be like coffee

Black holes and blogs

2008-05-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

I fear that the two will eventually meet. Let's see what happens.

Quote of the time being # 3

2008-04-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

Sir Ken Robinson

If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original.

Can you pass the test?

2008-04-06T04:30:00.000-07:00

Quote of the time being #3

2008-04-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only that the cat died nobly.

Arnold Edinborough

happiness

2008-04-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

When happiness happens...

2008-04-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

A hot cup of hoffee...

2008-03-24T17:37:00.001-07:00

An oldie but a goodie.

Quote of the time being #2

2008-03-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will themselves not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.

Daniel Burnham

P.S. For anyone who hasn't read "Devil in the White City"... you should.

How The Hand Reacts In A Karate Chop - 5min - Video

2008-03-24T17:29:00.001-07:00

Watch more DIY videos on 5min.com

2008-03-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Generally I am a good, virtuous sort of girl. I tend to choose my loyalties wisely and then stick with them. But if I am honest, I have a few vices in which I shamefully flit often from one favorite to another. One of these harlot-ish weaknesses happens to be brilliant quotations. SO I have decided to include in this blog of mine a category of pure self-indulgence to share other people's brilliance.
I was going to call it "quote of the day," but then realized that's a tall order. Although there is enough brilliance in the world to maintain that quota for quite a long time, I don't know that there is enough responsibility in myself to post a daily quote. So, I will dub it instead the "quote of the time being."

If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original.
--Sir Ken Robinson

Is it time for screen cleaning?

2008-03-23T08:15:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while I look at my screen in the right light and am reminded how horribly I neglect the cleaning of my computer screen. So, this may not work all the time, but if you go to this site there is a great temporary solution for those who find themselves in the same predicament.

When you can't get your butt to the island... bring the island to your butt.

2008-03-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

The magic is in the last seconds-- wait for it and you will be rewarded.

An Easter Story...

2008-03-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

“According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” -- Jerry Seinfeld

As you may or may not know-- I was recently hired as Director of the Riverside Children's Art Center, which is located at Riverside Christian Church. On my first day, eager as I was, the pastor of the church came into my office.

"Mandy, you look like you have some dramatic flare... would you play Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday. Just a short monologue for a crowd of 70-80 people?"

Seeing as he's my boss, and it was my first day and I had in my younger years of 5 or 6 recited a few lines in front of a church-- I agreed with a smile.

I learned my lines.

I practiced for the dog.

Then this morning at 7:30 ... oh god.

Line one-- check
line two-- check
line three-- check
line four... oh god... yes in front of that crowd of 70-80 of my fellow church patrons, my new boss and several members of the board I forgot my lines, my mind went blank and my floundering mouth working independently of my brain quipped -- not as quietly as I'd hoped-- "Oh God!"

At this point people started whispering and taking pictures. (Yes, someone stood up with their phone and snapped a piece of history.)

On the plus side, it was convenient to have an excuse to overlook the line, " I felt like a butterfly freed from its cocoon."

I did recover, and say the second half of the monologue. But not without the pastor noticing my not-so-quiet "prayer."

His comment: "well, Mandy, at least you didn't say "god-damn-it I forgot my lines!"

What the "creative" know...

2008-03-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

"It is a mistake to think that the practice of my art has become easy to me. I assure you, dear friend, no one has given so much care to the study of composition as I. There is scarcely a famous master in music whose works I have not frequently and diligently studied."

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

"...but talent is a dreadfully cheap commodity, cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work and study; a constant process of honing. Talent is a dull knife that will cut nothing unless it is wielded with great force..."

Stephen King, Danse Macabre

Societally we are crippled by the idea that creativity is a talent, to be possessed or not at birth. This debilitating belief stagnates the masses and allows mediocrity. Creativity is not itself a talent, it is a style, a method, a way of using one’s talents. It is not a gift of nature, but one of nurture. If you are not creative, you may only blame yourself for not employing your curiosity, and for being a coward.

Talent is what comes naturally, but can only be excellent when paired with creativity, passion and devotion. I have seen numbers, both in taxes and time-sheets, and I am under no delusions; numbers and creativity are not mutually exclusive. Every person possesses talent. It is high time we stop lamenting the talents that we do not have, and start exploring those that we do. In this day and age, if you are not happy with your lot in life it’s your own damned fault.

Be curious, and be proud of your talent. Learn what you can, and employ it as you may. Fail and fail again. And be grateful, again to fail. You have that freedom. That is creativity. --AW