Reading List

Okay, Okay, I stole this from Jess. At least it prompted me to go buy a new book!

Meme instructions: Look at the list of books below. Bold the ones you've read, italicize the ones you might read, cross out the ones you won't, place an asterisk* after the ones on your book shelf, and place (parentheses) around the ones you've never even heard of.

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown* << the aforementioned new book
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Douglas Adams**** all FIVE books plus the extra “short story!
The Great Gatsby - F.Scott Fitzgerald
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
(The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger)
(His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J. K. Rowling*
Life of Pi - Yann Martel*
Animal Farm: A Fairy Story - George Orwell*
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller* (started it . . . )
The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien*
(The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon)
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen (does watching the movie count?)
1984 - George Orwell
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J. K. Rowling*
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
(The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini)
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut*
(The Secret History - Donna Tartt)
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C. S. Lewis
(Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides)
(Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell)
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
(Atonement - Ian McEwan)
(The Shadow Of The Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
(The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood)
(The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath)
Dune - Frank Herbert


Plus Jess’s add-ons:
Sense & Sensibility - Jane Austen
(Mrs. Mike - Benedict & Nancy Freedman)
(My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Piccoult)
The Illiad - Homer
(The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien)
The Girls Guide to Hunting & Fishing - Melissa Banks
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
(Age of Iron - JM Coetzee)
(Existentialism and Human Emotions - Jean-Paul Sartre)

And now, some from my own list (consider them bold & with a *):
Einstein’s Dreams – Alan Lightman
Contact – Carl Sagan
A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
The Tao of Pooh – Benjamin Hoff
Marley & Me – John Grogan
Swim Naked, Defy Gravity & 99 Other Essential Things To Accomplish Before Turning 30 - Colleen Rush
Wild Thoughts from Wild Places – David Quammen

In the Last 10 Days . . .

A brief summary of what's been going on:

Last weekend started at 2:30pm on Friday; because I had worked the early shift at my grown-up job. I went home, took a nap, then went out with some friends. My plan was to have a diet coke, hang out a bit, & go home rather early, because I had to be at the Zoo at 8am Saturday . . . but when we got to the bar, W was ordering "another round" & the evening continued like that. We played pool (as much as I've played in the last month, you'd think I'd be improving more than I am), enjoyed random bar food (mmmm, pizza & waffle fries), & hung out; then I went home.

Saturday, I worked a Girl Scout program from 8am-330pm, then went out with some of my coworkers to the Cheesecake Factory ; then rushed back to work an overnight. Upon our return we found that the building we work in had NO WORKING RESTROOMS due to a sewer issue. Yipe -- 180 people and no bathrooms? Luckily, the emergency plumber-guys were on the scene, & had everything back to normal by 8pm. The program went really well, except for this awful group of mothers (their scouts were fine, the adults were terrible) who talked through the programs, weren't happy with ANYTHING, and then gave us negative reviews on their evaluations AND wanted a partial refund -- the nerve! Note: if you hadn't been TALKING through the whole class, you might have actually noticed that it is FAR above a "poor" rating! If I were my boss, my response would be thus: "The other groups who were with you seemed to truly enjoy & learn from the programs, in fact, you are the only group who's ever reviewed these instructors in a negative light. In addition, we offered to address your main issues, but you refused. In light of this, we are unable to offer you a refund." That's the PC me -- the real me is thinking of adding, "We will understand if you choose not to return in the future, in fact, please don't" Oh well.

After spending 26 hours at the zoo (with only the Cheesecake excursion as a break), I went home & slept till 7pm Sunday. Oh, and I got a really good sunburn. Good meaning red, painful, and noticeable. Since I'm working today (Saturday), I got a day off this week, so I took Monday & slept late, then straightened the house.

Thursday, I had my Finance Midterm. I've decided that the main problem with having the first two hours of class time alloted for the midterm (& then having class afterwards) is that I had to find a way to entertain myself for AN HOUR AND A HALF when I finished the test in 30 minutes. Oh well, I did homework. Joy.

As I was leaving work yesterday, Mom called. Grandpa had apparently become unresponsive, and didn't recognize Grandma. The hospital's first thought was that he'd had a stroke. I rushed to join Mom & Grams at the hospital, Gramps was asleep. They took him for a CT scan, which didn't show anything major. When they brought him back, he recognized us & even smiled at me trying to be my normal goofy self. Ending up unable to do the things he wants to do would be the worst thing possible for Gramps, but not being recognized to the man you've been married to for 51 years (their anniversary was Thursday, by the way) had to be horrible for Grams. BUT, we remain positive. Please continue to send good thoughts!

I got my tax refund today. Imagine my suprise when I saw the amount deposited to my account was $480 more than I'd expected! I checked the IRS website (which was actually very helpful), turns out I'd made a calculation error & they'd caught & corrected it for me -- WHOO HOO!

In less than a week, I'll be in NC (see last post) -- I'm going tonight to buy at least one new pair of shorts (because all mine are TOO BIG!), in hopes that the weather will be nice!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Words Cannot Describe the Degree of my Excitement

I'm going to North Carolina!

Why, you may ask?

Well, it starts with my best friend, who's stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC. This is, by the way, the town where Andy Griffith taught high school, and apparently could be the town that inspired Mayberry (which is why I never really worry about him getting into too much trouble.

The aforementioned friend will soon be shipping out to "the desert" for an unspecified amount of time. Actually, it probably is specified, but last time he went, they "specified" three months and it ended up being six, so take that as you wish.

On the phone the other night, I said "that's not cool; I wish I could fly out there to see you before you go," and he said "Seriously, Tiff, if you can figure out how to get here, I'll split the cost of the trip with you."

Baroo?

Never one to back away from a (not really spoken or implied but I'm treating it that way anyway) challenge, I hopped on the 'net & found a great deal on Expedia.com. I managed to change my schedule at my grown-up job so I'm off Friday the 14th through Monday the 17th WITHOUT taking any vacation time; and one of the wonderful folks I work with at the Zoo offered to take the overnight shift I had for that weekend. SWEET!

So, booked the flight, booked the rental car -- we are at t-minus 17 days and counting, yay!

And as an added bonus, my grandmother's brothers live about an hour from Goldsboro, so I'll be making a trip down to see them on Saturday or Sunday. Yay family!

Again, I'm SO psyched, I'm practically speechless -- and for me, that takes a lot!

*on another note, grandpa is doing better; the docs are slowly but surely weaning him off medications & machines; he's coherent & responsive, so thanks for the good thoughts, keep sending them our way!

Cheers!

A Few Bits of Randomness

Well, I got back safely, whoo hoo!

Grandpa's in the hospital, he had his 3rd open heart surgery last Tuesday, while I was stuck in Hurley. Things were okay, then Friday they were really not okay & we thought we were going to lose him; but we didn't. His vitals are a bit better & he's now stable -- critical, but stable. So send good thoughts our way.

I did a whole lot of nothin' this weekend, except homework. Yay.

I'm dog-sitting Friday. "Murphy" is an 11-month old maltese/poodle mix, lovingly referred to as a "maltepoo" (long "e" sound there).

More homework this weekend. Yay.

My little brother's b-day is today, he's . . . 21. Anyone who's known him for a long time may now commence feeling old.

Out of nowhere, I got an email from a long-lost friend. Welcome back to the world, B!

Last but not least, I have a dinner date Friday. Whoo hoo, I'm trying to have a social life!

Home Sweet Home

Well, after being snowed in Monday, I attempted to leave Northern Wisconsin on Tuesday morning -- no prob, the snow had stopped, sun was out, main road in town was pretty cleared, I was on my way . . .

I got about 20 miles out of town, the snow picked up, road was covered in packed snow, and I did a 180* in my Ranger. I was quite happy to stay ON the road, thanks, and that the two big trucks coming from either direction saw fit to avoid squishing me. I pressed on to the next town (because it was closer than where I'd come from), & checked into the Days Inn in Hurley, WI at like 10am. I watched cable, watched the snow, took a nap, watched the snow, did homework, watched the snow . . . are you seeing a trend here? Bonus: shortly before the Truck Ice Capades, I saw a bald eagle flying above the trees that line the side of the road. Awesome.

By 8:00am Wednesday, the storm front was gone, the roads were cleared, and I headed home -- this just meant that I had to drive the whole 10-hr stretch in one day. Not my preferred method, especially by myself, but it was a beautiful day & I enjoyed the trip.

I hope everyone else's weekend/start to the week went well!

Snowed In!

Well, looks like no whirlpool suite for me! The snow started about 2am (or so I've been told), & it's still falling. There's probably 6-8 inches on the ground, it's still falling, and it's drifting! I've moved to a different res hall so as to spread the "Tiffany presence" around! Saw various professors that all miss me terribly (as well they should) & a lot of other folks that are still up here.

From the National Weather Service:

THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MOST AREAS ARE REPORTING SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 7 TO 8 INCHES AT THIS TIME... HOWEVER A SNOW ACCUMULATION OF AROUND 14 INCHES HAS BEEN REPORTED NEAR GLIDDEN. AN ADDITIONAL 5 TO 9 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 13 TO 18 INCHES...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE SNOW BELT.

STRONG WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL ALSO CAUSE AREAS OF CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. VISIBILITIES WILL BE DRASTICALLY REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO IN OPEN AREAS... AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO DEEPEN ON ROADS.

TRAVEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN TODAY. THE COUNTY SHERIFFS IN WASHBURN AND ASHLAND COUNTIES HAVE CLOSED ROADWAYS. SNOW PLOWS ARE NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE HEAVY SNOW BECAUSE OF THE NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING ARE EXPECTED. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Well, since classes are cancelled (do you know what it takes to cancel classes in Northern Wisconsin?!?), everyone is off & hanging out. I have to get started on some of my (blech) homework for Financial Management. Ta ta for now!

Day 3 - the Day After

Greetings from the North Country, where we have a Winter Weather Advisory -- according to the National Weather Service, we may get 4-6 inches of snow tonight, yay!

I got in to Ashland about 730 last night (after adding two more states and a handful of LIVE deer to my count), took a quick shower, then walked to the Deepwater with Dan, Travis & Dana, & met up with April, Bruce, Dusty, Molly, Tex, EJ . . . we played pool for at least four hours. Dan took pics, which can be seen here, despite the misspelling of my last name. More pics to come, since we're off to the Deepwater again tonight (hey, when you're in Ashland and want food & ambience (or ambiance if you prefer), you're limited on your options) -- we have more than $25 in quarters, and at $0.75/game, we're set for hours.

Slept in until about 1030, had brunch in the cafeteria (who'd have thought I'd ever do that again?), stopped to see cool Psychology professor Paul Norris, played on the computer a bit, then the boys gave me a lesson in bocce ball (pics here), followed by a trip to McDonald's (yes I splurged) because the guys said "we're not going out until 6? we're going to need to eat before then." Now we're chilling out in Dan's room, I booked a posh hotel room in Stevens Point for tomorrow night's trip home (last night of vacation, all to myself, I splurged on the whirlpool suite 'cuz I got a GREAT deal on it!).

More later, adios!

**As of 10:45, no snow, but up here that doesn't really mean anything.

Day 2 -- My Actual Birthday

Greetings all!
Well, after sleeping 'til noon on Maria's couch after being out till like 2 or 3, I'm awake, bright-eyed and bushy tailed . . . or, I would be, if I had a tail . . . but bright-eyed nonetheless!

We're off to grab a bite, then to see the model for Maria's new condo, then I'm off to Ashland! Yay, another 6+ hour drive!

That's all for now, catch ya later!

Off I Go!

Made it safe to WI, met up with Maria & Justin, who's still obnoxious as hell but we love him anyway, I think . . .

Saw license plates from 15 states, about a dozen hawks, two wild turkeys & some not-quite-alive deer.

Tonight, it's off to the piano bar; tomorrow it's off to Ashland -- it looks like I'll once again be celebrating my birthday at the Deepwater Grille!

Happy Birthday to Me!

*Note to the reader: I'm posting this early because I'm not sure if I'll have blogger access on my trip.

24 years ago, somewhere between 9 & 10am on March 11th, 1982, I entered the world at St. Mary's Hospital in St. Louis, MO. As I declare my birthday an official holiday, here are a few other cool things that happened on March 11th:

1818: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is published.

1861: The Confederate States of America adopted its constitution.

1888: A torrential rainstorm hit the East Coast. The rain turned to snow the next day and it became the Blizzard of 1888, the most famous snowstorm in American history. It caused more than 400 deaths. (not cool, but definitely cold)

1930: William Howard Taft became the first U.S. president to be buried in the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

1941: President Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Bill.

1942: General Douglas MacArthur leaves the Philippines saying, "I shall return."

1985: Mikhail Gorbachev became head of the Soviet Union following the death of Konstantin Chernenko. At 54, he was the youngest member of the ruling Politburo.

1990: Augusto Pinochet of Chile, dictator since 1973, steps down.

1990: A newly elected parliament in Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union.

1993: Janet Reno won unanimous Senate confirmation to be the first female U.S. Attorney General.

Just a few famous people born on my birthday:
Douglas Adams (1952) -- the answer is...42.
Bobby McFerrin (1950) -- Don't worry, be happy.
Sam Donaldson (1934) -- Hold on, Mr. President!

Everyone should now celebrate!

Wednesday Night Audio

My first audio post -- thanks for the idea, Labbie!

P.S. -- I've recently noticed that the above-mentioned Lab Boy & the marvelous Meme have added me to their links -- big thanks!

To-Do List

I like lists. They help me to organize my thoughts & the things I have to do. With that in mind, here's my "to-do" list to prepare for my trip:

• Drop laundry off
• Pick up laundry
• Visit the Cingular store
• Dinner with the family for my birthday
• Clean bird cages
• Pack
• Show Mom how to take care of birds while I'm gone
• Get clothes from the tailor
• Class
• Get the Ranger's oil changed
• Pack some (healthy) snacks
• Skedaddle outta Saint Louis!

Coolest Thing I've Seen This Week

Yay, science! Check out this new species of crustacean discovered in the South Pacific:



Isn't it cute?

Get Your Science Right

While driving to work this morning, I saw a bumper sticker that said "Darwin was wrong because; fish don't walk & Jesus is still alive."

Aside from the questionable punctuation & the fact that I don't remember Darwin saying ANYTHING about Jesus, this is right up there with the "If we evolved from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys?" folks*.

So, for the "fish don't walk" people, I dug up some pictures:




If "fish can't walk," & these little guys aren't swimming -- what are they doing? Hmm....

Besides, if an octopus can do it, why not a fish?

*For the record if you haven't already heard, we didn't evolve FROM monkeys, we have a common ancestor that we share WITH the other primates. You have three types of teeth, opposable thumbs, short snout, comparably large brain, no tail -- you are an ape, accept it. Per the Saint Louis Zoo, "Chimps are our closest living relatives. In fact, we share 98.4% of our DNA with chimps." Say hello to your very distant cousin:

Headline Review

Happy Saturday!

It is officially one week until my birthday, and where am I? That's right, at work! I'm chilling out at my grown-up job & while enjoying my grilled cheese sammich (my guilty pleasure when I have to work weekends, the cafeteria makes a great grilled cheese!), I was browsing the news pages. There have been a variety of good articles on various subjects the past week or so, so I thought I'd share a few that caught my eye:

Things that worry me:
(1) South Dakota's attempted total ban on abortion -- please, take my rights, it's not like I'm using them.

(2) The Supreme Court reviewing a total ban on late-term abortion, because the ban in question does "not include an exception for cases where the health of the mother might be at risk."

(3) The proposed Missouri House resolution that states that "voluntary prayer in public schools, religious displays on public property, and the recognition of a Christian God are not a coalition of church and state." Because if it's not, I'm not sure what is.

(4)Any city government (or any government at all, for that matter), who thinks they have the right to decide what constitutes a family. It would seem that the aforementioned ordinance, in addition to affecting the folks mentioned in the story, would also prevent gay couples from raising children in the city. Hmmm. I'll have to agree with this column, the answer to one board member's statement, "I don't understand why you as a woman didn't exercise your right to marry that man" is that it's NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS. I have very vivid memories of close-minded people suggesting that my dad, brother, stepmom, stepsister & I weren't a family because we had different skin tones -- and my parents were married!

Things that I agree with:
(1) the conviction of six animal-rights supporters for "using a Web site to incite threats, harassment and vandalism against a company that tests drugs and household products on animals." I'm not saying we should just randomly test harmful chemicals on animals, but what these people did went too far -- the information they posted contained "their home phone numbers, addresses and where their children attended school." When you put people's children at risk, you're seriously crossing the line. Your First Amendment rights allow you to rant & rave & assemble peaceably, but not to put other people in danger.

(2) As silly as it sounds, and as many other things we could be using legislative power for, I think requiring coathooks in public restrooms is a great idea.

(3) The woman who got whacked by an elephant after climbing into its exhibit. 'nuff said.

(4) Japanese scientists have found a method to get gasoline from cow dung. Given the stats in the article, the yearly dung production of Japan could create over 210,000,000 gallons of gas, which is enough for my little Ranger to drive the around the world (at the equator, of course) almost 200,000 times!

(5) The kids who built a soybean powered car, that can go "from zero to 60 in four seconds and get more than 50 miles to the gallon." Expect to see them all hired by big oil for large sums of money, and subsequently locked away in cubicles where no one will hear from them ever again.

Okay, enough for now, have a great weekend, and happy reading!

Friday

Hum dee dum.

It's Friday which, if I didn't have to work this weekend, might lead to joyous shouts. But alas, it's my weekend to work in the office, so I was off yesterday instead. What did I do? Oh it was wonderful, let me tell you! I slept late, ate a bit of brunch, emailed in my final exam, then went back to bed until 3:30pm. It was marvelous. I took the treacherous pants to the tailor, along with another pair of pants, a skirt, & a dress. $62 later, it's STILL cheaper than buying new clothes. I chuckled, because one of the pairs of pants had already been taken in a few months ago, and are again too big. Yay me!

Then, I went to the YMCA & hit the stairstepper for 30 minutes. For the record, I have done 30 minutes of stairstepping FOUR TIMES this week, plus my 45-minute Aquacise classes on M & W. Double yay me!

After the Y, I rented & watched Yours, Mine & Ours (the remake) which was cheesy-funny; and Rent, which was AWESOME!

Sunday, I'm going to a birthday party for Jon's dog, who is turning one. As Jon puts it, "he can no longer be called a puppy & he gets big boy dog food!" Yes, it's a party, for a dog. Got a problem with that? I didn't think so! Yay puppy party!

I want to go home & go to sleep. But I have errands to run after work, including another jaunt on the stairstepper.

By this time next week, I'll be north of Springfield, IL, on my way to Milwaukee. Whoo hoo!

My Clothes Are Trying To Kill Me

Well, I had my Jenny Craig meeting last night -- I lost another two pounds, for a grand total loss of 38.2!

This means that the pants to the suit I bought a just a few months ago are a bit loose, and therefore sit more on my hips than up at my waist. I did not think this was a big deal, until . . .

My pants tried to kill me.

Sure, they'll deny it, something about being inanimate objects, but I know the truth.

They plotted . . . and they waited.

I'm pretty sure my shoes were in on it, too -- gives new meaning to the term "accessory," doesn't it?

As I was walking down the four flights of stairs in the parking garage (which I do, every day, up to this point without incident), my heel caught in the hem of my pants (which is now hanging lower than usual) and ALMOST led me head-first into the concrete wall. I think it was only by sheer willpower that I stayed vertical.

Sheesh.

What a way to wake up!

My Life as a Cartoon

Occasionally, I run across various comic strips that don't just speak to me, they scream. Here are a few that I find very familiar:

(Remove the "significant other" & just picture me talking to myself)

That one's just so darn funny because it's true!

Change of Plans

After some thought, I have decided not to go on the trip mentioned in my last post. Not right now, anyway, I'm going to save it for a warmer time, maybe this summer. Instead . . .

I'm going to Wisconsin!

I've taken two extra days off work, and am going to go visit some friends from school. I'm leaving Friday, 3/10 to drive to Milwaukee. I'll spend Friday night, Saturday, and Saturday night with my dear friend M (mentioned here), and hopefully catch up with JK as well. There has been talk of visiting the Milwaukee Zoo, and the basic catching-up that occurs when you haven't seen folks in awhile.

Sunday, 3/12, I may very well drive up to the frozen Northwoods to visit some friends who are still attending my alma mater. I can stay there Sunday night, visit a few professors Monday morning, then head back south. Stay Monday night at some random hotel, then back home to good ol' STL on Tuesday.

THAT, my friends, is the new plan!

Birthday Holiday

In 17 days, I will be 24. That's right, March 11th is my birthday, and through the luck of scheduling, I actually have a 3-day weekend. I've been pondering what to do for said occasion. Skydiving? Nah -- too much cost for too little time. Day at the spa? Nay, I've done that before. A weekend cruise? Ummm...no, for various reasons including but not limited to price, time constraints, and having no one to go with. However, I think I've come up with something good.

I think I shall take a weekend trip away from it all. Here is my plan:

Friday, March 10th -- Leave home & enjoy a nice 5-hour drive to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. That's right, I said Arkansas. Check into semi-posh hotel. It's a Best Western, but it has extra perks & an on-site restaurant! Get somewhat comfy, then head for a horseback ride with dinner. Back to the hotel to shower & do not much of anything.

Saturday, March 11th -- Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then head to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge to see big cats. Take lots of pictures, hang out there till I'm tired, then head back to town to find somewhere to eat. Meander along the main streets. Eat dinner somewhere fancy & spend a bit too much. I may visit this, tee hee, but will NOT be going here, lest my scientific background and addiction to FACTS get me in trouble.

Sunday, March 12th -- don't get up too early, have breakfast, do any last-minute shopping for stuff I saw the day before, then head home. 5 hours of rocking out in the car, just me & my CD collection.

If you get bored, check out the attractions here & let me know if there's anything you think I should look into.

Trip to the Zoo

Thanks to R for pointing me to the Slideroll website! All of the pics were taken by yours truly, so here goes -- take a trip with me to the Saint Louis Zoo!

Make a Free Flash Slideshow

Bonus points to anyone who can name all of the animals featured (and "penguin" and "camel" are not enough information!)

Two Million for $2 Million

Visit the website for the Saint Louis Zoo's Two Million for $2 Million Campaign.

From the website:
"The Saint Louis Zoo, along with 209 accredited zoos and aquariums across the nation, is seeking two million signatures to ask Congress to increase their wildlife conservation support to $2 million in 2006.

This petition asks Congress for $2 million to annually fund conservation and research programs for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, a highly successful wildlife conservation program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with a proven record of success over the past 14 years. The programs have succeeded in maintaining or increasing key populations of some wild animals facing enormous survival challenges: elephants in Asia and Africa; rhinos in southern Africa, Indonesia and India; tigers in Russia; marine turtles in the Caribbean and southeast Asia; and great apes in east and central Africa.

Each of these species faces grave threats to their survival in the wild, and they need our help to protect them. Our goal is to increase the funding from Congress to $2 million annually for each of these species.

Help us send a message to Congress that you care about these imperiled species and want to help protect them in the wild. Please take a moment to “sign” this petition asking for at least $2 million for each of the wildlife species covered under the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums intend to deliver two million signatures to Congress on March 7, 2006"

Make a difference!

Alive & Kickin' . . .

An update on a variety of things that are happening:

My Jenny Craig Quest continues, I'm now down 35.6 lbs! That leaves me 8.6 lbs to my goal weight, whoo hoo!

I had a job interview yesterday. It's in the same company, but with a different department. My boss suggested it, because it would provide a lot more opportunities for advancement than my current position does. Cross your fingers!

I have had five dates with the same guy. #6 is tomorrow. That's all I'm saying about that.

This may be the coolest thing I've heard or read in a month: ‘Lost World’ of wildlife found in Indonesia. Rock on! Now let's work to protect it so we have time to figure out what all is there!

I had my midterm in my first MBA class last night. 72 questions of the T/F, Multiple Choice, and Matchig variety, plus fewer than 10 short answer. I finished i 25 minutes, and that's WITH re-reading everything to double-check. We'll see how I did next week.

I didn't know that Darwin's birthday is Sunday. Happy birthday, Chuck!

Thing that most ticked me off this week: KSDK Channel 5 did an I-Team investigation on what they called "a dark secret at the Saint Louis Zoo." Ready for the secret? THIRTY YEARS AGO, we had chimpanzee shows. Was it acceptable then? yes, and lots of places did it. Is it morally reprehensible in today's world? heck yeah! The news "investigation" says this:

It's a past the Zoo President admits to, but doesn't like to acknowledge.

Here's just a part of what Zoo Pres. Dr. Bonner said:

"Wound up in animal testing?" "Yeah, exactly so," says Dr. Bonner. "How did that happen?" "Well, again going back historically, at a time when that was acceptable they were placing animals and really, probably not many from St. Louis. . . . Fault and responsibility are two different things, should we do everything we can to remedy that, even though it's not our fault, yes we should,"

To me, that sounds less like a lack of acknowledgment and more like a "we're doing what we can, even though our hands are legally tied in some areas," what more do they want?

The reporter spent a long time talking about this "dark secret" that's not really a secret, and then covers his tail by saying

"By the late 1980's, most zoos adopted strict guidelines set forth by the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan. Members, like the St. Louis Zoo, must abide by the plan's breeding and transfer recommendations, ensuring the chimpanzee's future.

Steve Ross from the Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo is the coordinator for that program. He tells me, no chimpanzee today could ever be sold to a medical testing facility. He also says the St. Louis Zoo is held with the highest regard when it comes to caring for chimps."

Any mention of our new, state-of-the-art, multimillion dollar Fragile Forest Exhibit? Noooooooo!
Good Grief.

Okay, I'm done.

Adios!

Don't Bury Me Yet!

Okay, okay, I suck. It's been . . . lemme count here .. January 10th . . . 30 days hath September . . . carry the one . . . 22 days since my last real post. Good grief! Here's an update:

*Back to school! I started my first MBA class on the 12th -- 8 weeks of Managerial Accounting, whoo hoo! It's not bad, keeps me busy and out of trouble with stuff that only care about because the professor tells me to care about it. Midterm is next week, joy!

*After a few weeks of worrying, it's been established that I am NOT dying. I had to have an extremely UN-FUN test done to see if I had cervical cancer or some such thing, but I do not. As of last week, I was PROBABLY not dying; as of yesterday I am DEFINITELY not dying. Yay!

*The Jenny Craig quest continues -- after 2-3 weeks of not-much-progress, my meeting yesterday showed a 2.2lb drop from the previous week, for a total of 34.4 lbs!

*The winter overnights at the Zoo are kicking back into gear, I've had two so far. This past Saturday, I got called in to work an overnight, I was there from 5pm Saturday to 10:30am Sunday -- I had just enough time to drive home, shower, change, & head back to the zoo because I'd already made plans to spend the day at the zoo with a friend. For those of you wondering, that means that between 5pm Sat & 5pm Sun, I spent 22 hours at the zoo -- for at least 17 of those, I was on my feet. Sunday, I was asleep by 6pm.

Gotta run, homework calls, love ya bunches!

AWESOME Commercial

Check out this link & watch the new Honda Civic commercial (you can skip the intro) -- if you were ever in choir, you'll really appreciate it!

Tortoise Pics

I present to you a picture of my nephew with one of the BIG tortoises at the Zoo. I believe this one is a Galapagos, & weighs in at about 200-250lbs (the tortoise, that is -- my nephew is a Brandonn & weighs in at about 40lbs in this pic, if that.)

Aren't they cute?!?!?!



Here he is with two of our big guys -- Aldabras, I think, about 300-350lbs each:

Tagged by Jess

Okay, here goes:
First, The Rules…

"The first player of this game starts with the topic "five weird habits of yourself," and people who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals. Don't forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that says "You are tagged" (assuming they take comments) and tell them to read yours." Except that everyone I would tag has already BEEN tagged!

And, without further adeiu, here are my "habits"....

(1) I can't work in silence, I have to have background noise. Not just any background noise, mind you, but something that won't catch my attention too much -- for example, when studying for finals my Sophomore year of college, I played "Remember the Titans" over & over & over. Radio won't work, it's too random. I play the same CD over & over at work, to give me something to listen to while I do paperwork. I'll keep the same CD in for weeks at a time.

(2)Jess, don't feel bad -- I eat my gummies in color-coded pairs, too -- BUT I also save my favorite gummi worms (the red & white ones) for last. Best story about this is that, while driving to Northern WI with little bro, I set a R&W gummi on top of the steering wheel for like 10-15 miles while I finished the rest of the bag.

(3) I have bottles of diet soda EVERYWHERE. I cleaned out my car (not really, just threw trash away) & disposed of 4-5 bottles, in varying degrees of fullness. I hold onto them (or forget to take them out of the car), because in this weather they're almost guaranteed to be cold (albeit flat).

(4) When I take pictures, I take LOTS of pictures. Rolls & rolls, because I figure the more I take, the more likely some of them are to be good.

(5) I abuse my nails. I bite them, to the point of pain & occasional bleeding. I pick at them, & if I polish them, I pick off the polish & THEN bite them. The only things that keep me from doing this are (a) being REALLY busy or (b) having my nails professionally done, like, with acrylic -- cuz that's tough to bite, but after a few days, I'll pick at them until they come off.

That's my odd list, & like I said, I'm out of people to tag!

Cartoons for Science Nerds!

Big Thanks to my friend Dan for sending me this link -- all my fellow science nerds out there will surely enjoy!

Happy New Year!

Okay, it's been a bit, but let me catch you up on important stuff:

After 7-ish months on the Jenny Craig program, I am down 31.2 pounds! That's right, I managed to survive Christmas & New Year's and STILL lose! I've signed up for Yoga classes on Tuesdays, due to schedule changes that will keep me away from my normal Aquacise class.

I start classes next Thursday at Missouri Baptist University for my MBA.

I'm back on the dating scene (or at least trying to revive my social life) -- I have a date tomorrow night, & spent WAAAY to many nights last week out late with friends -- but got to catch up with a few who were in town for the holidays.

Those are the big updates, guess that's about it -- best wishes to all of you for a great new year!

Happy Holidays!

Hahahah, there, I said it!

Maybe it's because I'm older, but it seems that this whole "Happy Holidays vs. Mery Christmas" thing has gotten worse this year. I mean, hello, there were zealots waiting in the wings to SUE folks for saying "Happy Holidays." Good grief, Charlie Brown, what's the world coming to?

A few of my thoughts:
-I say "Happy Holidays" because it covers me from Thanksgiving until New Year's, & it's shorter than saying or writing "Merry Christmas & Happy New Year."
-The word "holiday" comes from Old/Middle English for "Holy Day" -- what more do you want?
-I'm not Christian. I'm not Jewish or Muslim, either, and I have friends of all faiths, so HH covers all circumstances, except for my athiest/agnostic friends, who don't mind, because they know . . .
-It's the point of wishing someone well that matters! Whatever you say, it's the sentiment behind the words that we should be focusing on!
-While the religious right has you focusing on "keeping the Christ in Christmas" (which you kind of have to do, or all you have is "mas"), you're not being outraged over CIA leaks, US soldiers dying in Iraq, gasoline prices, etc.

Things you may or may not know about other Winter Holidays:
-Hanukkah began at sundown on Christmas Day. I think this is a great coincidence. I looked up the History of Hanukkah, because all I was familiar with was the lighting of the menorah -- did you know that "in Hebrew, the word "Hanukkah" means 'dedication,' [and] the holiday commemorates the rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jews' 165 B.C.E. victory over the Hellenist Syrians." Hmmmm, that sounds familiar -- wasn't there another guy, like 165-ish years later, that had some issues with the way a temple was being used . . . what was his name again? Oh, right, it was JESUS! I love it when similarities like this are brought to light.

-Kwanzaa begins today, December 26th. Kwanzaa was established in the U.S. in 1966, and is "an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture," although the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa could help us all. They include: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work & Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.

-January 10th begins the Muslim celebration Eid-al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice, which commemorates Abraham's "willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son." Now, where did I hear that story again? Oh right, I heard it in the Old Testament -- did you know it's also in the Koran? In the Koran, Abraham's son is Ishmael, not Isaac, and he becomes the "forefather of the Arabs," but isn't the message of piety & sacrifice the same?

Okay, I'm done with my rant. I hope you've found some of it educational, at least.

Happy Holidays to All!

Well That Was Easier Than I Thought . . .

Okay, so when I wrote my last post, I was in a less-than-cheerful mood, heartbroke, blah blah blah. After some in-depth soul-delving, I came to a very important realization: this doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. You see, I was never in love with J. He wasn't in love with me, so it all worked out -- I didn't expect our relationship to last, I just didn't expect it to end the way it did. Hence the crying-sobbing-ness that occurred Friday night/Saturday morning. By Sunday, I was all good. I updated my Match.com profile, got a few hits, and I'm back in the "being single" groove.

Mega weird-ness: The very first hit I got on my updated Match profile was from a guy I went to high school with; apparently he recognized my photo right away. We went out Wednesday, caught up on what we'd each been up to, & had an absolute blast! Y'all know I can always use a new friend to hang out with . . . especially one who doesn't let me do all of the talking!

Anyway, it's now 11:30 pm the night before Xmas eve -- tomorrow is the big holiday shebang with my mom's & stepdad's families -- all together, in one place -- yipe! So I have to be awake & at mom's ready to be cheerful & helpful at 11am. That's not so much an issue, I just have to keep up my wonderful-cheerful-positive attitude until like 9pm, so I'll be all about the caffeine. Off to bed I go, happy holidays to you all!

. . . and to all a good night!

New Relationship Record: 6.5 Months & Done

Well, at least I surpassed my famous 3-month rule, right?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, although not ready to put myself back on the market, I am single again.

Tiffany's big three "IF" statements:
IF I had asked how his last relationship (of like four years) ended, I would have known that it was because he moved from the East Coast to STL. That's all, no fights, it was amicable & they stayed friends.

IF I had asked how he felt about the aforementioned g/f, I would have figured out that, although he never expected to see her again, he still had feelings for her.

IF I had known that, I wouldn't have gotten as involved as I did. Trying to win someone's heart when they've already given it away is a lost cause.

Wish I'd known beforehand, because . . .

The aforementioned g/f is being transferred to STL for work. Go figure. Guess who loses out on this one? Survey says . . . me! Being the remarkably mature person I am, I told him that was "someone up there pointing you in a direction that you need to go, and since you obviously have stronger feelings for her than you do for me, that's what you should do."

Way to take the high road, Tiff, but that's not going to make it hurt any less.

Then I told him he was going to have to leave, because I didn't want him to see me cry. Which I did. Not a lot, I guess, but a lot for me. I don't cry often, it's one of those not-necessarily-healthy rules I have, see:
(1) Never let "them" see you cry (not sure who "them" is, but still...)
(2) Don't get too close to people, especially romantically, because it will hurt when they leave.

There are others, yes, but those are the two big depressing ones. For the otherwise-wonderfully-cheerful-optimist that I am, those are suprising to you, aren't they?

So I called my best friend B, who's in the USAF in NC (wow, lots of abbreviations there). He said, "Well, Tiff, I'll be home in two weeks and can track him down and inflict bodily harm..." I said no thanks, not needed, just tell me you love me & that you owe me a hug. B says, "done."

AwesomeStepdad called while I was on the phone with B, to ask a question about what to get Mom for Xmas, he says "so how are you?" & I said, "well, J broke up with me, so I could be better, but I'll be okay." He says sorry to hear that, we chat a bit, then hang up.

So then I text two of my guy friends to say something like "Who needs a boyfriend?" to MC(who assures me that he doesn't, but calls to check on me nonetheless & promises a night out for coffee & pie), & "Your gender sucks, and not in a good way" to JJK (who calls & says "well hey, yeah we had Hitler, but we had Gandhi, too"). While I'm on the phone with JJK friend, mom calls & says "open your door, some friends came to visit."

???

So I do, and on my doormat are sitting three large stuffed characters from Finding Nemo -- large & plushy. I think, "thanks mom," but this morning I find out it was actually AwesomeStepdad who got them & dropped them off. I guess between B, MC, JJK, my Little Bro, & AwesomeStepdad, the male gender doesn't suck.

The moral of the story, if there is one, is that Tiff ends up with a broken heart that will eventually heal, and realizes that even though one individual doesn't love me, I have many, many more that do.

Ode to Those Who Would Change the World

Something you may or may not know about me: before I got my "grown-up" job at the hospital, I applied to work with AmeriCorps St. Louis, one of the leading AmeriCorps programs in the country. I went on a week-long "Quest" journey in the middle of nowhere, to get to know the people who would be my coworkers and decide if this was really for me. Upon our return, and after much soul-searching, I decided that I was not at a point in my life where I was ready to commit to such a high level of service. I don't regret my decision, because I know that it was right for me.

Last night, I was lucky enough to be invited to a party with some of the AmeriCorps St. Louis members -- folks I haven't seen in 16 months -- so I went, if only to say hi to a few & find out what they've been up to.

First off, I am apparently not as forgettable as I thought I was -- although a few folks took a minute to reconcile my new haircut & smaller self, all of a sudden their faces lit up & they're like, "oh my god, how have you been?!?!?" Let me tell you about a few of these awesome folks & the work they've been doing.

A & JJ have been in the St. Louis public schools, tutoring the younger kids and/or mentoring the older ones. They haven't changed much, JJ still plays piano for his church & has become the music minister, he wants to go back to school when his period of Service is done, but he's not sure for what. A describes himself as "burnt-out" on the school system, but knows he's making a difference. He doesn't want to go into education full-time when he's done with the Corps, and will probably go to Mizzou to further his education, but he's not sure in what. Both of these guys were on my original "Quest" team, and it's good to see they still have the "change the world spark," even if it's tough to keep alive sometimes.

JW, AZ, S and others on the Emergency Response Team have spent most of their time in the Gulf Coast -- they've been rotating teams down there since 9/5, living out of tents for the first eight weeks. These folks have been responsible for everything from operating call centers to coordinating volunteers & donations, outreach, assessment, and reconnaissance to identify relief problems. To hear S talk about WHY he does what he does, click here. None of these guys have lost the "spark" -- I saw it in them 16 months ago, and I saw it still last night. In talking to them, I can tell they've seen things the rest of us can only imagine -- AZ quoted someone as saying that "what you see on TV [about the areas hit by Katrina] is like looking at the whole thing through a straw." He told me stories of showing new volunteers around the area, then sitting back & watching them take it all in, often not talking for hours after the tour. I heard discussion of the efforts to rebuild the areas, how the major contract is held by Halliburton - big suprise - and speculation that the New Orleans we see rise in the coming days will have a different look than the one washed away - both economically and racially. S & his friend J mentioned that the areas that people are pouring money into are coming back, but the 9th Ward still doesn't have people in it. JW is still his wonderful self, working in the AmeriCorps office to keep things running, and holding onto the great attitude he had when he pulled me out of knee-deep mud three times.

Ladies & gentlemen, none of these folks would ask you for any recognition; in fact, you could look at them on the street & not know the sacrifices they've made to do what so many of us are afraid or unable to do. S is going back to the Gulf Coast for the Christmas Holiday, JVW missed Thanksgiving with his family in WI to stay with those who have so little to be thankful for. A & JJ go into the public schools every day to do their part to make a difference. I couldn't make the commitment they have, but I do what I can to make the world a better place. This is an ode to those folks who will change the world, because for every dollar contributed, and every willing volunteer that wants to help, someone has to coordinate how best to put them to work, and these folks do it every day.

More importantly to me, none of these people judged me for taking a different path. JW introduced me to someone by saying "she started with the rest of us, and then she got a better job, we haven't seen her in over a year." AZ walked me to my truck last night & told me that I should pop in more often, ending the conversation by saying "once a part of the family, always a part of the family." I can't think of an extended family that I'd rather be part of, and I'm proud to be included with such an incredible group of folks.

SUCCESS!

I did it -- 30 pounds in 25 weeks, averaging 1-2 lbs/week -- yay me! I even managed to LOSE weight over Thanksgiving! Bought some new clothes -- jeans, SIZE TEN, and a size 12 pantsuit that actually fits my chest!

That leaves about 14lbs to my goal weight -- whoo hoo!

That's all I really wanted to share, happy holidays to all!

Random Stuff

Okay, here are some random things I have to share with you:

After almost 6 months on the Jenny Craig program, I am down Twenty-nine pounds! My plan is to hit 30 by Christmas, which will be a piece of (low-fat) cake & to be at my goal weight by my birthday in mid-March -- both are completely attainable.

I enrolled & registered for my first two 8-week sessions of classes for my MBA at Missouri Baptist University. I will be taking Managerial Accounting from January - March, & Financial Management from March - April. Tuition reimbursement forms have been turned in for work, so I'll eventually get some of the money back.

I have no clue what to get my little bro for Christmas. He already has most of the cool t-shirts from Northern Sun, maybe I'll try T-Shirt Hell. He's so freaking hard to shop for, I spend more time finding "the perfect gift" for him each year than I do on anyone else.

Today's story on how "little" details can change an entire story & a caution about making judgements without all the facts:
Apparently, yesterday my favorite morning radio show, Cornbread on WIL 92.3 got a call or email from an extremely unhappy parent wanting to share their story. "Parent" writes that their middle school child was in the lunchroom reading her Bible, when the Principal came over & said "you can't read that here" & ushered "child" to a semi-detention area "where she could read." This caused a lot of Anti-Principal ruckus with people talking about First-Amendment infringement & taking the separation of religion & state thing too far, "child" is being persecuted for her religious beliefs, etc. People called the school, complained on the radio, DJ said how it was unfair, blah blah blah.
This morning, another parent whose child attends the same school writes in to set the record straight. Apparently, students aren't allowed to have pencils, papers, or books OF ANY KIND in the lunchroom. Suddenly this goes from religious persecution by "the establishment" to a kid breaking the rules. Hmmmmm..... Parent2 goes on to add that Principal is wonderful & does a great job, & that the school board had already met & decided to allow kids to bring ONE book into the lunchroom. Problem solved, Principal was enforcing standard rules, and everyone else ends up with egg on their face. Props to the DJ for apologizing & then asking folks to please have all the facts before calling him with a story like this. When you're that noticeable, it's not easy to admit you goofed.

Okay, that's the end of the story, and the end of this post. I'm off to work, have a great day!

Happy Turkey Day!

Okay, to make up for the sad elephant news, I am going to share with you a list of things for which I am thankful this holiday season. It's not comprehensive, I'm quite sure I'll forget a thing or two, but I think it's important to write it down -- try it!

Top Ten Things I am Thankful For (in no particular order):
- My wonderful family
- My awesome friends
- The fact that I have a job that I like, with people who are (for the most part) fun to work with, that pays the bills!
- My sweet "pretty birds" Chitter & Pod
- All other animals I'm lucky enough to share my life with
- My health, which has improved thanks to. . .
- The support of my family & friends in my weight-loss endeavors
- The great folks I'm lucky enough to work with at the Zoo
- The country I live in -- it's not perfect, and I'd prefer a leader who didn't look like a monkey*, but I have faith that we can all work together to make it what it's supposed to be
- My boyfriend (in a non-sappy way, thank you)


*My sincerest apologies to all monkeys, I meant no offense, but you know it's true.

Sad News

Our baby elephant died in utero. As far as I know, Mom Elephant is okay. This is a sucky, unfair, sad end to a 22-month wait. The complete story can be found here. The dedication & compassion shown by the Elephant Keepers is another example of why we're one of the top zoos in the world. Please send good thoughts to the keepers & the remaining two pregnant elephants.

Zoo Babies!

While those of us here in Saint Louis await the arrival of the first of THREE baby Asian elephants to be born between now & Fall of 2008 (be patient, it takes a long time to make a baby elephant -- twenty-two months!), I thought I'd share with you San Diego's Panda Cam, where you can catch a glimpse of their adorable baby panda, Su Lin.

More info to come when the first baby elephant (a girl!) arrives - which should be sometime this week!

Yay Spongebob!

Thought you would enjoy this pic of the Halloween costume John & I constructed for him this season:

It was a great hit at his friends' Halloween party!

I've been holding out on you . . .

I know, I know -- I've been absent, missing, elsewhere, distant -- things have been very busy, but I still love you. So, I present to you, a string of updates on various aspects of my life . . . and after that, a revelation I've been hiding.

Jenny Craig Update: 25 lbs as of my last meeting, more than halfway to my goal -- here's a picture of the new, smaller me:


Work Update: Work has been busy. I was in charge of organizing the first "Customer Service Appreciation Day" for my office staff, that went very well! Then, I was asked to assist with the display boards for "Maintenance Appreciation Week" -- everyone has said how awesome they look, pat on the back for me! 10/25 makes my one-year anniversary in my current position, and I really can't believe it's been a year already. My boss has suggested that I start looking for advancement opportunities within the company, but most if not all of the positions want someone with a business degree, which I don't have. Which brings me to . . .

School Update: I'm selling my soul for an MBA. Well, not really my soul, and in fact the hospital will pay $3,000 a year in tuition reimbursement, so it's a pretty sweet deal. I get a Master's degree, some "on-paper" business experience, and a chance for advancement where I am. Even better, since I'm not planning on staying here forever & I still plan on pursuing my PhD in Biology, I could then go to an organization like the Saint Louis Zoo & say "look, I have degrees that say I can manage animals, people, and money . . . hire me!"

Those are the current events, and now the promised revelation:
I've been seeing someone. That's right, I have . . . a boyfriend. We've been dating for 5 months which, for reference, is the longest relationship I've ever been in. He is, as my mother describes him, "smart, funny, and only slightly cocky," which is good, because it means that he can hold his own with me. Grandma says if he wasn't a little cocky, I'd eat him alive. He refers to my birds as "feathered noisemakers," but he still whistles at them because he knows they like it. He puts up with my sense of humor, and he has a puppy! That's all I'm going to share right now, but if you're lucky, more may follow.

Math is Fun!

Check this out. One of the guys @ work figured out how it works, can you?

Paint Your Pumpkin

Apparently, every year my company has an inter-departmental pumpkin carving/decorating contest. One of the Supervisors said "hey, you're creative, you should do that for our department." Since no one else would have done it, I said "sure!" & proceeded to paint the pumpkin with skeletons in maintenance uniforms performing various tasks. I now present to you my entry for the Facilities Engineering department:

Much More Important Than Me

Please take a moment to celebrate the life of Rosa Parks, who passed away last night.

I find it slightly funny (but not "haha" funny) that the obituary has to remind people that Jim Crow laws were in place -- it's a dark spot on our history that we should never forget, but it's refreshing to know there are people in the U.S. who've never felt their direct effects.

If I could have just a tiny fraction of the impact she had on the world, I would be content.

Week 15 -- Halfway There!

Well, I had my Jenny Craig meeting yesterday, & I've passed another milestone -- I have officially crossed my halfway point. No, scratch that -- I didn't just cross it, I broke through like a Mack truck going through a picket fence. Another 3lbs gone puts me JUST under 156 -- officially where I was when I went into college. It occurred to me that, in 6 more pounds, my driver's license will be telling the truth for the first time in . . . well . . . ever!

I literally had to pin the waist of my skirt today, to keep it from falling off my hips. None of my dress pants fit -- even the new ones I bought just a few weeks ago are kind of loose.

I have to buy new shoes for winter -- I put on my trusty black pumps this morning and promptly stepped right out of them.

My checking account is going to be screaming by the time this is over, but that's okay.

I'm more than halfway back to being ME!

Yay Me!

Well, I had my Jenny Craig meeting yesterday, and after 14 weeks -- and for four of those I was sick, & pretty much let myself eat anything I wanted -- I have officially passed two milestones:
(1) I passed the 20lb mark. I have lost 20.4 pounds.
(2) I crossed the 160 threshold -- I am 1.8lbs away from my halfway point, and right about where I was when I went into my sophomore year of college.

Whoo hoo!

Read This Article

So, I've been thinking lately about the attacks made on the president & how "George Bush doesn't care about black people," (according to rapper Kayne West), and I'm not sure that's the case. I don't think the problem is that Bush doesn't like black people -- I mean, he has Colin & Condoleezza, right? My personal opinion, take it for what it's worth, is that perhaps he doesn't like poor people. I say "perhaps," because I'm not completely sure that he even SEES them to begin with, and it is difficult to have an opinion on something you don't even recognize.

So, I encourage you to read the article The Other America, from msnbc.com. It makes a lot of good points, and includes the following immortal quotes:

From GWB's momma, Mrs. Barbara Bush: "So many of the people in the arenas here, you know, were underprivileged anyway. So this is working very well for them." Umm, yeah, like being crowded into a hot dark hellhole with 10,000 other people would work well for ANYONE. I mean heck, the Audubon Zoo didn't even cram their animals into "safe" rooms during the hurricane -- and the animals apparently fared better than some of the folks in the Superdome. Sure, Mrs. B, I'm sure it's working well for them, I mean, it's not like they're human beings or anything.

The best quotes of all, however, come from Illinois Senator Barack Obama (& to quote my friend Jonathan, "I will quit my job to work on that man's presidential campaign" when it happens), and read:

"I hope we realize that the people of New Orleans weren't just abandoned during the hurricane," Sen. Barack Obama said last week on the floor of the Senate. "They were abandoned long ago—to murder and mayhem in the streets, to substandard schools, to dilapidated housing, to inadequate health care, to a pervasive sense of hopelessness."

and even better,

Obama, the only African-American in the U.S. Senate, says "the ineptitude was colorblind." But he argues that while—contrary to rapper Kanye West's attack on Bush—there was no "active malice," the federal response to Katrina represented "a continuation of passive indifference" on the part of the government. It reflected an unthinking assumption that every American "has the capacity to load up their family in an SUV, fill it up with $100 worth of gasoline, stick some bottled water in the trunk and use a credit card to check into a hotel on safe ground." When they did focus on race in the aftermath, many Louisianans let their fears take over. Lines at gun stores in Baton Rouge, La., snaked out the door. Obama stops short of calling this a sign of racism. For some, he says, it's a product of "sober concern" after the violence in the city; for others, it's closer to "racial stereotyping."

So, again, read the article The Other America, from msnbc.com. No matter what your socioeconomic status, it's eye-opening; but if you've never had to think or worry about your status, it's even more important.

GRE News

First, let me apologize for being incommunicado, I've been fighting a nasty stomach virus for the past month, but it's almost gone.

I took my GRE (Graduate Record Exam) Saturday -- three little letters that will impact the next 5-7 years of my life, as I attempt to get into a PhD program in Biology.

Since the test was computer-based, I got my verbal & quantitative scores right there. Keeping in mind that (1) the minimum requirements for admission to, say, Washington U here in STL are 400 on each section (scale of 200-800) and (2) the average scores for folks intending to do graduate work in Life Sciences are 464 verbal & 568 quantitative, I got....

drumroll please...

610 verbal, 710 quantitative.

1320 total -- I'm not unhappy about this.

In addition, the first section of the Analytical Writing part required me to choose one of two topics to write an intelligent mini-essay about. I signed a form saying that I wouldn't tell you what the topic was, but I can tell you that it was directly related to my undergraduate degree. Major ego boost! I'm pretty sure that I rocked on both parts of that section (Thank you, Mehlville HS English Department!)

That's all -- just wanted to share.

I Had to, You See . . .

I couldn't help it -- I had to. Didn't have a choice. It was inevitable, really.

I had to buy some new clothes.

Not much -- two blouses, and a belt.

A belt, people -- because my pants are too big for me. Losing six inches in the waist does that, you see.

Two new blouses, because I wanted them -- but more importantly, I got them at Target. I haven't been able to buy cute blouses at Target in I-don't-know-how-long.

I have Jenny Craig-ed my way out of the "plus-size" stores.

Yesterday, I found out that I have crossed the 160 lb mark -- somewhere I haven't been since my sophomore year in college.

Not only that, I'm 19.6 lbs lighter than when I started -- that's right, by next week, I expect to hit the 20lb mark.

YAY!

Argh!

Okay, so I just got an email through my Zoo Job -- one of the other Seasonal Instructors sending a copy of the now-infamous "let's all not buy gas for one day" message. Perhaps it's because I'm sick, but I really feel the need to be extra-irritable over this. For some nifty statistics on the gasoline situation in the US, see Robert's posting "I've Got Gas".

Here are my big issues with receiving this email:

(1) I figure that less than half the people who say they're going to avoid the pumps on 9/10 will actually do it.
(2) All the people who DO avoid the pumps will inevitably end up filling their tanks, probably the day before or the day after -- won't these "surges" counteract the "drop" you're hoping to create? Heck, if I worked for a gigantic oil magnate, I'd raise the price a few cents before & after the so-called "stick-it-to-'em" date {and what the hell kind of name is that?} and make a freakin' profit off all those people.
(3) Given, I've only taken two measly economics courses, but I'm thinking that in a situation of CONSTANT demand (in the long run, people NEED gasoline, even if they're not buying it right this minute), no one is going to "choke" on their supply volume.

Therefore, I'd like to offer my own suggestions for combating the recent rise at the pumps. None are really large-scale, fight Big Brother, Conspiracy Theory-esque, but feel free to avail yourself of any or all.

Tiffany's Ideas to Combat Rising Gasoline Prices:
(1) Walk.
(2) If it's too far to walk, ride a bike.
(3) Too far to bike? Take public transportation.
(4) Not available? Try carpooling.
(5) Have to drive by yourself? Trade in your freaking' gas guzzler and buy something more efficient (and by "more" efficient, I mean that it gets A MINIMUM of 23 miles to the gallon, because my Ranger can get 25).
(6) Fill your tanks in the evening.
(7) Drive with the windows down instead of using the AC.
(8) Write your legislators to push for funding for alternative fuels.

I think I shall patent that list. Everyone will pay me royalties when they walk. If I charge 10 cents per usage, it'll still be cheaper than 10% ethanol, right?

A New Ass

Perhaps it's only funny because I was reading it at 6:30 this morning, but I received the following email note from my boss at the zoo:

"Also interesting, we are getting a new male ass for the females. He is coming from Germany, but is in New York now and is on his way here. So, that's cool!"

The animal she's referring to is a Somali Wild Ass, now famous for being the animal that the lovable Shrek character Donkey was modeled after. We've had a male for some time (a little goofy, likes to run around his yard with a bucket on his head), then got in three fillies but, alas, they are too closely related to the male to be housed together. Hence, the new ass for the girls. Ha ha ha.

Just thought I'd share.

Because I love you.

Way to Go, Connecticut

I just felt the urge to share with you this yahoo article about Connecticut filing suit against GWB's No Child Left Behind Act.

My thoughts on the NCLB Act (please read with as much sarcasm as possible):

~Yay, more bubble-filling! Today's kids DEFINITELY need to improve their bubble-filling skills.

~Whoo hoo, yearly testing! Because, you see, if you graph the results from yearly testing, they will be DRASTICALLY different from testing done every two years.

~I am SO in favor of requiring all this stuff without actually providing a means to fund it!

Here's an article that showed up in STLtoday.com today. But then again, why do we care what the TEACHERS think of this act, right? Not like they really have anything to do with education anyway.

I can only hope that the state of Missouri (which I love) follows Connecticut's lead. Do I see it happening? Not anytime soon with him in the governor's seat. He actually had me fooled when he vowed to restructure school funding in his State of the State address -- until he mentioned that he was going to give schools more money by taking that AWAY from early education programs & adoption subsidies. GREAT IDEA, really!

Okay, I'm done.

Thanks for listening.

Wedding Pictures!

Some photos of the wedding I went to last weekend:

All eight alumni (and one alumni-to-be) that made it to the wedding -- That's me in the center

Site of the ceremony

Bride & Groom cutting the cake

Who's That Girl?

(((yawn)))

So I spent all day yesterday in the car -- we left Ladysmith, WI (site of the wedding)& drove 4.5 hours to Pewaukee, WI (site of my truck, which I left at friend Maria's house), then I drove home to Saint Louis. Whoo hoo!

Top 2 funny things from the wedding:

The bride, groom, & groom's mom didn't recognize me. Apparently, the looked at Maria & I & thought, "well, there's Maria, I wonder who that is she brought, and where's Tiffa-oh-my-god-she-cut-her-hair!" My new haircut got rave reviews!

Friend Ethan's quote, "Kids are too expensive to own." amen!

Week 8 Update!

Okay, after eight weeks on the Jenny Craig program, I'm 16lbs lighter -- no significant weight loss this last week, BUT it was measuring time again -- in the last month, I've lost 10 inches, for a total of 16 inches in 8 weeks -- whoo hoo! I'm down a clothing size -- had to go buy some new clothes (joy!) and am totally psyched about seeing college friends at a wedding this weekend!

May I Have the Dictionary, Please?

My interest in historical stuff got the best of me this morning, when I found this article on yahoo. It's pretty nifty information; however, about halfway through the story I encountered this:

The monastery, which is in the desert west of the Red Sea, was founded by disciples of St. Anthony, a hermit who died in A.D. 356 and is regarded as the father of Christian monasticism. A colony of hermits settled around him and he led them in a community.

Okay, if you don't yet see my point, read that last sentence again: "A colony of hermits settled around him and he led them in a community."

Just to make sure I wasn't going OCD over nothing, I double checked the definition of "hermit" and found these definitions.

Please tell me that you understand now why I went crosseyed reading that. A hermit is, by definition, a person who lives in voluntary seclusion. Doesn't having a colony/community de-hermetize them?

Just wondering . . .

Hey all - thought you might enjoy this photo of me & my reptilian friend -- that's 350 lbs of pure Aldabra tortoise, baby!

Week 6.5 Update!

Okay, it's been a little busy recently -- my folks are out of town, so I've been pet-sitting for them, trying to keep up with all the critters (3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 snakes, 2 lizards, a turtle & a fish), and wasn't able to make my usual Tuesday meeting at Jenny Craig, but I made it in yesterday.

Due to the wacky schedule I've been keeping as of late, I have strayed from my meal plan -- although I've tried to balance my splurges by downsizing other meals and upsizing my activity level, but I was still worried & decided to cross my fingers for a 1 pound loss. So I stepped on the scale . . .

. . . and I couldn't believe it. 5.4 pounds! My consultant was amazed -- so was I! Whoo hoo! 16.8 pounds total, and I'm about 6 pounds from my halfway mark -- YAY!

As a reward, I'm taking myself out next weekend to buy a new outfit (aleady had to buy new bras) to wear when I go to Wisconsin for a friend's wedding. I can see it now: "Hi there, haven't seen you in over a year, yeah, I cut my hair off & dropped almost 20 pounds, how have you been?" Whoo hoo!

Me, last time anyone from school saw me!

Antidotes for Boredom

While browsing the blog-world this afternoon, waiting ever-so-impatiently for 4:00 to come, I found the following interesting sites. Enjoy!

What Dog Breed Are You? found on Nerd Werd

More disturbing was this, found on Quality Crash Tests.

Curse You J. K. Rowling!!! (okay, not really)

I got my copy of HP And The Half-Blood Prince last Sunday (7/17) and because I knew that once I started I'd be unable to turn back, used every last ounce of willpower to leave it closed until this Saturday. Good thing, too, because I read the whole darn thing, cover to cover.

Oh the betrayal! The anguish! How could [that one character] kill [that other character]? Or, was it just a cleverly planned & unavoidable-albeit-tragic-self-sacrifice?

Please, PLEASE JK Rowling, (and here I'm going to share what an utter HP fanatic I am), "accio laptop" and get typing! I need that last book!

On that note, check out this awesome website, Mugglenet.com, created & maintained by one of the few lucky enough to actually get an INTERVIEW with JK.

The Patriarchy Strikes Again

Okay -- it's Saturday, I'm at work, and just about NOTHING is happening. In an attempt to stay up-to-date on current events (even if they do mention him), I browse around msnbc.com, where I noticed the exciting headline "Weight gain in girls blamed on drop in exercise".

No kidding, really?

But here's what really got me: in a age where women and girls are sharing tips on how to maintain an anorexic or bulemic lifestyle (especially without your parents knowing, because they might actually CARE about your health!), this article ticks me off.

I know the authors, publishers, et al. mean well, but come on, people -- what about weight gain in boys? You can't tell me that all of the 9 million young people in the United States who are considered overweight are female -- that's not even probable!

This ticks me off, and I felt the need to share.

Anyone reading some of my previous posts will know that I've recently started to make some healthy changes in my life -- more exercise, better eating habits -- so it's not like I'm suggesting that obesity isn't a problem -- but please, people, couldn't we have broadened the study in question to include youngsters with Y chromosomes?

While I'm on that, a new article suggests that "U.S. children [are] healthier than ever, report finds" -- and here's a line they use to support that: "'The overwhelming majority of children — about 83 percent — are reported by their parents to be in very good or excellent health,' Dr. Edward Sondik, Director of the National Center for Health Statistics, told a teleconference with reporters.

Well duh! How many parents have we seen that are in denial over their child's health problem? Anybody else remember the "My 2-year old weighs 70 pounds but I let him eat anything he wants" parents from various daytime talk shows? Even if you don't, I assure you, they were there -- and their children were obese.

Thumbs-down for scientific studies that rely on qualitative surveys.

However, there is hope. Check out "this article" about how Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products are joining the quest to help kids eat better. Heck, we use TV characters to promote food that's not-so-good for us, it had ought to work the other way, right?

Thumbs up for Nickelodeon!

Week 5 Update!

I had my weekly check-in with my Jenny Craig consultant, and in the last week I've lost . . . drumroll please . . . 2.4 pounds! Whoo hoo! That means not only have I surpassed the 10-pound-loss mark (11.4 to be exact), but I am also BELOW 170 for the first time in a year! I had to share!

I Got Tagged

Dammit -- thanks to J, I have been officially tagged with a meme. I am elated, because it gives me something to do (other than work) while I am at work on this lovely Saturday morning at seven-freakin-ten in the morning. Here I go . . .

The Meme: What ten events would you care to witness if you could travel in time and observe them.

In no particular order, I present to you my choices...

10. The creation of the universe, however it happened
9. The beginning of life, again, however it happened
8. The Gettysburg address
7. MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech
6. The event that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs
5. The building of "the heads" at Easter Island
4. The building & subsequent rhinoplasty of the Sphinx
3. The last performance of all four Beatles
2. The 2nd Continental Congress & subsequent signing of the Declaration of Independence
1. Gandhi's civil disobedience campaign against the British in India

Yep, I think that's it. Let me know what you think!

Week 4 Update!

Okay, after four weeks on the Jenny Craig program, I'm down 9 lbs. (last week I was off work & didn't stick with my plan, so no loss -- but no gain either!) I've also lost a little over 6 inches -- 2 from my chest (YAY!), 2 from my waist, and another 2-ish from my hips & abdomen. My clothes fit better and/or are starting to get loose -- my JC consultant said pretty soon, I'd be brainstorming ways to shrink all my clothes! This week, I'm refocusing on sticking to my planned menu & hitting the gym at least 3 times, plus I have a zoo overnight -- which means an evening of hiking around the park! More updates to come.....

Week Three Update!

Well, after three weeks on the Jenny Craig program, I have lost . . . drumroll please . . . 9 pounds! Yay! This is my first victory on my journey to better health, because it is my 5% mark! It turns out that losing just 5% of your body weight can lower your risk of all kinds of health problems, including diabetes & heart disease. Check out this article on webmd.com for more info. Yes, ladies & gentlemen, I am 0.2 pounds away from breaking the 170lb mark, which I expect to do next week! I feel better, I have more energy, and my clothes fit better -- whoo hoo!

Just thought I'd let you know -- more updates to follow!

Major Life Changes!!!

Okay, so for the last year I've kinda been muddling around, trying to figure out how to best acheive my personal & career goals. I've recently committed to some major changes that I beleive will help me get wherever it is that I'm going. Check it out:

*I've been going to the YMCA 2-3 times a week -- whoo hoo!

*Inspired by various people, including J, I joined Jenny Craig 2 weeks ago, and have dropped 7.2 pounds -- don't worry, it's more for health reasons than anything else (no "I want to be an anorexic supermodel" issues here, no sir!)

*I've decided to take a year off from school, get stuff in order, take my GRE, do some volunteering in the labs of some Biology Faculty at Saint Louis University , and apply to their PhD Program for Fall 2006

*Yesterday I got a haircut -- I went in & said "the perm, the color, it was me, it's not me anymore, cut it off!" So my hair is very short -- last time it was this short, I hadn't hit puberty yet & looked kinda like a boy, ask R, he probably remembers -- it's cute, I like it, and have heard nothing but good things about it.

*Planning for grad school means looking for ways to cut costs, so I'm planning on moving this January, someplace less expensive than what I'm paying now, but no leads yet.

The best part is, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I've been pondering all of these things for weeks now, and I finally sat down and made decisions -- and I feel GREAT about all of them!

Stay tuned for updates!

So, I totally stole this from J, who stole it from someone else, but:



Go figure. Anybody else see THAT coming?

Ligers and Tigons and Bears, Oh My!

I was listening to this article on msnbc.com about the increased numbers of hybrid animals being bred for commercial use, either as pets or for the production of goods such as wool or beef. Throughout history, humans have selectively bred animals and plants to achieve desired results -- all you have to do is look at the AKC Breed List to see what I mean. We do the same things with birds, like cockatiels, and fish, like bettas. In these instances, animals of the same species are bred to produce offspring with the desired appearance or temperament. Keeping these good traits within a gene pool; however, is like trying to keep money within a family: the best way (as European Royalty has demonstrated [see paragraph eight here]) is to marry close relatives. Offspring of related animals that carry desired traits are more likely to inherit those traits (Thank you, Darwin!) The problem arises, however, in the fact that inbreeding has a tendency to magnify negative traits, as well. Hemophilia was often called the "royal disease" because of its prevalence in the European royalty. Do a little research on the Hapsburg Dynasty and you can dig up stories of mental instability that many people attribute to inbreeding. Animals that are selectively bred with close relatives can develop a host of problems, too. Some examples: Dalmatians are prone to deafness, English Bulldogs to enlarged hearts, Dachshunds have (obviously) back problems, and German Shepherds often exhibit hip displaysia.

These problems arise when we try to selectively breed members of the same species -- what the heck are we inviting by artificially hybridizing animals? Okay -- the "wholphin" is one thing, because the only human intervention there was to put two closely related species in the same tank. But come on, people -- ligers and tigons? Those are PURELY the result of human intervention, because these two species would almost NEVER encounter each other in the wild. Add to this the fact that, by artificially hybridizing animals, we increase the probability of sterile offspring (look at the mule) or, and this is what worries me, animals born with terminal physical or mental problems.

Now, don't get me wrong -- I'm not trying to be anti-science or anti-research -- I'm just pointing out that, historically, new species tend to arise through LONG periods of slight mutations -- even bacteria take a few generations to evolve. Hybridizing animals because someone wants a "domestic" kitty with cheetah spots, or because we want a source of meat that's leaner than a cow but better tempered than a buffalo seems terribly self-serving to me.

On a lighter note -- I was thinking about this:
if male lion + female tiger = liger
and male tiger + female lion = tigon
and male zebra + female horse = zorse
then, does a male horse + a female zebra = a hebra?
And if so, does it have to wear a yarmulke?