May 23 2010

Sunday Somethings, 23May10

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 12:28 pm

Others writing the Sunday Somethings: Kerry

Something that makes me happy: Riding in a boat with the sun shining and the wind in my face.  I’m kind of like a dog, that way.

Something i am struggling with: Everything is swell, actually.

Something tasty: Homemade ice cream sundaes.

Something i learned: What happened to Spiro Agnew, which i hadn’t even thought about before.

Something from the bridge table: I didn’t play any bridge this week.  However, next week i should have about a bazillion stories.

Some things i am doing towards my goals: Submitted photos to the photo contest at work.  Maybe one of my photos will be featured on the internal home page.

Something i am reading: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

Something happening around the house:  Right now we’re waiting for my parents to get home from church so we can continue our lake fun.

Something i am thinking: About the topics brought up in the book i’m reading, about how we should try to eat more locally grown food.

Something i am looking forward to: A full week off of work this week, where i get to do all my favorite things (play in the lake, play a lot of bridge).

Something i am hoping: For good bridge chemistry between me and Lance.  It will be a long week if we’re not on the same wavelength.

Something random: This morning Lance and i rode down to Isaqueena Point, which is the spot on the lake where Nathan and Heather were married.  The groom and groomsmen all wore sunglasses.  The bride and bridesmaids were all barefoot.  Nathan and Heather celebrated their 4th anniversary this week.  Congratulations!

Something captured: The water was a little cold, but since this will probably be my only chance to water ski this year, i took it.


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May 16 2010

Sunday Somethings, 16May10

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 10:03 pm

Others writing the Sunday Somethings: Kerry

Something that makes me happy: The sheer ebullience of dogs.  Whatever we’re doing, whether it’s getting a treat, or playing with the stuffed squirrel, or going on a walk, everything is so friggin’ awesome according to Nugent.

Something i am struggling with: Can’t say i have much in the way of struggles right now.  Just trying to get through the week.

Something tasty: Henry’s Gelato.  It’s the real thing.  They are local, though they do have a few stores in the area.  The best part, i think, is that they make different flavors every day, so you are not able to plan in advance what flavor you’re going to get, they way i always used to know i would get Mint Chocolate Chip at Baskin 31 Robbins.  It forces you to experiment!  Every flavor i have tried has been fabulous.

Something i learned: Lance took me to a baseball card show, so i got to experience that for the first time.  It was neat; there were all these old fellas out there with just a TON of sports stuff.  Mostly baseball, but some basketball and football, too.  We didn’t buy anything, but Lance told me a bunch of stories about certain players, and about his childhood and what baseball meant to him then.  It was pretty fun.

Something from the bridge table: No new write-ups, but here is a column i wrote last week but forgot to link to.

Some things i am doing towards my goals: Derrick is coming tomorrow morning to talk more with us about the back yard.

Something i am reading: Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover’s Soul.

Something happening around the house:  I bought $100 worth of candy at Sam’s today.  Why?  Next week is the Raleigh Regional Bridge Tournament, and i am hosting the Novice/Intermediate area, and i wanted to have a bowl of candy available every day.  So i bought a shitload of candy and sorted it into an assortment for each day.

Something i am thinking: It’s pretty fun to go to Sam’s and just pile as many useful items into the cart as we can.

Something i am looking forward to: Just one more week until my 10-day vacation!

Something i am hoping: For safe travels later this week.

Something random: It’s May.  But this weekend i saw something at the flea market and made a mental note about some Christmas presents this year.  Yes, i plan in advance.  Waaaay in advance.

Something captured: Lance, swinging away at a pitch at an evening softball team this past week.  I think i managed to get photos of all the players at bat.


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May 14 2010

Do Smarter People Stay Up Later?

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 4:15 pm

Does how late you stay up say anything about your intelligence?  That’s what Satoshi Kanazawa set out to find out with his study, which compares current adult sleep habits with their childhood IQ.  The results were rather surprising (follow the link for the full article and more graphs).

An analysis of a large representative sample of young Americans confirms this prediction.  Net of a large number of social and demographic factors, more intelligent children grow up to be more nocturnal as adults than less intelligent children.  Compared to their less intelligent counterparts, more intelligent individuals go do bed later on weeknights (when they have to get up at a certain time the next day) and on weekend (when they don’t), and they wake up later on weekdays (but not on weekend, for which the positive effect of childhood intelligence on adult nocturnality is not statistically significant).  For example, those with childhood IQ of less than 75 (“very dull”) go to bed around 23:41 on weeknight in early adulthood, whereas those with childhood IQ of over 125 (“very bright”) go to bed around 00:29.

The source of this information is not cited anywhere.  I’d love to have this kind of excuse for why i don’t ever go to bed early, though!

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May 09 2010

Sunday Somethings, 09May10

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 5:55 pm

Others writing the Sunday Somethings: Kerry

Something that makes me happy: Getting the high score on the Wii Fit Plus games.  My parents visited this weekend and promptly took their places at the top of the lists for almost all the games.  I just got one of them back (ha!) and will surely spend some more time this week trying the others.  I get my competitive gene from them, after all.

Something i am struggling with: Watching other people have conflict, and not being able to do anything about it.

Something tasty: Brunch at Humble Pie for Mother’s Day.  I had the French toast.  Their biscuits were awesome.

Something i learned: It’s time to start wearing sunscreen again.  I have a mild burn on my neck and shoulders after spending time outside on Saturday.

Something from the bridge table: I had two squeezes this week.

Some things i am doing towards my goals: The oven still isn’t fixed – what kind of appliance store isn’t open on the weekends?  The only one that has the part i need, apparently.

Something i am reading: Common Sense Bridge by Rixi Markus.

Something happening around the house: Just trying to beat Mom & Dad’s Wii scores.

Something i am thinking:  Glad to have the house to ourselves again.

Something i am looking forward to: Going to some more of Lance’s softball games.  They’re going to win one, i just know it!

Something i am hoping: That Nathan and Heather find a way to make moving to Alaska work.  It’s their dream – i hope they go!

Something random: If you don’t have to worry about making a living, you should worry about making a difference.

Something captured: Heather captured a doctorate, and i captured a picture of her.


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May 02 2010

Sunday Somethings, 02May10

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 6:43 pm

Others writing the Sunday Somethings: Kerry

Something that makes me happy: Hitting top set, on a board with no draw, sitting on the button, while the player in front of me bets big on every street.

Something i am struggling with: White dust everywhere in the kitchen.  Do you know what’s inside of a fire extinguisher?  A big damn mess, that’s what.

Something tasty: Pecan pancakes.

Something i learned: How to operate a fire extinguisher.  Now at least i know how to use it in case of a real emergency.

Something from the bridge table: There has been some controversy in our bridge club lately about the legality or ethical-ness of a convention lance and i (and others) employ, the NoTrump Overcall for Takeout.  In this month’s Bridge Bulletin, that very topic was addressed.

Some things i am doing towards my goals: My new (and only) goal this week is to get that oven working again.

Something i am reading: Common Sense Bridge, by Rixi Markus.

Something happening around the house: Yesterday, the heating coil in the oven went on the fritz.  I turned it on and then started freaking out when i saw yellow light through the window – it looked like something was on fire.  Looking inside, the coil was burning bright yellow in one place.  I turned the oven off, but it continued to burn (or whatever it was doing).  We panicked and used the fire extinguisher on the inside of the oven.  No dice – it was still “burning”.  Made a panicked phone call to my dad and he told us to unplug the oven.  Um… how do we do that?  Pull it out away from the wall and get behind it.  We didn’t want to, both of us afraid that the oven would somehow explode.  But we gritted our teeth and did it, and the mysterious yellow light finally went out.  Meanwhile, now everything in the kitchen is covered with a film of this white powdery substance.  And of course, a couple of the cabinets were cracked or open, so i’ve been running the dishwasher repeatedly.  I’ve been cleaning for two days and i’m still finding the residue everywhere.

Something i am thinking: I’m brainstorming about how help Raleigh be perceived as a friendly place for intermediate/newcomer bridge players.  I’m in charge of the Novice Program at the upcoming Raleigh Regional Bridge Tournament at the end of this month (first time), and i am thinking up ways to be hospitable.

Something i am looking forward to: My parents are coming to visit this week to attend my sister-in-law’s graduation from pharmacy school.  I’m so happy for her!

Something i am hoping: To get the correct part for the oven, on the first attempt, and to have my kitchen back.

Something random: I won $600 playing poker ($1-3 NL) Saturday night.  And to think, i almost didn’t go…

Something captured: This is the inside of the oven after the fire extinguisher had been used on it.  Everything in the oven is supposed to be dark gray, not white.  You can see the left half of the heating coil is not white – this is the area where it cracked and was burning extremely hot.


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