my share

I have always been an avid recycler. I don't buy non-reusable plates and cutlery. I go shopping with my own bags and I reuse all the plastic bags I can from food wraps. For health reasons also I don't buy much of the ready made foods and ... you get the feeling.

A little while back I decided that I would start buying more in season fruits and vegetables and I would try to buy locally. My resolution is BC-grown as the first priority and then if I am really stuck for something California-grown. Nothing from Florida, Mexico or anywhere farther than California. Surprisingly it hasn't been that difficult, although there is still room for improvement. Lucky for me British Columbia grows a wide variety of fruits and veggies ...

a test

Theory of mind is an awkward name for the human ability to perceive oneself and others as thinking but separate individuals. It is not an ability evident from birth, but rather develops around age four.

A classic way to test whether a child has developed theory of mind is also a good way to demonstrate its meaning. In the test, a researcher empties candies out of a box of, say, Smarties, and replaces them with a pencil, then hands the box to a child who hasn't observed the switch.

The child opens the box expecting to find sweets and finds the writing implement instead.

The child is then asked to give the box to another unsuspecting youngster. A child who can exercise theory of mind would probably giggle, understanding that the other child is in for a surprise. But younger children would expect another toddler to think that the candy box would contain a pencil - because they aren't yet able to understand other individuals haven't shared their experiences.

- source

disgrace

It seems like there are no boundaries with these people, they will sell anything for money!

decision

I flipped the page and totally unrelated to anything else on the page it read: The heart is wiser than the intellect. I was just not going to argue; it was the answer, I went ahead and did it ...

he's a genius

I asked her to stay but she wouldn't listen
She left before I had the chance to say
Oh
The words that would mend the things that were broken
But now it's far too late, she's gone away

Every night you cry yourself to sleep
Thinking: "Why does this happen to me?
Why does every moment have to be so hard?"
Hard to believe that
It's not over tonight
Just give me one more chance to make it right
I may not make it through the night
I won't go home without you

The taste of her breath, I'll never get over
The noises that she made kept me awake
Oh
The weight of things that remain unspoken
Built up so much it crushed us everyday

- Won't go home without you, Maroon 5

guilty pleasure

I have to confess something. Last week I bought myself a pair of taupe high heels and I haven't had the opportunity to wear them since. So every afternoon, just like a kid, I run to my shoes and put them on; I walk around the house for a while with them and admire how nice it feels. I put them back in the box neatly and then into the closet they go ... and I giggle ... I haven't been so excited about anything for so long! The feeling is like Christmas morning when we were kids ...

diskette

... think of it, we will have to explain to our kids why the save sign on so many applications is a floppy disk because they would probably never have seen one. It'll be even more ancient as the 8" was to us!

location, location, location

I had a friend with whom I would sit and chat about work. We would come up with good ideas and then I'd go off and find the solutions that fit. Many times it would be a leap in completing whatever I was working on; and although we didn't talk very frequently, he was exactly the brainstorming I needed to get me out of a rut. Now he's graduated and although I am sure he'd be happy to answer an email, it'll never be the same in bringing out those great ideas. So here I am, stuck in a rut, thinking and thinking the hours away ...

wake UP call

I didn't get to go to the Maroon 5 concert because I had already made a commitment. That night didn't go as smoothly as planned either ... and I have sort of regretted not going since, they are one of the few singers around I really like!

I didn’t hear what you were saying
I live on raw emotion baby
I answer questions never maybe
And I’m not kind if you betray me
So who the hell are you to say we
Never would have made it babe

If you needed love
Well then ask for love
Could have given love
Now I’m taking love
And it’s not my fault
Cause you both deserve
What is coming now
So don’t say a word

- Maroon Five

serving size

I had noticed the thiner bread slices in breads that claim to have fewer calories per slice but I hadn't thought of serving size reduction, to below a threshold that can be claimed zero, as a general "cheat method" in advertising. Look at this: Coffee creamers, for example, may contain 30% or 40% fat, but by defining the serving size as one teaspoon, the manufacturer may claim that one serving has zero fat, even though one teaspoon may not be a sufficient amount to whiten a cup of coffee.

new expression

a life

Today I talked a lot about the man who died of a taser in Vancouver International Airport; it was the day the video tape was released to the public. It's an extremely sad incident, one which in the eyes of many could have been prevented ... what have we become? why is violence the only language we speak? ... Whoopi said it well today when she was talking about security checks in the airport, we should first identify what we are looking for ...

the sound of music

The von Trapp family was known in Europe for their exceptional singing talents. Now the real grandchildren of Capitan von Trapp (not the kids in the movie) are touring North America. Hmm, maybe this is what I need to set the mood for Christmas ...

where would you live?

... yes, you guessed it; it's a house in the shape of a toilet. The building is named Haewoojae, or a place to solve one's worries, an expression I am sure many would agree with. You can find more details here.

Tokyo Motor Show

Introducing the Nissan Pivo 2.
The wheels turn 90 degrees and the cab can turn 360, COOOL!

more me

Have you ever met someone and thought you were meeting yourself? It's not as pleasant as one would imagine. It creeps me out sometimes so I keep a safe distance. Wouldn't want to get too close to the me who can wear whatever it desires and go wherever it wants.

passions

My flamenco teacher told me that I dance much better while I am talking. I would attribute that to many things, but most of all the fact that my body is smarter than my brain!
I can dance two full sevillanas (verses) and I am hoping to pick up at least one more before the year end. It has been one of the best experiences I have had and with only 3 of us in the class it's practically private lessons!

yang

pampered

I don't know why, but in the past 10 days I have been making myself pancakes for breakfast and buying myself treats. Can it be some stress relief hype? What is it will the pancake fiesta thought?