The Unkindest Cut of All

So I'm growing a beard and I'm getting the (expected) ribbing at work.  For the most part it doesn't bother me.  Ask me what the heck is on by face or if I forgot my razor and I'm ok.  Ask me if I've got some tree moss, or if I need to get a cat (don't ask-I still don't get that one myself) and it rolls right off my back.

The only one that really gets to me is the person who says "Look at that little beard you got going on there. How cute!"

That one, I'll admit, stings.

Why You Want to Play Nintendogs and Lemmings

Elijah Commings Is No Chump

If all congressional hearings were this interesting, I'd watch CSpan more often!

My New Blog - A Local Food Directory

A few months ago, I read a book called The Omnivore's Dilemma and I've since gotten very interested in the local food movement.  Family farmers, often organic, local foods.

In fact, I got so motivated, I decided to look for local farmers and growers in the area - and was surprised by what I found.  I decided to start a blog featuring local farmers and area farmer's markets.

Looking for local and/or organic foods in the Rock River Valley (Winnebago and Rock Counties)? Check out my newest blog: Local Food in Northern Illinois.

Now Where Did I Put That Hammer?

From FOXNews.com: 

A spacewalking astronaut accidentally let go of her tool bag Tuesday after a grease gun inside it exploded, and helplessly watched as the tote and everything inside floated away.

I've got to empathize with the astronaut, a lady with the improbably long name of Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper.  I suspect that she's not being totally honest with the story, however; according to her press conference, her response was a mumbled "Oh, great".

At least, I probably would have conveyed my frustration differently.

Later in the spacewalk, a screwdriver floated by in full view of the entire team.

Thoughts on Boston

Or, perhaps more appropriately "Thawts on Bawston":

• Everyone here seems thinner than folks back home. Personally, I think the fact that walking is much easier than driving in the city encourages folks to get more exercise.
• I'm not sure if coffee shops outnumber bank branches but it's damn close either way. Then again, I am in Boston's finanical district.
• There is nothing like getting pleasantly drunk in an Irish pub, and there can't be much closer to a real Irish pub than the Black Rose downtown.
• I find that I most enjoy exploring a city during the early morning hours, when it's just you, the drunks, joggers and bums. And the occasional drunk, jogging bum.

Who The Hell Assumes "Tibor" Is A Woman's Name?

A multinational advertising company conducted a 'team-building' offsite with executives from regional subsidiaries around the globe. However, upon arriving at the designated hotel in Ontario several female Japanese employees discovered that they were scheduled to share rooms with male German representatives.

Apparently the planners, who (surprise!) were American mistakenly thought that names like "Jens" and "Tibor" were women's names.

Tibor?

I mean, seriously, Tibor?

(Tibor)

George Carlin on Presidential Politics: Watch Out Barack!

Well.  So I was a Barack supporter and I'm happy that he won.

However.  I do have some concerns.

The immortal words of George Carlin:

"You're going to have one of those really swell presidential elections that you like so much! You'll enjoy yourselves; it'll be a lot of fun. I'm sure that as soon as the election is over, your country will improve immediately." [emphasis mine]

Just have patience people! 

Definition of the Day: Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance (psych): an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously, for example: when you're listening to NPR and Metallica's Master of Puppets starts playing.

I happened to be looking across the highway and I'm pretty sure that about 1 in 20 cars swerved slightly as their drivers **winced**