa. like, for real. it's ridiculous it had to come to this, but in today's political climate, i guess it's not surprising. BUT CAN WE FINALLY PUT IT TO REST AND MOVE ONTO ISSUES THAT REALLY MATTER!?!

one hundred forty seven

it is more difficult to get tickets to the olympic games than the FIFA world cup. which seems absurd. and impossible.

one hundred forty six

cars are far more likely to yield to teens carrying backpacks (on way to school) then the general population. maybe i should start wearing a backpack on my walk to the hospital so i don't have to stand at every corner for 5 mins waiting for someone to let me cross..

one hundred forty five

some fun facts (and numbers!) about what will be needed for the upcoming royal wedding:

*1900 people will be in attendance

*2 choirs & 1 orchestra will be performing during the ceremony

*5000 bells will ring for 3 hrs after the service

*2 wedding cakes will be served

*1700 biscuits will be used to make one of the cakes (william's favorite)

*5000 police officers will be ensuring safety

*187 horses will be trotting about

*35 police dogs will be sniffing out any strange scents

*1,000,000 people will line streets around the cathedral

*100 million pints of beer will be poured at pubs

*26,000 tulips will be trimmed since they peaked too early this year and will take your eye off the royal couple's appearance at buckingham palace (poor tulips!)

one hundred forty four

i haven't been a practicing christian for many years now, and won't pretend to be for the sake of pleasing others. BUT i must admit, "the 10 commandments" is one of the best movies ever made and i truly love watching it every saturday prior to easter sunday.

and, young moses is sexy, even if that's sacrilegious.

one hundred forty three

music is transportive.

it always amazes me how, despite the number of years that have passed, a certain lyric or song or melody can just bring you to another place and time. even if only for a moment..

"but tell me now where was my fault, in loving you with my whole heart?"

- mumford and sons

one hundred forty two

watching someone you love utterly breakdown, knowing there is nothing you can do to 'make it better', has got to be one of the worst feelings in the world.

one hundred forty one

life is not fair.

one hundred forty

eff! apparently swearing is a good pain reliever. read about it #@*! here.

one hundred thirty nine

i now like grapefruit.

one hundred thirty eight

seeing an old flame for the first time since "the last time" can initially be slightly awkward. but you get over it real quick.

one hundred thirty seven

wow! as we ready for the boston marathon, this story is just amazing.

one hundred thirty six

i rarely get political, but seriously - arizona's government is full of morons. i was considering moving there since it's a beautiful state, but not anymore. at least not until jan brewer is out.

one hundred thirty five

we all have a breaking point.

one hundred thirty four

drug smugglers are pretty dang smart, i'll give them that.

one hundred thirty three

i might be generally vegetarian. i might be gluten free. but tonight i had the best filet mignon and warm bread basket i've ever had in my life. thank you capital grille and seattle restaurant week!

one hundred thirty two

forgiveness is easy. it's the forgetting that i'm still struggling with.

one hundred thirty one

i'm glad i'm a wine drinker! this is why.

one hundred thirty

today while at 21 cellars, a tacoma winery that i visited thanks in part to groupon, i learned about the different types of wine presses. 21 cellars used to use a hand crank mechanism that would squish the grapes via lowering a wooden block to put pressure on the crushed grapes. but they've since converted to hydro-pressure, using water to slowly expand a tube bladder to exert pressure. this is much more gentle on the grapes and will ensure more control over the tannins ultimately found in the wine.

it's a lot better than the old fashioned way! yay wine!

one hundred twenty nine

i'm might be going to hell.

today i internally got angry with a disabled grocery bagger at my market b/c when i got home, i was missing my organic yellow squash and 2 lara bars. this was immediately followed by my feelings of regret for donating a dollar to the disability fund at check out. which was immediately followed by horrible guilt for being angry over $3.50 for the chance of someone living a productive life. which was then followed by sadness over my lack of patience for something that ultimately is so not worth being angry about.

sigh. 1/3 of the way through the year, and obviously still working on being a better person..

one hundred twenty eight

this seattle ballpark beer seller has one of the best ideas i've heard of. even though i hate twitter, talk about a lightbulb moment!

one hundred twenty seven

apparently your memory doesn't work as well when you're in a good mood. which is partly why it's easier to remember the bad times.. maybe there IS an upside to pessimism, ha. read full article here.

one hundred twenty six

talk about inspiration! i love reading stories about amazing women.. like the one who's goal was to travel to every country on earth, and ellen degeneres had her on the show.. and the one who went skydiving on her 80th birthday.. and NOW, there's "Gladyator", the 92 year old marathon runner. i hope i'm half as cool as these ladies when i'm an old bird.

one hundred twenty five

if spending time with someone is not an enjoyable experience, being nice and pretending it is so as to save that person's ego ultimately is a bad idea. while it might initially hurt the feelings of the other party, in the end you are doing both yourself and them a favor.

one hundred twenty four

sir mix-a-lot is from seattle.

one hundred twenty three

lleva is not the same as llaves. one is to wear. one is keys. oh, español. this whole time i've been keying shirts and opening doors with wearing.

one hundred twenty two

google's gmail motion isn't real. but i really wish it was. "To send a message, lick a stamp and place it down." priceless.

to watch google's annual april fool's joke, click here.

one hundred twenty one

today i learned risotto is tricky to make. however, though mine might not have been the best, it wasn't half bad either!

one hundred twenty

welp, i guess i now understand the physiological response of feeling physically hurt and ill when my heart's been absolutely shattered from a devastating breakup. turns out, the same areas of the brain are stimulated whether we are feeling physical or emotional pain (read here). thankfully i've already learned that heartache, like bruises, will go away with time.

one hundred nineteen

my apples and avocados (among other fruits) give off ethylene gas, making other fruits and veggies go bad more quickly, even if refrigerated. learning how to store my foods better!

one hundred eighteen

according to one recent study, by the 2nd grade, girls already believe math is not for them and link math to the male gender. let's help teach our young females that math IS for them and they can be brilliant in math, or any other subject for that matter, if they want to be.

one hundred seventeen

stevens-johnson syndrome (which i had never heard of until today) sucks. read about it here.

one hundred sixteen

according to dr. george lee (one of the speakers at seattle vegfest 2011), there is potential for up to 80% of all cancers in america to be prevented with simple lifestyle changes. 80%!!! even if it was less than that, what an amazing thing to have such control over your life and health. now if only we could get americans to make those changes..

one hundred fifteen

chapel bar (one of my favorite bars with great martinis that happens to be conveniently located a couple blocks from my apt..) was once a mortuary. that i knew. what i learned today was that it housed the very first elevator on the west coast to lift bodies.

one hundred fourteen

there's a computer game called "second life" where you create a character and this character lives out his life in a virtual or alternate reality. ohhhh-kay... but, where it really gets weird is these characters - who are purely fictional - can actually make you (the creator) real money in the real world. AND these characters can actually earn real degrees at university.

this blurring of realities is incredibly bizarre and frankly incredibly creepy. i cannot possibly begin to understand how a dissociation and disengagement from the real world is - in any way, shape or form - healthy. it has bad (and a criminal minds episode) written all over it.

one hundred thirteen

the southern hemisphere also has a jet stream, but it moves from east to west.

one hundred twelve

90% of the jobs currently being created as part of the recovery from the recession are being taken by men. the retail sector has added 300K jobs for men, but 300K jobs have been lost by women in retail. most of the jobs being added are in the infrastructure sector (predominated by men); most jobs being lost are in the public service sector (predominated by women).

interesting, huh?

one hundred eleven

kate middleton was bullied in elementary and middle school, and even at one point as a teenager had to switch schools. and look at her now.. gorgeous and about to marry a prince. take that, bullies!

one hundred ten

i learned one of the two brackets i made for march madness (which, i might add, i've never watched a basketball game - ever - and i have no idea what i'm doing) is definitely not going any further, since i had the university of washington huskies winning the tournament (HA). ah well. keeping my fingers crossed for my other bracket!

one hundred nine

being there is the single most important thing you can do in a friendship.

one hundred eight

while reading my book club's march selection (the boy who harnessed the wind, highly recommended), i learned michael faraday was a physicist who invented the first transformer in 1831. it made me think of the LOST character, daniel faraday, also a physicist.

coincidence? nope. according to wikipedia:

Showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse called Daniel Faraday "an obvious shout-out to Michael Faraday, scientist and physicist".

one hundred seven

it's not all in my head, our bodies DO actually lose the capability to process alcohol as we age, making the dreaded hangover worse. to combat this, experts suggest drinking higher quality (ie: more expensive) alcohol.. and that's just fine by me =)

happy st. patrick's day!

one hundred six

"10 things i hate about you" was filmed in and around the seattle area. featured places include gas works park (my favorite seattle park), the fremont troll, the paramount theatre, and century ballroom, among other places i've come to know and love. guess i'll have to go back and watch it!

one hundred five

"use your intelligence before your courage." - dr. maya angelou, who is by far the most intelligent and courageous person i've ever had the honor of being in the presence of.

one hundred four

david muir went to ithaca college, my own alma mater, graduating in 1995. he then worked in syracuse ny for a while before moving to boston. finally, he hit the big time with a move to nyc to work for abc in 2003. (and if you're asking why i know this, or how i happened to learn this, it's because - well, i kinda have a little crush, and i looked him up on wikipedia. HAHA).

one hundred three

today i learned never, EVER, to go shopping at target on a rainy sunday afternoon. it's family day pandemonium.

one hundred two

when children are exposed to radioactive fallout, it is quickly absorbed by their thyroid glands. taking stable potassium-iodine tablets can help block absorption of the radioactive iodine form, thus protecting the gland. had the children of chernobyl been given iodine, there would have been far fewer cases of cancer. but the lessons of yesterday can help to prevent potential problems in our future.

one hundred one

mother nature is one powerful force. may be never forget and always respect it. and may we keep japan and its people in our thoughts after this tragedy.