world's stinkiest flower

this is so strange. looking kinda like a fungus, it smells like rotting flesh (yuck!), and it's also considered world's largest flower

as my sister would say, "eww, weird!"



more pictures of this flower
Wikipedia article

it's ok to miss the bed on the first jump

I'm taking a stab at watching Good Morning America online, so as not to interrupt the beauty sleep of my sister, who's visiting me in my hotel of residence, but didn't get in until 12:30 last night (and of course we had to visit before going to bed!).

So, anyway, I just watched a GMA clip on this book, "It's OK to Miss the Bed on the First Jump". The author is one of today's recognized funny TV guys, and the book seems like it's real sweet. Hint: it's about dogs.

how cluttered are you?

Ran into this when reading the newspaper. This time of year the media talks and gives advice about decluttering. With interest in resolutions, decluttering becomes a popular focus. At our house we tend to tackle something regarding clutter that's been annoying us for some time. Last year we reorganized our home office.

Well, along with articles and thoughts on decluttering, we tend to get reminded of the uncle who stacked years and years of newspapers through his house. Or some other packrat story.

Here is a link to an actual rating for clutteredness. It seems to apply to general household slovenliness, and categorizes household filth in with clutter. Makes sense to me. I felt good that we don't get past "1", but could think of places that hit "2", unfortunately. But it had never occurred to me before that there could be ratings on such things. Learn something new every day.

Florida is for visitors

I'm getting my first visitor! And I don't have a residence yet! Isn't that cool?

I'm still living in a hotel. My sister's going to Orlando for a conference and will be visiting me for a day before. Here are the things we're considering doing:

• kayaking at the zoo
• watching a big surfing competition

I grew up in Maryland. As a child I knew the nicknames for Maryland (Maryland is for Crabs) and Virginia (Virginia is for Lovers). Is New York (where I'm relocating from) "I Love New York"? Or is it the Empire State. I know South Carolina (where I went to college) is the Palmetto State. But I don't know if those nicknames are in the same class of nicknames as those I listed for MD and VA.

I know that Florida has several nicknames. Lightning Capital of the World. The name Florida stands for "flowers" (so the state name is a nickname in itself!). I think the official nickname is the Sunshine State.

Regardless, I think the nickname I've given it is the best one.

Drop Dead Gorgeous

another weird/funny site found by Yahoo!Picks. I think my favorite is the cotton candy tornado:

Drop Dead Gorgeous You think you've overindulged. At least you haven't succumbed to Slim-Fast, overdosed on M&M's, or been savaged by a flock of banana peels (at least we hope not). We all have food issues around the holidays, but the subjects of Daniela Edburg's lavishly posed, color-saturated photographs have more troubles than most. Hosted by The Morning News, this slide show and accompanying interview revels in the glamorous hedonism—and tragic consequences—of what happens when women's relationship to food is amped up one thousand percent. Pursued by cotton candy, smothered in Saran Wrap, betrayed by Live Savers, each vignette is beautiful and sly. Wander through the Mexican photographer's work now. Eye the Nutella and Gummi Bears later. (in Photographers)

my FL blog links

since my Florida blog entries have gotten lost in the "blog shuffle", here they are. I'm still referencing them regularly:

• Melbourne, FL
• thinking of relocating?

google earth

Just before (I think) the map search engines started including satellite pictures in their sites, Google Earth came out. You have to download an engine to run it. (and remember: double-clicking on the plus or minus sign zooms in or out as long as you don't click again, so it can be frustrating if you're not sure what the heck it is doing)

Anyway, I was just prompted to reload the engine yesterday (I'd loaded it when it was new, but the hard drive died and I had to get a new one, etc, etc) when Wikipedia showed me that it has a Google Earth link for a town that I was curious to know about (actually, curious to know if there was any more info that I didn't already know about it - it's a small place).

Well, as coincidences show, there is an interesting article I just found today. It talks about how scientific research is being doing on Google Earth. Pretty cool.

Google Earth Embraced by Geologists

Episcopal Church split

I am a participant in the Episcopal church traditions and fellowship of my home church. Our church is "libaral", in that we support all that has happened in recent years with the Episcopal Church (gay bishop, female presiding bishop).

Here's the latest in the split. It's so unfortunate. I would agree that the congregations and dioceses that have chosen to move under African leadership are no longer Episcopalian, since they're abdicating one of the basic reasons that the Episcopal church started: self-governance. Now that they're willing to be governed by another nation, they're not observing that basic tenant. :-(

I'm Comet

found this on the blog of my friend, Barbara. Who'da known this would be me?

You Are Comet

A total daredevil, you're the reindeer with an edge! Why You're Naughty: You almost gave Santa a heart attack when you took him sky diving Why You're Nice: You always make sure the sleigh is going warp speed

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

bad public speakers

As should be obvious from looking at this blog, I love to read. So when I get the opportunity to see a writer whose works I've read, I am excited to hear, live, some of the sentiment that goes into the general soul of each of the writer's books.

I've seen a few writers who are very nice to see live. They have entertaining anecdotes, and, if they repeat something that's in a book, there's usually a new, refreshing twist on the material that causes the knowing reader to smile.

Oh, but I've seen some authors who were at risk for causing me to not want to read something of theirs again because I wasn't impressed at their "presence".

One author was supposedly a comedian. But I hadn't been real excited by his comedy. Then he wrote a book that I thought was very entertaining. Soon after that I got to see him as the keynote speaker for a conference I went to. I was reminded of why I hadn't been impressed by his comedy.

Well, this week I had a similar experience. I've been going to this local lecture series. I am so happy that my friend organized several of us to sit near each other. I hadn't even known about the lecture series and she brought it to my attention.

The speaker for this week was really not worth going to see in a "large audience" format. I liked his book, but he repeated most of it in the lecture, even reading approximately 10 pages at a time from it. Atop of that he was a very quiet, bedroom slippers, kind of personality. I really wished I could be at home laying on the couch (reading something, perhaps). I'm sure he would be nice to talk to 1:1, and there was a reception afterwards that I could have gone to, but I was just too darn sleepy.

Better luck next time. I'm told the lecture before this one, that I missed, was great.