the vedda

I'm watching Les Stroud's new show and he's hanging out with the Vedda in Sri Lanka-- and guys? They settled the island 10,000 years before Ancient Egypt. They were still in the stone age when the Portuguese arrived. They were still living in caves and mostly stone-age until 1986.

Let me say that again.

Nineteen Eighty Six. When I was old enough to remember things and know about the world because I was old enough to read National Geographic. When Les Stroud was, like, a teenager. When the people who are teaching him how to make slingshots and how to hunt were grown men.

Stone-age. Cave men.

I'm so blown away. How did I manage to get a degree in Anthropology (well, a minor) and not know about these people?

i'm BACK in the saddle AGAINNNNN

Heh. AC/DC.

Last week was kind of a life-plan fail, but it was better than the week before, so I'm taking that to mean that I can get back on track properly this week. I managed to wake up before noon and got my daily writing in, so I think I'm already off to a good start. I didn't get my articles done this morning, though, so maybe I'll have to do that tonight, after my second crit.

I've also fallen behind on organizing my weekly paperwork. And the printer's down, so that hasn't been happening, though I have been hand-drawing daily dockets and stuff, which are much more flexible than something like an hourly schedule.

I've been looking at places to find writing jobs. So far, no real luck on one I can do from home without previous publishing experience, but I'll keep looking. The dayjob is sort of killing me. I'm not exactly in a hurry, but when H gets back from China, he'll be looking for work as a translator, and I'd like to be able to have a new in-the-field-i-paid-so-much-for job, too, around that time. I'm about half way through my five-years-to-a-new-life plan, and I want to get moving. School was a big step. A good editing or writing job will be another... although, if I have to move to New York or Chicago to find one, it'll have to wait another year or so for H to finish his degree-- and then we might be moving somewhere else anyway.

The house is a mess, since there's been so much moving in and out lately. I haven't been able to set up a work station, and there are once again boxes everywhere. ::sigh:: I feel like we're never going to get past this part of our lives. If I have to be a permanent Gypsy, I want to at least get to live in a caravan! Since I see no vardo for me in the front yard, I'm working under the assumption I get to settle down.*

I feel less cagey about the idea of a boy. I don't know why I got so scared about the whole situation, or why I still am, but the idea is more comfortable now. I'm seeing him again tomorrow.

Personal anxiety has been better. I dosed myself with all the herbs and vitamins I had on hand, and I'm planning an order to the herbshop I like online, so I can make the anti-freak-out tea in bulk. I'm low on various other herbs anyway.

I want to get back to crafting, which means I need to make more time in the day, which means I need to figure out why I'm sleeping so much and fix that-- I usually sleep about six or seven hours a night; lately I've been sleeping ten or eleven, and it's eating up the little bits of free time I have in the mornings.

But I'm getting back on track. And I'm still under 145bs.



*If not a vardo, then one of those Golden Age of Trains luxury cars. I wonder if they can be retrofitted to work on roads? Or if a bus of some sort could be designed to look like on inside?

Online Degrees & Certificates in Intelligence at American Military University

Online Degrees & Certificates in Intelligence at American Military University

I wonder a) if this is any good and if it would help me get a decent job anywhere, b) if this is really how our intelligence personnel are trained, and c) if that's as scary as it seems, if this is how they're trained. Do I really want CIA reps who did all their education through online courses? On the other hand, that's totally how I'm getting my MFA, so who am I to talk? On the other other hand, I'm writing books, while they're (at least ostensibly) handling national security.

Hmm.

Why am I still awake?

I should have been in bed two and a half hours ago, but I have this horrible pain in my face. I can't decide whether it's a sinus infection or a headcold, but I know it's hurty and it's not fun. And now I'm not sleeping when I should be.

But at least I'm getting reading done.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Moederfiets or Motherbike : TreeHugger

The Moederfiets or Motherbike : TreeHugger: "Couldn’t resist this very endearing photo by Bala Nallama. Particularly as last night, when walking through a shopping centre carpark I spied a pair of LCD screens light up in the back of a hulking great 4WD. The Motherbike is a brightly shining beacon in the gloom of such parent-child ‘disconnect’. Okay, it’ll work best in European cities, like those found in the Netherlands, from where it originates. But that’s the whole point - designing cities for people to live in, rather than pandering to the needs of lumbering machines. Rant over, back to the bike: The ‘Filiduo’ model seen here is crafted to transport two kids (9 months to 5 years) on the back, and the groceries on the front. It sports three gears, hub brakes and a chain guard. Euro 1,145. Via the fun bike blog of cleverchimp."

I can't get over how awesome this is. I need to move to a bike-friendly city before my (still unborn) kids are big enough for their own bikes so I can get this bike-- one for me and one for whoever fills the role of hubby or hubby-like.

Thank God global warming is a hoax

Thank God global warming is a hoax: "Here is your big lesson: Do not listen to people who actually know things. Only listen to people who react, negatively and whiningly, to people who actually know things. It's the American way."

link: Interactive Infographic of the World's Best Countries - Newsweek

Interactive Infographic of the World's Best Countries - Newsweek

The US isn't in the top ten of the best places to live, but all of Scandinavia is; maybe we should ask them to come over and tell us how to make a better country? We've got this whole 'place where everyone goes for a better life' thing going on, and we can't break the top ten?

the best things i found today: tuesday, august 3 2010

The Indie Fixx has a new Google Group for the PenPal Project to get everyone in one place at one time, and it's lovely.

The Letter Writer's Alliance is a brilliant group that offers a gorgeous shop, free stationary downloads, and exclusive funness for only three dollars, plus you get a badge and a card. It's snailmail fabulousness right from the start: your member ID is on the back of the card, and they don't tell you what it is-- you have to wait and see!

There's this UK art project where graduating students make lovely advice posters to be given to the incoming students. It would be brilliant if my school did this, too!

Everyday Minerals has a new pink lippie and a wonderful purple eyecolor that gives money to an art fund.

PostCrossing - a postcard-writing project for people all over the world!