21 December 2006

Ancora Imparo

Anyone who's gone out to dinner with me in the last few months has probably encountered my new favorite question: what are three things you learned today? Here is a random assortment of things I've learned in the last few weeks, in no particular order.

1) You do not know better than the cookie dough package how long the cookies should stay in the oven. Take the cookies out as instructed, even if they are still square on the top.

2) Teensy tiny pieces of glass, though small, still have teensy tiny razor-sharp edges capable of slicing your thumb open.

3) Many hardware stores do not carry black grout - call ahead.

4) When making a mirror mosaic, mask off the mirror early in the process so your worklight does not shine in your face and give you a headache.

5) "Thray" is not a word, though "echard" is.

6) It's eggnog season! Eggnog is good when mixed with chai.

7) US currency is printed on paper that is 75-80% recycled blue jeans (waste cotton) and 20-25% waste flax.

8) There is a sunken WWII sub in Norway containing 70 tons of mercury, as well as other heavy metals. Debates rage about whether to try to remove it or entomb it in sand and concrete. (Why not leave the sub there and pump the mercury to the surface? Anyone know?)

9) The seventh and final Harry Potter book will be called "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".

10) When the freeway is flooded, walking under the overpass is extremely treacherous, as large amounts of cold sudden water tend to fall on you.

11) Except for water, we use more concrete (by volume) than any other substance in the world. Concrete made from volcanic ash will harden and cure underwater (thank you, Roman Empire).

12) Discount Builders Supply is perhaps the best hardware store in San Francisco (and it does have a big parking lot).

13) It is easy to find reasons to not mow the lawn.

What are three things you learned today?

Curvacious Glass


I've evolved in the past four months; I'm no longer feeling limited to projects that only use straight cuts!

14 December 2006

Math and Love


So glad I found this - I thought I was the only one who tried these analytic methods on everything.

I just took a three hour chemistry final. When my brain unfries, I will post some entries with a little more substance than I have of late. I am relishing a whole month of doing calculations without having to think about sigfigs!

07 December 2006

When Bunnies Go Bad


(With apologies to Ranger Bunny and Nicole.)

05 December 2006

More Cool Art



For those of you who are ready to move on after making a few snowflakes, behold the amazing art of Peter Calleson! His works, including incredibly detailed papercuts like this one, can be found at his website here.