living as an embodied spirit in a concupiscible world

Monday, March 31, 2014

In Which I Makes Lots of "Coffee"

It took me three attempts this morning to make a cup of coffee.  In the Keurig machine in the office.  Yes.  In a Keurig machine.  In case you are wondering how one might possibly mess up a cup of coffee using a Keurig brewer, I can tell you two ways:

Friday, March 28, 2014

Seven Interactive Short Stories

Well, only four of them are interactive.
But that's still a high percentage.


I am on a medication that makes me a little groggy when I first take it, so thoughts are not exactly free flowing right now.  Well, actually, they are, but they are way too deep and personal to become seven short stories, and I am having a hard time switching modes.  The Captain called this medication midi-chlorians, which apparently give one The Force.  I loved this idea, but he then ruined it by telling me that Star Wars fans don’t like midi-chlorians.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

The Oxford Comma: Old News

This is definitely dated, but I am in the mood for something light.

A defense of the Oxford comma:

Probably the best defense I've seen.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Cultural Diversity and Economic Fairness

There’s this experiment that social scientists do.  It’s a variation of the prisoners’ dilemma.  There are two people involved.  One is given a sum of money.  He then chooses a percentage to share with his partner.  His partner can accept the percentage, and they both go away with money.  Or his partner can reject the split, and they both go home empty handed.

Apparently (all my citations come from the article I am about to link),

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Day-Maker #87 and NUNS!

I saw this going around Facebook and didn’t watch it until LB sent it to me, titled, “A Day-Maker for You.” Watching the Sister’s Sisters and the faces of people reacting to nuns did make my day (although I wish I could understand the Italian):


And between that performance and this story here

Friday, March 21, 2014

Belated Pi and Other Short Stories



I missed my short story session last week and for this I apologize.  I had long stressful days at work due to a series of Very Important Meetings.  Even if I had time to write, I would not have been able to put words together to communicate more complex ideas than the one post I did manage.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Day-Maker #86

Spring weather for the first day of spring!

Also, the Google doodle for the occasion.  (I will update this with a link if I can find it, once you can no longer see the Google doodle from their homepage.)

Update 3/21/2014:

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

The Guarantees God Gives Us

So this article (this link is to the original, not the more popularly viewed version) crossed my radar a few weeks ago and I decided to let it go, because, well, you just have to let some go. And then it was “re-printed” (link to the one that is more viewed), and now I have an excuse not to let it go.

The author, Emma, writes about two coworkers discussing divorce springing from infidelity.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Day-Maker #85

A young lady sitting behind me on the Metro tapped my shoulder.  "Oh, I was just gonna show you the rainbow," she said as the train passed by concrete sound barriers.  Then the blue and grey sky broke forth and I saw the brilliant rainbow!

And this was right after I had found Noah's ark.



Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Photoshopping Beauty

This week has been (and will continue to be) very busy; hence the silence.  However, I will give you this video to keep you entertained in my absence.  It is photoshop at its finest.  Ten bucks says you can't guess how it ends:


Friday, March 7, 2014

Short Stories from a Quick Week



I am slightly amazed by how quickly this week has gone by. Having a snow day helped. I am constitutionally suited for four-day work weeks and six hour work days. The two-hour delay was magnificent. The Captain and I used the extra morning time to hash out all the issues involved in the Boy Scout’s stance on homosexuality and women in combat situation. During these discussions I realized the immense temptation of the ad hominem (quite literally) argument. I kept wanting to protest, “But you don’t get it! Everything about you says PRIVILEGE!”

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

In Which Lent Might Be Boring

Welcome to Lent, friends.  If you are anything like me (and I pray you are not), Lent still managed to sneak up on you, in spite of its coming so late, and, in spite of all your best intentions, you still feel caught off guard.

If you have a perfect Lenten game plan -- if the Holy Spirit has guided you to the discipline He wants from you -- this post is not for you.  Maybe save it for next year, when Lent comes early and might catch you by surprise.  If you are thinking, "Oh DANGIT" (because you gave up swearing last Lent and it stuck) "it's Lent and I don't know what I'm giving up/taking up/HOWDOIKNOWWHATTODO?!?!?!"...

Monday, March 3, 2014

The Art of Flirtation

Today northern Virginia and DC have shut down again due to snow, and in honor of the snow day, I am going to keep it light.

The Art of Manliness recently posted 19th century acquaintance cards, or, as I call them in my head, "Flirtation Cards."  Look at this example here and then go read the whole thing there.

This is one of the more amusing and less forward of the bunch.

I find these amusing; Emily finds them creepy.  I have to admit, I would find being given one of these a turn-off (although it would have helped with my perpetual inability to recognize male interest in me), but I definitely laughed while reading them.

If you want something less on the light side, you can enter into our deeper debate: Art of Manliness -- decent resource for men or promoter of problematic gender stereotypes?