A Little South of Sanity

Several days ago I received an email from my mom asking me what the Conficker Worm was, and if she should be worried about becoming infected. Considering that she and diddy lost quite a bit of data on their computer towards the end of last year due to several nasty virii on their computer, I can’t blame her for being concerned.

Truth is, up until I received her email, I had never heard of it, but since then, I’ve been doing some research to make sure that I’m protected, and also to make sure that mom and diddy shouldn’t have any problems come tomorrow- the ‘official’ day that the Conficker worm is set to ‘come to life’.

There isn’t much known about the worm, other than it exploits a security hole in Microsoft based systems. Rewards have been offered to those who can lead to the creators of the worm, but so far, the search is turning up nihl results.

If you’d like to read more about this virus, please visit Microsoft Website for information on risk factors, and also removal of the worm if you feel you could have possibly been infected.

You can also read more about it via this article on Fox News

I “borrowed” this title from a Fox News article which is based on the email supposedly based on research at Cambridge University.

The email, which has made the rounds for a while now (I know I’ve probably received it 10 or more times), is or at least similar to the one below:

“Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.”

The argument, (which says that the human mind doesn’t read a word letter-by-letter but instead word-by-word, and therefore preventing the spelling errors from hindering the reading of the sentences) which supports this ‘research’ actually does seem to make sense, with the key word there being ‘seem’.

I found the article very interesting. If you’d like to read ‘the rest of the story’ click on one of the above links.

In the meantime- Hpapy Mnoady.

Last week, I was walking to the train station and passed by a construction area where they were demolishing an old condo building, where new ones will be built in their place.   The wind was blowing, and when I approached the area, I saw that it was surrouned with what appeared to be police tape.    Instead, of “Police Line- Do Not Cross” it said  “Do Not Enter-  Asbestos Area”.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about asbestos, aside from the fact that it causes Mesothelioma, but I couldn’t help but wonder HOW MUCH of the stuff you have to inhale before having respiratory or other problems, or if the wind could carry particles in the air that people in the area could inhale, or that I could have inhaled by walking by at that time.

I felt a little unsettled about it, but then figured that surely if they added the tape around the area, that IF there was a danger to passers-by that they would warn them somehow, right?

I’m not really sure why, but this sign reminds me of The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy asks the scarecrow for directions, and he says “This way is nice” and points one direction, and then he changes direction and says “This way is also nice.”  In the movie the scarecrow is supposedly lacking a brain, and therefore unable to make any decisions.

Today is one of those days for me. Luckily, I don’t have any pressing decisions to make, but I have spent most of the day with that ‘scatterbrained’ feeling, and not really knowing whether to go this or that way.

Ever have that feeling? I hope in my case that it’s short lived.

I have a love for steel-cut oatmeal. In fact, in the winter, I eat it almost daily for breakfast. Not only is it good for you, it tastes good, and I just can’t seem to get enough.

The problem lies in the fact that I have a difficult (almost impossible) time finding it here, so I had a ‘stash’ of steel-cut oatmeal that ran out a week or so ago. Instead, I’ve been eating yogurt with a few almonds and Kellogs All-Bran, and while it’s good, it isn’t my steel-cut.

This week, I decided to bite the bullet, so to speak and buy some regular oatmeal and ‘see’ how it would be. I figured if I cooked it a little less than regular, that maybe, just maybe it would give me the same flavor as steel-cut.

Let me tell ya, that’s what I get for ‘figuring’, because it was NOTHING like my beloved steel-cut. It was mushy, and well, to put it blutly, GROSS. I’m convinced that rolled oats are for cookies and apple crisp, and not for eating in the traditional oatmeal sense.

I did finish it, but I won’t be making it again. I’ll grind it to powder and add it to cookies or something, or maybe try adding it as it is, but there is NO WAY I’m eating it the ‘regular’ way.

I’ve been spoiled to the steel-cut for sure, and now I’m reacting like a spoiled child, by saying I’m not going to eat it. I just don’t think I can (well obviously I can), but I am not sure that I want to, so I won’t.

My quest begins for steel-cut oats.

I remember when “Tupperware” and “Mary Kay” parties were all the rage, but apparently those are so ‘yesterday’s news’, and now the new trend in ‘hot’ parties are- Gold Parties!

You may be wondering, just as I was when I read it, exactly what on earth a Gold Party is, but you’ve come to the right place to find out. Remember, you heard it here first. haha

Here’s how the ‘party’ works. The hostess (or host) invites a few friends over, provides a few snacks, something to drink, and a gold appraiser, and your in business.

With gold prices being at almost a record high, many women (and probably men), are dragging out their old gold- from mismatched earrings, to out-of-fashion styles and bringing them to the ‘gold parties’ to sell their unused gold for cash. The appraiser usually walks away with a 10% cut on the profit, and people are walking away with sometimes hundreds of dollars worth of gold.

With today’s economy, people are cashing in.

I’ll admit that I do have some gold that I don’t use or wear, but I would rather turn it into a new piece of jewelry, than sell it. If I ‘needed’ the extra cash though, that would be a great way to do it.

If you’d like to read more about this interesting new trend, stop by their website, to read more. Crazy or smart? I say it could be a little of both.

Yeah-  T.G.I.F.  I’m excited that the weekend is here!   Marcel and I have quite a bit to do this weekend starting tomorrow night with his sisters 40th birthday bash.   I’m going in the morning to pick up a few little goodies to go along with her gift, to surprise her.  I hope she’ll like it, but I do believe she will.

I’ve been gone most of the day with Desere for lunch, and then a little shopping, so I haven’t had much time to get everything done that I was hoping, but there’s always tomorrow during the day, right?  Right.

Mom and diddy have been looking for what seems like years for a new bathroom fixtures, and I think they have finally decided to go with Moen faucets.   Of course, their darling daughter (that’s me), suggested that they go with this particular style months ago, and now they’ve finally come around to ‘seeing the light’.     I’m kidding about that part, but I did suggest it months ago.  I’m just happy that they’ll finally get it changed and the faucets will be nice in there.  I believe the ones that are in there are original from when the house was built in ’87, so it was time for a replacement.

Oooh, I almost forgot- I’ve got to share about the newest ‘rage’ in parties.  Forget Tupperware and Mary Kay, something new is all the rage.   I’ll make another entry about it.  It’s a pretty interesting, although a little crazy idea.

I just finished the best dinner-  baked salmon with honey/dill glaze-  and fresh, roasted mixed vegetables.  I haven’t had it in a while, and forgot just how much I love roasted vegetables..  Marcel will have the same when he gets home, but with some mashed potatoes left over from yesterday.

The great thing about being ‘home alone’ is that I can pretty much do what I want- and tonight that meant having dinner down on the ‘farm’ .  By ‘farm’, I mean my latest obsession, which is the Farmtown application on Facebook.

I’ve never been a fan of the Sims, but my friend Samantha invited me to play, and since then I’ve been hooked. (She’s to blame for this new found obsession).  I’ve enjoyed going up the level ranks,  growing my garden- tending my crops, planting new ones.   Oh, and lets not forget the animals and trees, and the ability to add barns, windmills and other goodies.

I’m almost to the final level (25), and I would imagine that it won’t be long after that, that I’ll decide to give up farming and find something else to do-  

Since I know you’re wondering – a photo of my current farm.   (I’m growing potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, wheat, rice, corn, coffee (Yes, it’s ILLY), and last but most certainly not least- Sunflowers (my favorite crop). 

It’s silly, but it’s mindless fun.

That’s me in the photo, chatting to my neighbor Barb.   Yes, we even get visitors down on the farm.   

I wonder why I suddenly have the urge to yell,  YEEEE HAWWW?

The only thing crazy happening around here at the moment is the weather, and it’s INSANE!!  

Just today we’ve had high winds (close to hurricane force gusts),  heavy rain, hail, and oh, lets not forget SUNSHINE!!  

Today has been a rinse-rather-and -repeat of yesterday.   This is one trend that I’m really tired of seeing.    I’m ready for a little warmer weather, and a whole lot more sunshine.   How about you??

Forgive the quick entry, but dinner is cooking and I really don’t want my potatoes to boil over.  What a mess that would be to clean up.

Marcel and I just finished dinner and dishes a bit ago, and as per usual, Mister M. had his place at the table in the chair beside me. Before you shake your head and start saying ‘she’s one of those‘ , I have to say that it started a while back when Mister M. would cry when we would sit down for dinner. One day, I pulled out the chair beside mine, tapped it and he hopped right up beside me. Immediately Marcel protested, saying that he was going to get on the table or try to get into our food. Instead, he curled up in the chair and took a ‘cat’ nap. Since then, it’s become our dinner ritual, and if we forget- oooh we really hear about it from the great spoiled one.

Today, Mister M. was sitting in the chair, and when we finished he was eyeing the container of herbed butter that Marcel had put on his bread with dinner. I gave him a taste (which was the eqivalent to the head of a pin), and he did look as though he wanted more.

I told Marcel that if we got up and left him alone with the herbed butter that he wouldn’t eat it. Marcel said in no uncertain terms, that I was nuts. (That’s beside the point-)

So that’s how the temptation began. I put the butter about 4 inches from the edge of the table- well within Mister M.’s reach- told him NO, then walked away. Marcel and I watched from the kitchen in suspense. At first, he didn’t even look at the butter, then eventually I could literally see him licking his lips, and sniffing the air, and thinking about diving in- but in the course of about 3 minutes he never touched it, never set one paw on the table. I was so proud!

Marcel said I was cruel- and I just wanted to see if he understood the boundries that I’d set in the past of him NOT getting on the table, and it worked. He was rewarded not with one kitty treat, but two.

That’s my boy.