html zone

As some of you may or may not know, I have been doing a website for a dear friend of mine in Mendo county who's trying to start a quiet B&B. At her request, it's pretty low tech and not all that flashy, but it gets the info accross. Some of the formatting still needs to be fixed (pictures squished together, etc) but it's up and running. As she picked out picky fonts and I did a quick job of getting it up and going, be sure to view it with Firefox for the full effect. Much improvement to follow.

Flickr genious

I have to admit that whoever the people are that are behind the scenes at Flickr, and that actually make the funtioning of the site possible, are friggin' brilliant. While the Flickr site is down they are holding a contest. A contest! Instead of the stupid - we're sorry we can't help you blurb, they have put up two big dots. And if you print them out, color them in, take a picture of them, and post them on Flickr, you could win a pro account with them. So basically, as a Flickr usuer, I could potentially spend the time that the site is down calmly humming a little tune and coloring (and trying to stay in the lines), instead of fuming and stomping around. All in the hopes of obtaining something that's not really gonna cost Flickr a penny. So they promote their site, apease their fans, and give me a sense that they're gonna give me something all because they got too much data to store in their data centers. Amazing. Again.Who comes up with that idea?

Mice and Taxidermy

When I moved to San Francisco, I heard a rumor that there was a store that you could go to that, among other things, had stuffed mice in various outfits. Yes, mice. Today I recieved an email that was forwarded to me by my boss that was an announcement to participate in a mouse taxidermy class. I live in a crazy city. Here's more info. Have fun.

disturbing thought of the day

what have we come to when you are the last car to pull up to a four-way stop sign, and none of the other cars are going because they're all on their phones?

If I could be this guy, I would

http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

Too funny

I can't help it - this is too funny - their website has many many more, and the history behind the Belaggio reenactment.

Amelia

My cousin, Amelia, has a new website and has published her sketchbook. I have seen her sketchbook (as of early 2006 anyway), and some of her artwork. She is truly talented in many, many arenas. Great to see someone doing something with the talent that they have.

Battle of the Jeeps

I, as many of you know, drive a beaten up 1990 Jeep Cherokee (white). The trials and tribulations of owning such a vehicle are a completely different story, and my car could have it's own blog and keep it updated more regularly than I am updating this one. Anyway - today I stopped at the store on the way home from work to get dinner supplies, and I pulled into a parking spot right next to a brand - new Jeep Liberty (silly looking underpowered Japp wannabes. but anyway). Due to the fact that my car has a huge hole in the muffler, just pulling in to the spot next to it (and the was ample door opening space!) set its car alarm off. Like crazy. I got out and walked in to the store, did my shopping, etc., and sure enough when I started my car to leave, the alarm started right back up again. Oh Joy.

Mystery Flower

flower, originally uploaded by caitlinvb.

I have no idea what this flower is, but it grows wild around my cabin in Mendocino. Its leaves looks orchid-like, but that's about it. And after these flowers are done, they make bright cobalt blue seed pods that look like single grapes. It's very cool.

Sunday Morning

Tilox is kicking my ass! I can not get past level 10! Hurray for Sunday mornings.

High School Memories

I just found out that the high school that I went to in Japan no longer exists. And even worse, they joined together my old school and our rival school (ironically, their marching band is in the Rose Bowl every year...) into one mega-religous high school. In the same building(s). I don't know whether to seel sad, angry, or even if I should feel anything at all...

My mom sent me this...

My mom sent me this...

Watch the video

...email entitled: How to tell when you're using too much baby powder

Question for Foster Farms

OK. Why is is that any food you see on the shelf in the supermarket (and I'm talking big scary Safeway here) has to list every minute ingredient, as well as whether or not they process nuts and other allergens on the premises on packages, and yet on packages of meat they don't? Literally - I picked up a package of chicken that said '100% natural Chicken and natural florvings' on the front in big yellow letters. And yet there was not list of ingredients printed with the Nutrition Panel on the back. Very very scary. And this isn't Purdue or Butterball or some really evil mass-producer, this is a company trying to get into the more mainstream market with an all-natural edge. It looked like a package of chicken thighs to me. How was I to know? Scary.

Confession of the day

Long though I have been famous for liking odd food combinations - my current obsession is... it's almost too much....Stash Double Spice Chai Tea with French Vanilla Coffeemate in it. Gross, I know, but so so so good....It's particularly great at 3 in the aftrenoon when things get just quiet enough in the office that I think I might go insane....

Egg Heads

As I have a tendency to do things back asswards, I am now going through my files and documents in preperation for my new computer - which I happen to have already bought. Anyway - I found this picture - it circulated a couple of years ago in the mass email circuit, but is still damn funny.

**On second thought it makes absolutely no sense to anyone who wasn't around/has forgetten the whole Cabbage Patch phenomena.

**Thanks to the grandparents who waite in line for mine!

Hal

And yesterday I bought a new computer... that's right, I walked into a store with a healthy bank account balance, and walked out with a much lighter wallet, and a surprisingly not-too-heavy box. I named my new computer Hal, as the minute I turned it on, it started talking to me, and then it took my picture. I feel like I am finally in the future. I do mourn for my old computer which is 6 years old and sitting next to my new one...mostly I mourn when I'm not too busy playing with my new one ;) Had I not bought this maachine, I would never have known that one needs a computer with aa built-in camer AND a remote....I am totally stoked.

My Princess

I recently - OK last week, I've been busy... - I purchased my first in what I hope to be a collection of vintage kitchen appliances. Yes, it hurts me that much that I don't work in a kitchen anymore.... Anyway - I got this beaty off of Craig's list, and I can't believe the great shape that it is in...My Dormeyer Princess.

http://samuraikittens.com/

Truly disturbing, and oh so highly addictive.

Jenner Grade- need I say more?

I love my drive to and from Menocino County. Hwy 1 is one of the most enjoyable roads to drive on. Spectacular views, ocean, sky, seals, gulls, cows, green pastures....and Jenner Grade. This is a strectch of the coast that is particularly elevated and riddled with hair-pin turns and cows in the middle of the road. Needless to say, every year a small number of unfortunate souls end up going off the road into the ocean. On my way up last time, I got off the freewy in Pataluma, per usual, and got onto my back road- behind a Coroner's truck. I followed it patiently, morbidly thinking about that fact that those trucks don't need sirens t get to where they're going. When we got to where it was going. A particularly sharp hairpin turn on a steep grade. They were pulling what could have possibly once been a car out of the ocean with a tow truck and a winch, and I saw why the coroner's truck was there. Meanwhile, I am stopped, waiting in my car for the various response vehicles to maneuver to stop obstructing traffic. By the time I left, I was shaking and in tears, and was extremely happy to not only reach my destination, but to have my guy waiting there for me. A little brush of mortality goes a long friggin' way.

Another night on Haight St with the SFPD

I went to a friend's art show opening yesterday on Haight St. As we were leaving, we noticed that there were a group of police officers in the middle of the street we had to cross to get back to where I parked my car. So instead of walking straight, we turned up the street, and stopped in front of a way cool furniture store to survey the scene. At this point there were people milling about (this is a Saturday night around 8ish), taking pictures of the cops. My friend and I looked up the street and there were about 20 police officers in full riot gear walking single file down the street, headed straight for the middle of the intersection on Haight st. And this is not the busier The Haight, this is just a random neighborhood, with not even that many shops or businesses. The oddest thing is not a single person had a clue as to why the cops were there. According to one guy there "maybe was a protest (earlier) that afternoon - maybe". I searched the newspaper this morning- not a single mention. I am still baffled as to why I had to dodge amored police vehicles and motorcycle cops on the way to my car (and then out of the area) last night.