Wall of Shame - July 30, 2010

Friday, July 30, 2010

Why, yes, owner of the red Ford pickup, license plate 305-JJU, WITHOUT A HANDICAPPED PLACARD, who parked (badly) in the handicapped parking space of the Parker Library on July 30, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. - I , too, noticed that the entire library parking lot was full.* When this sort of thing happens, however, the correct and appropriate thing to do is to park in the never-full strip mall parking lot RIGHT NEXT DOOR and walk your lazy ass to the library, like the rest of us able bodied citizens.

But why do that, when the self-centered and completely ASSHOLE thing to do is to claim a handicapped spot for your very own? And did I mention you're an ASSHOLE?

 ______________
*It was full because our backwards county refused to pass a bond initiative to give them a new, bigger space.

Boogie Blogging Friday - I'm So Abused Edition

Seriously? A&D? WTF?
So the Boogie-Dog is having an "I'm so abused" kind of week.

Our trip to the vet on Monday revealed that he does indeed have hay fever, which is causing the constant runny nose. And because his nose is running a marathon, he spends his days licking the snot away (I know - ew. But he is a dog). He's not a young dog anymore, and his skin lacks the suppleness to take that kind of abuse, so it's cracked and bleeding.

The vet recommended:
  • Benedryl for the hay fever. He gets this three times a day, and because he's a wily older dog and not fooled by the whole "pills hidden in food" thing, the only way to make him take it is for me to grab his lower jaw and force the pills down his throat. If his mouth was any smaller or my hand was any bigger, I'm not sure how we'd proceed, but this works for us. Yes, this does leave me with dog slobber all over my hand, thanks for asking.
  • 400 IU of vitamin E by mouth per day. Yep - more dog slobber for me. Yay!
  • And for his cracked and bleeding nose, his vet recommended A&D ointment (without zinc). Yeah. Diaper rash ointment.
He's being pretty tolerant of me constantly forcing my fingers down his throat, but he is pretty fucking unimpressed by the A&D ointment. It has a fairly strong scent, and I'm sure it's hosing up his ability to use his primary sense, plus I suspect it tastes like ass.

But here's the thing - it's working. The moisture barrier is allowing his poor nose to heal up, which is what I wanted, so he's just going to have suffer while it heals. Until then, I've resigned myself to his hurt, WTF? looks when I apply it. Bad doggy mom. Bad.

First World Problems...and a Little Perspective

Thursday, July 29, 2010
I'm feeling a bit bitchy today. Not crabby, but like I need to complain incessantly about all the crappy little things that are niggling at me. Of course, all of those things are completely stupid, and I realize how very ungrateful it is to cry about my VERY IMPORTANT FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS. But I still need to bitch and cry, so I'll take this opportunity to do so, and then make fun of myself.
______________

I'm getting another summer cold. The second one in less than a month. I so very rarely become ill, when I do it always feels like a personal affront. Getting sick twice in the same month is just UNACCEPTABLE.
Not as unacceptable as getting malaria for like, the 32nd time because I have no access to mosquito nets and chemoprophylaxis, but still irritating.
What the hell is up with grout? Who thought this shit was a good idea? It's impossible to keep clean, even in a dry climate such as ours, and is a huge pain in the ass to replace. Bleach can only go so far, and the master bath mini-remodel has revealed that we need to quit procrastinating and re-grout the shower. Which does not make me happy, seeing as how I'm a lazy, lazy git.
Of course I do have access to indoor plumbing, as opposed to living somewhere where raw sewage flows through the streets. So there's that.
My company has lost another one of my expense report receipts, so now I have to chase it down and send it again. One would think that an organization whose only job is to keep track of these things would be a bit more proficient, but I guess that just makes me DEMANDING and NEEDY.
Sort of like those DEMANDING and NEEDY third world residents who compete for the chance to work 12 hour days for 38 cents a week putting together crappy discount clothes to be sold at my local K-Mart.
Since it's primary season and the Smart Man is a registered Republican, the Big Yellow House has been inundated with Robo-Calls from the candidates, explaining why they deserve his vote because they're DESPERATELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMMINENT INVASION OF AMERICA BY BROWN PEOPLE INTENT ON STEALING OUR JESUS.* Last night's was a recording from Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, endorsing Senatorial candidate Jane Norton. Since every time the Smart Man sees a Jane Norton ad he tends to scream "Shut up! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!", followed by a profane ad hominen attack, I think it unlikely Ms. Norton will receive the Smart Man's vote. Regardless of the candidate, however, I think it's safe to say that political Robo-Calls are the work of the devil.
The alternative, of course, is being shot down in the streets for daring to oppose the religious leader's personal choice for our secular government. Which, come to think of it, may be where we're heading.
What are your first world problems?


______________
*Yes, I did totally steal that turn of phrase from my friend Jim Wright.

Kill Me Now

Wednesday, July 28, 2010
I swear, Tom Tancredo is a raving nutjob. That opinion should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. After all, I'm a liberal, and I'm not insane. I've always been embarrassed by the fact that he was my representative until the 2008 election, even though I didn't vote for his whackadoodle ass.

After the 2008 election, he pretty much disappeared from my radar since Fox News isn't really my first choice for, well, anything. I was perfectly okay with that, as his ranting was becoming profoundly boring.

But now, suddenly, he's in the public eye again. His repeated calls for the impeachment of the president are retarded at best, and my good friend Eric over at Standing on the Shoulders of Giant Midgets has an excellent analysis of the root cause of this particular bit of dipshittery.

My own issue with ole Tom is a bit closer to home. He's decided to run for the Colorado Governorship under something called the "American Constitution Party."

Oh, yay. Now I get to listen to the batshit crazy through NOVEMBER as he attempts to drag Colorado into the land of the incurably insane. The good news is that his run is likely to split conservative voters, giving the most liberal candidate a better chance. The bad news is that I may be forced to commit jigai in order to avoid a murderous rampage through Douglas County after being forced to listen to this fuck-knuckle for months.

Perhaps you should just kill me now.

My Celebrity Boyfriend Makes Good

Tuesday, July 27, 2010
In case you live under a big rock, I'm going to take this opportunity to tell you that my celebrity boyfriend*, Phil Plait, has a very exciting new project out! That's right - the Bad Astronomer is hosting a new mini-series on the Discovery Channel called "Phil Plait's Bad Universe." Check out this fabu trailer:


I especially like the part where giganto cartoon Phil zaps the hostile spaceships with his LazerEyes™.  

Now I want LazerEyes™, too.

____________
*As distinguished from my celebrity seraglio. I've actually met Phil, you see. So I can't put him into the seraglio without moving into creepy, creepy stalker territory. Being my celebrity boyfriend, however, is a more platonic imaginary relationship.

Let's Visit the Celebrity Seraglio

Monday, July 26, 2010
I'm completely uninspired today when it comes to blog fodder, so I asked for suggestions on Twitter. My non-despicable minions responded with a request that we revisit our celebrity seraglio, since really, what's more fun that pretending you actually have a chance with some famous hawtie who is probably already involved with some other famous hawtie?

Here's how it works - I give you the top five members of my celebrity seraglio, and the peanut gallery can either approve, disapprove, throw rotten vegetables, or otherwise make unwise, perverse and witty suggestions - double entendre optional.

Ready?

Number 5: Dwayne Johnson, aka "The Rock." I have no earthly idea if Mr. Johnson has a brain in his head, or if he's just pleasant to look at, and really - for the number 5 spot, who gives a good goddamn? Pool Boy...oh Pool Boy...*

Number 4: Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology and author of From Eternity to Here. Once he referred to certain sections of the universe as "lumpy," he was a shoe-in.

Number 3: Brian Cox, particle physicist at the University of Manchester, author, and black hole creator at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. He used the word "bullox" to describe the LHC doomsayers on The Colbert Report, which made me shoot Pepsi out of my nose.

Number 2: Jon Stewart. He pwned Walter Wagner on national television, plus he's smart, funny and rich. Who could ask for more? No, really - what more could you possibly want?

And the Number 1 member of my celebrity seraglio? That's right - astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, head of the Hayden Planetarium, author, and media geek extraordinaire.


Be still, my heart. 

________
*Why, yes, I did just totally objectify Mr. Johnson there. Totally.

************
Edited at 3:16 p.m. to bring in the rest of my short list: Liam Neeson, Lance Reddick, Ezra Klein, Matt Taibbi and (of course!) the Incomparable Evan Newkirk,

Despicable Me

Sunday, July 25, 2010
If you haven't gone out and seen Despicable Me, you need to get up off your ass and go see it TODAY.

I love this movie. Love, love, love. Now I want minions of my own. Or at least the movie on Gru-Ray.

"Bank of Evil (Formerly Lehman Brothers)"

HEE.

2010 Flower Pr0n - Quebec City

Busy, Busy

Saturday, July 24, 2010
I'm a busy human today. I have a buttload of homework to do, and I'm also in the middle of a minor remodel of the master bath (new paint, towel racks, etc.). So in lieu of actual content, I present you with Villagers, performing the title track on their new album, Becoming a Jackal. I heard this on NPR's All Songs Considered and immediately bought it, much to my delight. Enjoy -

Boogie Blogging Friday - Soaking Up the Sun Edition

Friday, July 23, 2010

Slim Pickings

I've been perusing the Autumn University schedule, trying to decide what I want to take this fall, and the choices are giving me a profound case of the meh. None of my required classes are being offered on-line this term, so here are my choices from the land of electives:
CA3100 - Cross-Cultural Communication. In an increasingly global society and a world or growing international interaction, communicating effectively with people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds becomes a challenge but also an opportunity. The ability to accept and transcend differences has personal and professional transformative powers. This course explores a range of communication concepts and theories such as cultural competency, identity theory salience, and the nature of prejudice and its impact on communication. Students will have the opportunity to develop and practice skills and abilities that enhance sincere, sensitive, and effective communication across differences.

GS3100 - Understanding International Trade. Basic concepts of international economics are reviewed to explore how economic factors, such as exchange rates, balance of payments, inflation, labor, tariffs, and the flow of capital, affect trade. Using existing data sources, students explore what countries and regions trade with each other, to what extent, and in what products and services. Students will be able to analyze the international trade interactions of a particular state, country, or region, as well as the historical and current factors that impact these patterns. Students will also explore legal constraints to engaging in international trade, such as requirements for export licenses and screening for individuals and countries where trade is illegal. 

LOS3050 - Financial Management. All organizations - business, government and not-for-profit - must deal with financial matters. This course provides opportunities to learn how to read and use financial data in order to develop systems for budget creation and control, profit forecasting, and long range development. Basic principles of accounting, cost analysis and control, revenue and expense forecasting, return on investment, and capital reinvestment will be studied and applied to examples. The leader's role in financial management will be examined, including technical, conceptual, and value considerations.

LOS3150 - Working in Groups and Teams. Teams carry out the majority of organizational activities across all sectors of society today. Principles of team behavior and effectiveness are explored in this course along with the roles of effective leaders of teams and team participants. Various types of teams will be discussed, such as cross-functional, tactical, problem solving, and virtual teams. Factors leading to high performance and dysfunction will be explored and applied to real life examples or teams in organizational settings. 

LOS3250 - Learning in Organizations. Accelerating change in society and in organizations challenges individuals and the organization as a whole to engage in a process of continuous learning. In this course, basic concepts of individual and organizational learning are explored both in terms of their intrinsic value to individuals and as the source of competitive advantage to the organization. How is learning conceived of and structured throughout organizations? How is the return on investment in learning evaluated? This course provides an overview of what organizations do for the training and development of employees, how they structure knowledge sharing, and how they institutionalize within the organization the knowledge of its members through effective knowledge management practices.

PPSS3250 - Policy Research and Analysis. Students will learn to make use of the basic conceptual tools typically employed to examine public policy issues. This course provides a brief presentation of these tools as well as practice in how to apply them to evaluate policy alternatives in areas of education, healthcare, income, transportation, and housing. Students learn how to find resources and relevant data, read research studies, and evaluate the credibility of sources. A major focus of this course is on learning to analyze costs and benefits, weight trade-offs, and predict the probably outcomes and unintended consequences of policy options. 
It seems a foregone conclusion that I'm not going to take any more classes from the "Leadership and Organizational Studies" catalog. Of the remaining choices, the only offerings I have even the slightest interest in is Understanding International Trade or Policy Research and Analysis - and I'm not really excited about either of those.

Right now I'm leaning toward the Global Studies class, but we'll see. I may decide to drop out of college, quit my job, and blow my 401K following Phish all over the country until the money runs out, instead.

A Family Affair

Thursday, July 22, 2010
Every once in a while, someone asks me why I'm so vehement about gay rights.

Aside from the fact that sticking up for minorities who are being discriminated against is simply the right thing to do, I have a more personal reason for standing up when it comes to equality for gay Americans - the Smart Girl is a lesbian.

When she first came out to me (she was about 15, I think), it took me a bit of time to realign my perception of her. Not because I wished her sexual orientation was otherwise, but because a person's sexuality is an aspect of who they are. I simply needed to start looking at her in a slightly different way. One thing I didn't do, however, was ask her if "she was sure," or to tell her she'd "grow out of it." I've made a lot of mistakes with my daughter (like every parent on the planet, I suspect), but I trust that I would not disrespect her in this particular way. Being gay is part of who she is, and to deny that aspect of her life would be to deny her, and there's no way I would have done that. I tried to make it clear to her, and to everyone in my life, that not accepting my baby girl for who she is would earn you a one-way ticket to "you're dead to me" junction, with extreme prejudice.

Prior to learning about the Smart Girl, I always thought that the LGBT community got the short end of the stick when it came to equal rights in this country (Don't Ask, Don't Tell? Seriously?). I made sure I voted against laws that discriminated against them, and supported candidates and laws that encouraged equal treatment under the law. But it wasn't until I had some personal skin in the game that I became vehement.

Having a family member, a family member for whom you would storm the gates of Hell with nothing more than a wad of cotton and a toothpick, belong to a group that is routinely discriminated against makes the matter personal. Extremely personal. When some self-righteous asshat proclaims that gay men and lesbians don't deserve equal treatment under the law because they "violate the natural order" or that their "lifestyle" is a "sin against the Lord," my blood just BOILS. I want to beat them about the head and shoulders with the complete works of Jane Goodall, followed by the administration of the water test. That's my daughter you're talking about, you sanctimonious fuck. Who the hell do you think you are, to suggest that my baby girl isn't deserving of all the very best things in life, simply because she's different than you? She's focused, smart, disciplined, self-sufficient, compassionate and has a fierce intellect. She's a straight A student, has a job, and is involved in her community. She loves opera, anime, and books, and dislikes roses and pantyhose. She's not a second-class citizen, and does not deserve to be treated like one because people can't see past their own prejudice and bigotry.

Having a daughter who is a lesbian has taught me a huge lesson. While tribalism can sometimes be a bad thing, it can also expand your concept of who's "like you." The Smart Girl is, first and foremost, my child. For me, the fact that she's also a lesbian means not that she's "different," but that all the other lesbians and gay men in the world are also my children, and deserving of the same protection as the Smart Girl. I'm happy that my family is larger and more diverse. Now, for me, doing the right thing by the LGBT community isn't just politics, or a dedication to what's right and fair - it's a family affair.

Count Your Blessings, You Stabby Bitch

Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Last summer I wrote a blog post called "Count Your Blessings, You Stabby Bitch." I wrote it because I felt like I needed an attitude adjustment, and verbalizing the things I was grateful for helped me to focus on the positive. Like many humans, I have a tendency to dwell on the negative, and I think this exercise is helpful in grounding me in a way that allows me to see my life in its totality.

So I'm going to write this again (and again, and again), and try to focus on the things that make me happy in an attempt to stay grounded and centered.

***************

I am grateful that I have a companion with whom I share my life, and that my companion makes me laugh. And he's Smart. Hard to beat that.

I am grateful that I have apparently been a successful parent. It may be too early to tell, of course, but so far, so good.

I am grateful for my family. I don't always agree with them - in fact, some of their ideas give me hives and make me twitch. But after surgically removing the ones who are racist asshats from my life, those that remain are basically decent human beings with whom I share the common values of love, service and compassion.

I am grateful for my friends.  You know who you are, and you know why I love you. I am constantly amazed that I've managed to collect such a large group of quality people to my orbit. That's the thing about friends and companions - they choose you. And that fact that you guys chose me humbles me in ways I can't express.

I am grateful for my Boogie-Dog. He's better company than most people, and he reminds me daily that taking joy in the simple things and living in the moment is not necessarily a bad way to live.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to pursue my education. When I was a youngster, I failed to see the value in this opportunity, but I'm happy to have seen the error of my ways as I've aged.

I am grateful to have a job that meets my intellectual, financial and lifestyle needs. Money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure as hell gives you the freedom to pursue it.

I am grateful for my intellect. While I recognize that I'm not the smartest person in the world, I'm happy not to be the dumbest one, either, and my gifts have always been sufficient to allow me to do the things I want to do.

What are you grateful for?

Why Chase Manhattan Sucks Like The Tootsie Roll Center of the Galaxy

Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Remember my friend Shawn Powers? The awesome geek whose home burned down in January?

Well, he and his family are having a terrible time getting the holder of their mortgage, Chase Manhattan, to release the money for their almost complete replacement home. Because evidently, Chase Manhattan sucks like the Tootsie Roll Center of the Galaxy (that would be a super-massive black hole for you non-science fan-girls).

Feel free to pop on over to The Brain of Shawn to see what's going on, and to help if you can.

______

Updated 7/21/2010, 10:08 a.m. Chase Manhattan has decided to release the funds so Shawn's house can be completed. I think that makes them the remnants of an unnova rather than a super-massive black hole.

What the Fuck is Wrong with these People? - Vatican Edition

I have to admit that in spite of spending four years in a parochial school, I still don't "get" the Catholic Church. The weight of all that dogma, the obvious (to me) inconsistencies in their worldview, and the incredibly illiberal policies - all of it gives me hives.

But honestly, in practical terms, I mostly just don't care. I'm not Catholic. I don't subscribe to their worldview, I don't think the Pope is God's mouthpiece here on earth, and really, I couldn't care less about his thoughts on any topic. With the exception of criminal actions (such as pedophilia and the sexual abuse of the developmentally disabled), the internal machinations of the Church have zero interest for me. Presumably the people who choose to follow that faith are grown humans, with the ability to make their own decisions. If they believe some dude in a funny hat has the authority to tell them how to live and what to decide, then it's real enough to them, and no skin off my nose.

But every once in a while, the Vatican makes an announcement that's just so egregious, it gives me a WTF moment, and I have to ask, What the fuck is wrong with these people?

This week's incident relates to a Vatican announcement regarding the ordination of women. Normally I would consider this issue to be an internal matter. They don't want to ordain women? I think that's pretty fucking backwards and damages the long-term relevance of the Church, but my opinion doesn't matter - it's up to Catholics to work these things out, or not. However, what has me scratching my head (and throwing up in my mouth) is the Vatican's decision to treat the ordination of women as an "exceptionally serious crime" - right alongside the sexual abuse of alter boys at the hands of all those oh-so-righteous male priests.*

My issue is with the whole idea that pedophilia has a very real and measurable injury associated with it. An injury incurred by a child, who had their trust and person violated by someone whose authority is granted by the Church. How, exactly, is the ordination of women, who presumably engage in this activity because they have enormous faith and dedication to their church and their god, comparable in severity to that? To be sure, the women are challenging the status quo of the church, and demanding equal status under church law. There's precedent for that, and agree or disagree, it's fair to say that they're not actually hurting anyone.

Now I realize that as a secularist, I perceive the abrogation of "church law" as a purely victimless "crime." Since I don't recognize the authority in question, I don't understand how the defiance of it can be considered "criminal." But I have to ask - if the Catholic god is so all-fired powerful and important, how can he/she/it be equally offended by a woman saying mass because she feels a faith-based calling and a priest raping a small child?

If he/she/it is equally offended...well. I'm going to go out on a limb and contend that the Catholic god is just as backwards as his/her/it's representative here on earth. Which may, in fact, be the trouble. 

_____________
*I don't pretend to any expertise regarding church law, nor am I accusing the church of linking pedophilia with the ordination of women by placing the process for dealing with these issues in the same document.

Now With More Cankles

Monday, July 19, 2010

Quebec City - Final Thoughts (and Miscellany)

I'm back to work today after two weeks of vacation. Yeah. This is fun.

Here are my final thoughts on the Quebec trip, as well as miscellaneous observations on other matters.

The trip to Quebec City was absolutely fabulous. FABULOUS. Since I looked at the trip as an opportunity to learn - indeed, it was a mandatory learning experience for my degree program - I went with the idea that it was not a vacation. I can tell you looking at it in that way made all the difference in the way I approached the trip. I did have fun, but not staying out until three in the morning drinking. I had fun in a more intellectual sense, and looked at each day (even the days when the activities weren't something I was particularly interested in) as an opportunity. What's heartening is just how many students looked at it in the same way. The benefits of adult education, I suspect.

From a non-academic perspective, another thing I learned is that being fit and being thin are not mutually inclusive. Excluding the morbidly obese, I would say that within a middle-aged population, looking strictly at someone's weight is not going to give you a realistic view of their fitness level. I'm still currently overweight, but I exercise regularly, and that activity showed during the walking tours up and down the many, many hills of the city. There were other students who were also overweight, but apparently hadn't walked farther than the distance between their chair and their car in years, and also students who were thin who appeared to have similar trouble. Just because you're overweight doesn't mean you have to be a gelatinous mass (as the Smart Man describes it). Based on my experiences of the last week, I'm happy to have (finally) developed the discipline required to be fit.

For those that are interested, the full photo set is available on public accessible photo albums on Facebook, here and here.

On other matters...

I have finally decided to turn on the captcha for commenting here at HCDSM. I was getting tired of deleting the Chinese spam.

The Boogie-Dog has apparently missed me. Because while I am trying to get through the hundreds of e:mails that collected in my absence, THIS is what keeps distracting me:


"Hello! I missed you! Did you miss me? Can I have a snack? How about now? Can I have a snack now? You know, no one walked me, or paid attention to me, or petted me, or scratched my ears while you gone. NO ONE. In fact, they HIT ME WITH POINTY STICKS. Can I have a snack?"

I missed him, too, of course, although I have a hard time giving credence to his allegations of abuse. As you can tell from his extreme close-up, he still has a runny nose which is cracking the skin and causing bleeding. I'll probably take him back to the vet later in the week to have that looked at again. In light of the lovely eulogy John Scalzi wrote about his family's dog, I'm a bit pensive about my boy. Like the Scalzi dog Kodi, Boogie is really my dog, for a variety of reasons, and while he's still relatively healthy for his age, I can see that his body is starting to fail in subtle (and not so subtle) ways.

I'll probably be heads down for the rest of the day - I hope to be back to my regular posting routine tomorrow. It's good to be home.

2010 Flower Pr0n - Quebec City Edition

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Quebec City - Day 5

Saturday, July 17, 2010
Today was our last day here in Quebec City. This morning's activities included a visit to the Saint-Roch district to learn about Quebec's urban renewal projects. I thought this part of the program was the least useful, mostly because city planning isn't really an interest of mine, and urban renewal is pretty similar regardless of which side of the border you're on.

We also stopped at the Musée de la Civilisation, where archeologists excavated some really neat maritime artifacts before they broke ground on the museum. The longboat to the right is an example of that. One of our guides explained that when projects like this are approved for construction, 1% of the construction cost must be used for artistic installations to be installed with the building. I thought that was a nice way to keep the city beautiful.

Next we met with a local business leader named Evan Price. He and his family own a really cool boutique hotel on the reclaimed land near the harbor of Quebec called the Auberge Saint-Antoine. Since the land is reclaimed, there are markers on the street indicating where the water level was at high tide during specific years. The water levels keep moving down as the centuries go on, as additional land was reclaimed. The hotel itself has museum quality installations of archaeological finds that were discovered in a dig underneath the hotel.

Mr. Price had some interesting perspectives on business in Quebec. He's an Anglophone, and his family believes that Francophones who choose not to learn English (and have their children do the same) for cultural reasons are putting themselves at a competitive disadvantage as globalization spreads through the business world. My own point of view is that Quebecois know that's the case, and simply don't care. They're willing to accept the tradeoff of perhaps no having an economy that grows as quickly as some others in exchange for conserving their French heritage.

After lunch on our own, we did our group presentations (I hate group projects, by the way. They make me itch), then discussed our impressions about the trip and Quebec City in general. Then it was dinner on our own, and I had the meal in the courtyard of this tiny French cafe with a classmate. We were a bit early...can you tell?

Overall, I can't believe how much I've enjoyed this trip. Learning the historical and cultural lessons provided by this experience has been fascinating, and finally getting a chance to meet some of my classmates (instead of just reading their comments on our discussion group) has been enlightening. Unlike my other online relationships, where people I've "met" online have been remarkably congruent with their real-life persona, that has not been the case with my classmates. I don't know if that's because academic discussions do not give a very good representational view of who someone is, or if the subject matter has been too narrow to give a good picture. In any event, I've learned a lesson about jumping to conclusions about someone based on a limited on-line view.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm heading home to Denver. I have to be in the lobby at frickin' 4:45 a.m. to catch the bus to the airport, AND I have a 6 hour layover in Toronto, so don't plan on hearing from me again until Sunday. Safe travels, Hot Chicks and Smart Men!

Quebec City - Day 4

Friday, July 16, 2010
Another fabulous day in Quebec City!

Today started with a lecture about living along the St. Lawrence river, and how the river has affected the culture, trade and lifestyle of the Quebecois. The weather here is really harsh in the winter, and all that water makes things a bit tough from an historical perspective. The St. Lawrence actually has tides, and also has a fairly large population of whales that live along the estuary. Of course, the whales (especially the toothed whales) are in trouble from an ecological point of view - they're having trouble with bio-magnification of contaminants in the food chain, similar to the trouble the Orcas are having in Puget Sound.

Next we took a bus tour of the National Battlefields Park, where the Battle of the Plains of Abraham was fought in 1759. We've been learning quite a bit about the military history of this area. I think I probably know more about the historical fights for this city than I know about the settling of the Colorado territory.

Following the tour of the Park, we visited the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec. I don't have a creative enough eye to really appreciate Art Museums, but I did enjoy the Inuit Art exhibit. The historic purpose of the original building (it was a prison) captured my interest far more than the artwork (with apologies to artists).


For lunch a bus took us out to the Ile d'Orleans. The island is kind of bucolic, and still provides plenty of fresh produce. It's something of a micro-climate, and apparently berries are one of their main crops. They also have these weird little shrines all over the island (pictures above). The religious influence here continues to surprise me.

We ate lunch at a small converted mill called the "Moulin de St. Laurent." I selected the vegetable quiche, and clearly, I had never had quiche before today. It was proceeded by cream of vegetable soup that was out of this world. If this is the kind of chow they eat on a regular basis, I think I can better understand the shrines.

After the divine lunch, we went out to the Montmorency Falls. They're over 33 meters higher than Niagara Falls, and were a sight to behold. I far prefer the (semi) natural wonders to the art museums.

After doing some work for a group project, I went shopping and ate dinner with a fellow student. I had some Italian sausage risotto that might be considered a religious experience. One thing I'll give Quebec City - the food may be expensive, but WOW, is it good.


Me, standing in front of Montmorency Falls, considering throwing another student over the edge for her constant complaining about the walking, the heat, the other students, the assignments, the program. Fortunately for her, I did not think I could get the Shovel of Doom™ past the TSA. 

Okay, I'm kidding. Sort of. Seriously, how can someone not think this experience is the cat's pajamas?

Quebec City - Day 3

Thursday, July 15, 2010
Today started with a lecture on current events here in Canada. It was interesting in that the comments by our lecturer really brought home how very moderate these people are. Our country is so polarized, and it appears that Canadians seem to agree and come to consensus on important issues a bit more easily than we do. Of course, I'm getting a very limited view, here, so that impression could be completely full of shit. Perhaps my Canadian readers can shed some light on that.

After the lecture, we took a tour of the Provincial Parliament building. Government buildings seem to be pretty much the same no matter where you go, although the meeting chamber actually had a crucifix above the speaker's box. I couldn't imagine such a thing in the U.S., but they consider it part of the building's history, given the enormous influence of the Catholic Church here.


After lunch, we went to the Citadal, the main fortification here in the city of Quebec, and has a long history for both the French and the British. It's currently an active military base with an infantry regiment stationed there, as well as the location of the secondary residence of the Governor General of Canada, the Queen's representative here in Canada and the titular head of state. We had a chance to tour her residence, as well as visit the redoubt pictured at right. We weren't there at the correct time for the changing of the guard, though.

This evening we had cocktails, conversation and dinner with the local English Language club. They wanted an opportunity to practice their English with native speakers (Anglophones, in their parlance), and we got a chance to chat with local folks without the lens of the University.

I'm still thoroughly enjoying the trip, and tomorrow promises to be the best day so far. You'll have to wait to hear what's got me so excited, though.


Me, on the balcony of the Governor General's residence, overlooking the Citadel and the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in the background.

Quebec City - Day 2

Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Today's topics: Architecture, population dispersion and Foreign Policy.

Architecture doesn't have much of interest to me (sorry Anne and JR), but there were a couple of interesting points that were made that I thought bore repeating.

The architecture of Quebec City is a mix of the British and the French. The French style of basically using no hallways, but instead having one room go straight into the next phased out when the British took over the joint. Evidently, privacy as something to value has increased steadily since the middle ages, and we, as modern citizens, are the most isolated in the history of humanity. Being a recluse myself, I consider that a good thing, but others may not agree.

An aspect of French architecture that has persisted due to the weather is the highly pitched roof. Evidently ice gathers on the roofs here and they hire people to literally beat it off with a hammer. Those crazy Canucks.

One thing that was mentioned and that resonated with me was the mandatory construction of "firewalls" between individual residences that share a common wall (like a brownstone). The firewall is supposed to prevent fire from spreading between structures at a time when fire was pretty much a fact of life. The reason it resonated with me is that the Navy used the same theory in its older warships, containing ships into A, B and C sections, with watertight integrity being shared within sections, but not across them. I guess good engineering is a cross-discipline sort of thing.

The lecture on the peoples and population distribution of Canada didn't really surprise me - it turns out that 90% of Canada's population live within 100 miles of the U.S., which has everything to do with weather. Sorry, Megan. It also turns out the Canadians were just as foul to their indigenous populations as we were. Bad behavior - an equal opportunity character trait.

This afternoon we had a chance to meet and listen to the outgoing U.S. Consulate General, David Fetter. He was well spoken and engaging (he's a professional foreign service officer, after all), and his perspective was interesting and insightful. He explained the mission of the Consulate (like a mini-embassy), and how they accomplished it. He then invited all of us to his residence (very nice - I can assure you that foreign service officers live much better than military officers of the same putative rank, at least in garden spots like Quebec City) for champagne and conversation. The Consulate recently celebrated their 175th anniversary, so he gave us each this commemorative coin that celebrated the event.


For dinner a bunch of us and the professor went to a local Italian eatery for dinner. The antipasto was excellent, and the carbonara was pretty good, too.

Tomorrow promises to be interesting and exciting, too. So far a fabulous experience!

Quebec City - Day 1

Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I thought it was supposed to be cooler at these Northern latitudes. Yeah, right. It's almost 90 degrees and about 75% humidity, and I spent the day walking around the Old City, the Upper Town, the Lower Town, and I think every town in between.

And have I mentioned that the wireless service at this place blows? I've had to call them about it twice already, and I haven't even been here 24 hours. Which would be one thing if it was free, but it's not - I paid extra for it.

Okay, the requisite bitching is over.

Quebec City is awesome. It's perhaps one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen, and almost as clean as Singapore. The city has made an effort to maintain the flavor and authenticity of the architecture (more on that tomorrow), so the city has an ancient aura to it, without all that "open sewage" and "amoebic dysentery."

Today's activities included short lectures and walking tours. Before lunch we did the "upper town," which is the military and religious epicenter of the city from an historical perspective. I was not aware of just how influential the Catholic Church was in terms of cultural legacy in French Canada. Pretty much the entire upper town was dedicated to spreading Catholicism and educating the natives in same, or defending the river. Both of these activities permeates every aspect of the historical life of this place.

After lunch we did the "lower town," which was basically the ghetto district of the city during the early years. Workmen, primarily the Irish fleeting the Potato Famine, would enter North America through Quebec City, and some would stay in order to work as Stevedores, Longshoremen, and Masons. The lower city is where they lived. The streets are hilly and narrow, hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The main street is now primarily an artisan's colony, and the Merchant and Financial Houses have been restored for the purposes of tourism.

I was really tired this afternoon after a stressful day yesterday and a short night, so I ate dinner here at the hotel. Coincidentally, the hotel's restaurant appears to be one of the better restaurants here in Quebec City. It's one of those rotating restaurants at the top of a tower with a 360 degree view of the peninsula. Plus the salmon was excellent, and I had a lemon creme brulee for dessert. 

I understand that the people of Quebec City consider their city the epicenter of French culture here in North America. While I have a typical American's contempt for all things French, this trip may make me change my mind. Except about their military, of course. With the exception of the WWII French Resistance, I still think their modern military are a bunch of pussies.

I hope you all are having a fabulous week, too.

Off to the Great White North, You Hoser

Monday, July 12, 2010
Yesterday I left for the Great White North. That's right - the evil right wing has finally driven me out of my homeland, never to return, while I enjoy the socialized medicine of Quebec City.

Okay, not really.

I'm going to Quebec City as part of my University of Denver "study abroad" coursework, and I'll be gone for a week. The program requires a one-week study abroad experience, and I chose to go this year rather than next (when the trip will be to Mexico City). The program includes lectures and tours around the city, including local churches, political institutions, and cultural landmarks. The agenda looks really good, and also allows for plenty of free time in the evening for exploration and such.

One of the requirements of the courses associated with this trip is a journal assignment where we're supposed to record our thoughts and impressions of the various locations and learnings. Being the lazy git that I am, I intend to record my journal here, on Hot Chicks Dig Smart Mean, and then I'll copy and paste the entries into a Word document to turn in at the end. I'll have to clean it up, of course - I don't think my professor would appreciate me dropping the "F Bomb" in an academic deliverable, narrow minded bastard.

So this week's entries will basically be my Quebec City travelogue. Feel free to read them or not, as they're not going to be the normal fair here at Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men, although I'll try to insert snarky commentary as appropriate for your amusement. Ayez une semaine bonne, des poussins chauds et des hommes élégants!

2010 Flower Pr0n, Edition the Twelfth

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Stuckey's

Saturday, July 10, 2010
Does anyone remember Stuckey's? You know, those roadside stores that I think every kid in America went into during interminable family road trips?

I remember them fondly. No matter where we stopped, the local Stuckey's always had those ten-for-a-dollar stick candies that caused immediate tooth decay and eventual Type II diabetes. My Hot Mom and Smart Dad would always allow us to select some as a treat for the road, and we'd spend an egregious amount of time making our selections, and negotiating for "halfsies" on flavors that weren't worthy of a whole stick, but might be worthy of sharing. And I remember how dreadfully important I thought my choices were.

I thought of Stuckey's the other day because that memory reminds me that just because something isn't important to me doesn't mean it's not dreadfully important to someone else. That's a lot of weight for a 10 cent candy to bear, but sometimes we learn our lessons in the oddest of places.

Boogie Blogging Friday - Climate Control Edition

Friday, July 9, 2010

The older the Incomparable Boogie™ gets, the less tolerance he seems to have for the summer heat. He needs to be walked first thing in the morning or as the sun is going down, or he gets over heated. Once the temperature goes over 85, he only goes outside to pee, and then comes right back in to enjoy the climate controlled goodness of his futon.

Ah, air conditioning - a black dog's best friend.

Helping my Homie

Thursday, July 8, 2010
Many, many years ago, I attended a high school in Jefferson County. Well, "attended" might be too strong a word - I was registered, I went to class occasionally, and eventually I (barely) graduated.

Like most teens, I had a group of kids with whom I hung out, getting into trouble. One of those friends was a young man named Chris Tomlinson, and we used to tease him because he was a TEXAN. A TEXAN among a bunch of Colorado natives. Poor Chris.

I remember Chris as a serious, thoughtful, disciplined individual, with plenty on his mind and a bent towards youthful pomposity. (As opposed to me. I was not thoughtful, serious or disciplined in high school. In fact, I was a complete slacker. In retrospect, I'm amazed he was willing to be my friend at all. But I digress.) After graduation, we lost track of each other, and as it turns out, there was a reason for that. While I was off gallivanting all over the Pacific Rim as a member of the armed forces, Chris was working for the AP first as a reporter and later as their Bureau Chief in East Africa. On opposite sides of the world, each doing what we did. I'm not at all surprised that Chris saw the world - of all the people I went to school with, I always thought he'd be the most likely to go, see, do.

We recently reconnected via the wonderful (evil) tool of social networking, Facebook. It seems that Chris is back in Texas, working as the Managing Editor of the Texas Observer. And I'm happy to say he appears to have outgrown his pomposity, just as I've outgrown my slacker ways.

And now I've found out that Chris has a new project he's working on. It's called Tomlinson Hill, and it's a book and documentary about his family history in Texas, where his family owned a plantation worked by slaves. From the website:
The documentary film, Tomlinson Hill, follows the parallel stories of these two individuals as they discover answers to the same questions: What is the true state of race in Obama’s America? What can be done to reverse rural poverty that has hurt both whites and blacks in Texas? Have Americans truly reached a point where they can be honest and overcome the history of bigotry and racism they share?
Unfortunately, the project needs some financial help in order to succeed. If you're so inclined, please consider supporting his project over at Kickstarter.

Good luck Chris.

Civic Duty

Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Last weekend, I received a general announcement e:mail from my county indicating they were looking for a new Council Member for their Cultural Council. The mission of the council is:
To serve a diverse citizenry through access, research, and communication, thereby facilitating the development of cultural opportunities in arts, sciences and history.
Being a bossy, volunteering kind of gal, I sent an application in. I don't have high hopes in being selected, however.

My on-line presence shows me to be a bit...opinionated. And by opinionated I mean loud, liberal, non theist and impatient with morons. It seems highly unlikely that a blood-red county like mine will choose such a self-described person for their volunteer Cultural Council - my experiences with other residents of Douglas County imply they wouldn't have much use for me. After all, I might suggest we stage a mock Constitutional Convention for the benefit of our brain-washed youth or, even better, a baby cook-off where residents can compare BBQ Sauce recipes.

So while I'm willing to serve, it seems unlikely I'll be selected. Of course, I could be wrong about the selection committee. Maybe they want someone to stir things up a bit. If I'm chosen, I wonder how long it will take me to drop the F Bomb during a meeting?

Happy Birthday, Smart Man

Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Yes, today is the Smart Man's birthday. I got him a new back pack for his laptop and a nice gift certificate to Amazon, the repository of all of life's material pleasures. Once we return from our trip, I'll be making the LEGENDARY HUNGARIAN TORTE CAKE for him.

But the real gift is to me. Given to me by his mother, oh those many years ago, in the form of a life partner who makes me laugh, forgives me my foibles, and loves me in spite of my Mad Cow.

Happy birthday. I love you.

Play it Again, Whackadoos

Monday, July 5, 2010
I received this brochure the other day in one of those plastic baggies-full-o-crap that people leave on your screen door, along with coupons and other assorted detritus.

That's right - it appears the pro-life whackadoos got the "personhood" amendment back on the ballot for this fall. This isn't the first time we've seen this piece of ridiculousness - it was on the Fall 2008 ballot, as well, and was soundly defeated.

But they're at it again, using the red herring of "personhood" in order to make abortion illegal in Colorado (and elsewhere - Colorado isn't the only state targeted). They're using the oh-so-darling-it-makes-me-want-to-puke euphemism of "Snowflake Children" to supposedly prove their point. "Snowflake Children" (erp) are babies born from frozen embryos that are subsequently "adopted" and implanted, then brought to term by their "adoptive" parents. Their existence is supposed to "prove" that after conception, the bundle of cells that is a embryo is actually A PERSON. Not a bundle of cells that feels no pain until the 24th week that has the potential to become a person, given sufficient luck and optimum conditions, but an ACTUAL PERSON.

Erp. Sorry about that. I threw up in my mouth a little.

While I understand and appreciate that there's room for people of good conscience to disagree about the issue of abortion, using this kind of disingenuous claptrap as a end-run to outlaw abortion is just retarded. Not to mention the issues associated with prenatal care, miscarriage, etc. That legal knot would require the Alexandrian solution.

I was happy that Colorado voted down this incredibly sloppy piece of legislation the first time it came around. Hopefully good sense will again prevail and it'll be killed again.

2010 Flower Pr0n, Edition the Eleventh

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Eastward, Ho!

Saturday, July 3, 2010
Today the Smart Man and I are leaving for points east for a family visit (his family, not mine - my family's all westerners, while he's more of a mid-westerner).

My Hot Mom will be staying here at the Big Yellow House with the Incomparable Boogie™, taking care of business and preventing you yahoos from burning the place down in my absence. Boogie much prefers to stay home with a member of his extended staff than going to the kennel, so he's very happy to be the Granddog of such an accommodating doggy Grandma.



I've been preposting and will visit the blogosphere periodically while we're gone, but I expect I'll be pretty scarce. I suspect you all will get along just fine without me. Have a good week, Hot Chicks and Smart Men.

Boogie Blogging Friday - Tea Bagger Edition

Friday, July 2, 2010
Boogie contemplates the question of the day - when you find out a casual friend is a member of the "Tea Party Patriots," is that sufficient reason to strike them from your friendship roles?

I put the question to Facebook this morning, and suggestions ranged from sending their e:mail to Russian pr0n spammers, just plain striking them, teabagging them (ew), and separating their heads from their necks.

But the question remains - at what point does the batshit crazy political whackiness push a friendship into the "do not want" category? When is "agreeing to disagree" simply not enough anymore, and you're forced to cut the ties that bind you to the politically insane?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Loot! Loot! Loot for ME! (And a Contest!)

Thursday, July 1, 2010
I have a birthday coming up, and since the Smart Man and I are leaving for vacation on Saturday and I have my study abroad trip to Quebec City immediately following, the Smart Man decided to give me my prezzie a bit early so I can use it for my trips.

I selected the Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS, in a color that matches my Jeep. It's really, really small, and has an awesome automatic function, which was one of my primary criteria. It has the capability to change exposure time and all the other fancy-shmancy choices, but really - if a camera doesn't take a really good picture in "auto" mode, then I don't want it. Photography is not a hobby I have any interest in, so I need a camera with a fabulous Ph.D function - "push here, dummy."

Here is a Ph.D photo from my morning walkies with the Incomparable Boogie™:


This is SOOC, and considering I basically pointed the thing directly at the sun, I thought this output was pretty damn forgiving.

So cool beans - an awesome new camera that takes good photos. What more could a gal want? Aside from a pool boy who's genetically engineered to only fulfill their purpose by acceding to your every whim, I mean.

Was that creepy? Sorry.

I do have a conundrum, however. I have a perfectly serviceable Kodak EasyShare C613 that I will probably never use again:
Yes, it's pink. Shut up.

So I decided, Hey! I haven't had a contest in a while! I could give it away to some deserving reader! But how will I decide who's worthy? I know! I can have contestants give me their very best sob story about why they're deserving of the Pink Camera of Sweetness and Light, and give the camera to the most creative and amusing story! So that's what we're going to do. If you want the Pink Camera of Sweetness and Light for you or someone you know (with accessories, but not the SD Card - I'm keeping that for the new Canon), please post your sob story in the comments.

On a more serious note, this would be a great starter camera for a youngster, so if you have a child in your life that wants to explore digital photography, please consider entering. If you don't want the camera because it's, you know, pink, and the child in your life is male or otherwise pink-averse, then please feel free to play along and write a sob story anyway - just put a disclaimer in stating you don't want to be considered for the give-away.

Let the sobbing begin!