:.roll.out.:

mixwit

2008-04-01T15:27:00.002-03:00

Cool site, but I got pretty frustrated with things not always working and gave up after only 5 songs. Also, how do I embed the image here? I don't just want a link...boo!

Still. Very cool.

april.fool by morgan.dunham

a rant about global warming

2008-03-27T13:01:00.003-03:00

Maybe it's just the weather getting to me, and maybe it's all the reading about dog training (rewarding the good behaviour and ignoring the bad), but I've been doing some thinking about this winter (who hasn't, right?).

Here in Riverview, we still can't see out the end of the driveway for the height of the snowbanks. Today it's about 0 degrees (probably -3 or something with the wind chill) and it's almost April. Last winter we had barely any snow and really only needed heavy coats for about a month. So of course, everyone was in deep conversation about global warming.

Now, nobody has anything to say about it! Right now in New Brunswick, we are discussing rising costs in heating, gas and bread flour. We're hearing reports from Quebec about roofs collapsing under the weight of the snow. We're slipping on the icy sidewalks and buying "grip" things to attach to our shoes. We're worried about pedestrians who have no sidewalks to use and who might walk past the ends of our driveways while we are trying to back out around the snowbanks.

Should we not be looking at this all and saying "let's re-evaluate this global warming thing"?? Are freezing temperatures the year after unseasonably warm temperatures normal when global warming is a problem? Maybe we are all just trying too hard to understand something bigger than us: Nature. The human race thinks it is too smart to not know what's going on with Nature.

But back to the dog training thing, shouldn't we look at this year's temperatures and weather patterns with as much of a critical eye as we did last year's? It's so easy to talk about something when we think it is wrong, but what about when it's not wrong? Although, honestly I (and everyone else I talk to besides Joel) have HAD IT with winter. Be gone! Bring me some sun and sand! Bring my driveway back...it's a skating rink right now! "All" I ask is a few days of above-zero weather.

uniforms.exactitudes

2008-02-19T11:07:00.004-04:00

I really enjoyed this article by one of my favourite bloggers, Tricia Royal

ratty

2008-02-06T17:44:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, my first foray into Chinese cooking (besides fried rice...although I will probably make that too). People born in the year of the rat are said to be leaders and conquerors, they are intelligent, versatile and charming. Although they do tend toward more negative traits such as controlling, vengeful and power-driven. Apparently, the Western zodiac equivalent is Sagittarius (my sign!).

share.the.love

2007-12-10T09:37:00.000-04:00

children see

2007-11-17T12:36:00.000-04:00

Seeing too many stupid people lately...I have been thinking this way a lot. Pretty hard to watch actually.

oniony bullshit

2007-10-29T09:29:00.000-03:00

Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters

via Awesome

people and their breakfasts

2007-10-18T10:46:00.000-03:00

An interesting photo project by John Huck. I love it. But I have to say it is too bad about the scrolling issues. I mean, having to scroll down just a teeny bit to see the whole frame. But I am enthralled by this project, I love it.

colour . like no other

2007-10-06T14:17:00.001-03:00

Awesome!!!

I've been waiting for this for a long time, since I heard they were going to be doing another Bravia commercial after the paint one and the bouncy ball one.

Sony Bravia Play Doh commercial

babies eating lemons

2007-10-06T12:28:00.000-03:00

via swissmiss

Double Pumpkin Muffins

2007-10-01T22:24:00.000-03:00

*note* I made these today without the streusel topping because I like a muffin to be more like bread and less like dessert. I also used all "best for bread" whole wheat flour and applesauce instead of butter (equal substitution amount). They are fabulous!

But here is the recipe as printed in Autumn 2007 Food&Drink, a magazine put out by the LCBO:

Streusel Topping
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. icing sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. green (raw) pumpkin seeds

Muffins
1/2 c. green (raw) pumpkin seeds
3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each ground nutmeg and all-spice
1 small or 1/2 large orange
1 egg
1 c. pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. butter, melted
Icing sugar for garnish, optional.

1. To make streusel, stir flour with icing sugar and baking powder. Stir in melted butter and vanilla until moist crumbs form. Set aside with pumpkin seeds.

2. To make muffins, preheat oven to 375F.

3. Coat 12 standard muffin tin cups liberally with nonstick spray or butter, including top of pan for easy release of large muffins. Spread 1/2 c. pumpkin seeds on a shiny baking tray; bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until a few seeds turn colour. Cool on a rack.

4. Meanwhile, stir flour with sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Make a well. Finely grate zest from orange and squeeze 1/4 c. juice. Lightly beat egg; stir in pumpkin puree, buttermilk, juice, vanilla and zest.

5. Stir pumpkin mixture and butter into flour until mostly moistened. Then stir in toasted pumpkin seeds until well mixed; divide batter among cups, heaping slightly in centre (batter completely fills cups). Sprinkle with raw pumpkin seeds; then liberally with streusel crumbs. Press seeds and crumbs gently into muffin tops.

6. Bake in centre of preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer (or linguine!!!!) inserted into muffin centre comes out clean and tops are lightly golden. Rest on cooling rack for 5 minutes; then lift each muffin out of pan onto rack. Cool completely; to serve, lightly sieve a spoonful of icing sugar over muffin tops, if desired.

Makes 12 large muffins.

**Morgan's Tips**
Other than my substitutions (apple sauce for butter, whole wheat for white flour, and I didn't measure the OJ, I just squeezed til it was gone) I did press green pumpkin seeds into the tops of these (it makes them so pretty!). I also doubled this recipe well and it makes LARGE muffins, that's for sure. I made 24 plus one in a mini loaf pan! I filled the cups to the top and heaped more than a "slight" amount. I think my oven is quite hot so these cooked fully in under 25 minutes (more like 22) so just watch them. These taste delicious warmed with some peanut butter!!!

pixelz.pins.phabric

2007-06-25T09:45:00.000-03:00

I just came across this awesome line of jewelry by Mike and Maaike. This would be great wedding jewelry I think! It's too funny.

I've been getting a crafty itch lately since most of my time is spent working or wedding planning, neither of which is very crafty. I did make a strawberry-rhubarb pie yesterday, which helped relieve this somewhat but I still need to make something un-edible.

So speaking of jewelry, I poked around a little on ReadyMade this morning and found a couple neat little projects.

"Do you ever find that you buy pins and buttons but never get around to wearing them? Try sewing this button-filled cuff bracelet to show them off."

"If you regularly sew or craft, you probably have a huge amount of remnant fabric and scraps lying around. Instead of throwing these away, why not turn them into a necklace?"

How Sag are you?

2007-06-19T18:06:00.001-03:00

***You are 87% Sagittarius***

How Sagittarius Are You?

Harry-est + One Sentence

2007-06-05T10:19:00.000-03:00

1. I can't even imagine what madness will consume the city of Falls Church, Virginia on July 21, 2007.
The Harry-est chart.

2. "I spent $130 and 4 hours getting ready for a party that I only spent a half hour at because my insecurities got the best of me."
One sentence.

read it and weep

2007-04-30T14:50:00.000-03:00

Sweet Canadian graffiti.

0_o

2007-04-07T13:54:00.000-03:00

Fantastic

2007-04-05T09:01:00.000-03:00

There are a few things in life I love: good food; good friends...criticizing popular culture, especially that which demeans and objectifies women; actually listening to the words in hip hop songs; canadian music and last but not least, parodies. I'd have to say this about sums it up:

among other things

2007-04-04T00:00:00.000-03:00

While browsing what is new at Fred Flare right now, I thought I would post the few hings that caught my eyeBALL. Just for fun, you know.

Awesome kitchy things, as always. The plate with seashell creatures belongs at a seafood party with beer and mussels and lobster and more beer. As for the earrings, I don't see a day where they wouldn't be appropriate. And the other thingies are travel toothbrush holders...something I don't have, something I'd like and in this case...aww, matching his and hers!!!

The Design Disease

2007-03-29T17:43:00.000-03:00

I know I have The Design Disease. I'm not afraid to admit it. It explains a lot. So much collecting, documenting, obsessing. I hope I can use this as an excuse...

muffins!

2007-03-22T21:41:00.000-03:00

I promised Rob I'd post my "world famous" banana muffin recipe on here. Trust me, everyone agrees that this is the best-ever recipe for these things. I know someone who had the recipe and lost it and after 5 years of not contacting me or my mom (because we moved away) called to get it again. Once you've had it you can't go back! And don't forget the water!!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
makes 2 dozen muffins

3 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp water
2 c. mashed bananas
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix together flour, salt and baking soda; set aside. Melt butter. Mix with sugar until blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add bananas, vanilla and water. Fold in flour and chocolate chips. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (sometimes more, just watch til they are golden).

Enjoy!!!

cinnamon.roll.out

2007-03-21T16:50:00.000-03:00

You guessed it.

Video edited all by Lin!!

19 commandments

2007-03-19T17:40:00.000-03:00

I was reading through swissmiss, a design blog I follow and saw she had posted about something called 19 Things NOT To Do When Designing a Web Site. Curious, I followed the link and found such a great resource I just had to share in case anyone reading my blog is a designer/designs things. Namely web sites, but anything really.

I know my true calling is to be a designer because bad design really makes me want to puke.

19 Things NOT To Do When Designing a Web Site gave me a little boost today because all the things he wrote about are things I believe as well. I feel pressured to be all "fancy" with designing (especially for the web) because there's so much "fanciness" out there. But I don't like it. I want things to be usable and good-looking, not over the top.

knitty and handmade wedding

2007-03-11T20:23:00.000-03:00

The Spring 2007 issue of Knitty is up and the cover pattern is crazy!!! It's Space Invaders socks!!! I need to make these. I have never made socks and I've never made anything that has a pattern but I think now is the time to start and this will be difficult but satisfying.

In other blog news, I am so excited for the next couple weeks on the design*sponge guest blog because

"rebecca from moontree is loading up her posts for next weeks new guest blog: the handmade wedding! for two weeks rebecca will transform the guest blog into a fantastic resource for all things "handmade" and "wedding". She'll be interviewing artisans, people who've done their weddings in a handmade style and sharing the best resources (and tips) for creating your own handmade special day...and lots of photos from fabulous handmade weddings."

This is especially exciting because since I got my perfect wedding dress and fabulous wedding band and went to Kentville this weekend and talked endlessly about our wedding, I am wedding-obsessed and wanting to get a move on with decorating/invitations/etc.

do they speak english in WHAT?

2007-03-08T09:53:00.000-04:00

So great and I'm seeing it everywhere. I just had to share!!

the tart that lived

2007-03-07T18:10:00.000-04:00

Although my preferences generally lie with morning pies, today I made an afternoon tart! I've been feeling very Amelie lately, as well as being inspired by a slew of cooking blogs I've discovered.

This recipe comes from my 2005 holiday issue of Vegetarian Times. It's a cranberry-pear tart *mmmm* with a sugar cookie crust and lattice! Think of the possiblities...I can't wait to try this out with different berry combinations! And although I don't think I can print the recipe here, the crust really is just a sugar cookie recipe!

howdy.howdy.howdy

2007-02-27T11:51:00.000-04:00

"I'm Woody! Howdyhowdyhowdy" I can't believe I found my favourite Toy Story scene on YouTube. Well, maybe I can believe it...

Well if you've been watching, there are two more linmore videos up...the wildly anticipated Q&A pt 2 and a nice wintery video response. You should watch them. Now.

That's all for the YouTube update. I'm going to post later on today about something else. That's right - stay tuned!

QandA

2007-02-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

You've got questions, we've got answers. Please comment with more questions!!

slow.down

2007-02-08T17:44:00.000-04:00

WOW. Slow-motion video gallery. I found this through Swissmiss,a blog I follow.

Especially check out the horses, water balloon and dog drinking water!! Ooh, and the EGG!

hearts

2007-01-28T23:54:00.000-04:00

I swear I will start posting more meaningful things. Wait, I'd like to rephrase that. Or get rid of it even. Because what is meaningful to me is different from what is meaningful to others.

I post to this blog when I feel inspired to. Art insires me. Design, cooking, jewelry inspire me. Photos and music and cascading style sheets inspire me. Eras inspire me. Discussion, expression, conversation and productivity inspire me.

My main bookmarks folders are blogs, knitting, hair, harry potter, ads, DIY, shopping, Halloween, wedding, Photoshop, design, recipes and candy.

I have the freedom to watch, listen to, look at, wish for, dream of, comment on, flip through and be overwhelmed by whatever I like. And push it out there through this pipeline of blogginess as much or as little as I want. Right now valentine's day marketing is inspiring me. PS every image is clickable - in case someone wants to buy me these things...or make them. HA!

welcome

2007-01-26T16:35:00.000-04:00

I know I'm a little late here but I still have to post a little congratulations (coz Ani definitely reads my blog...HA!). Posted to RBR on 01.22.07:

"ANI’S BUNDLE OF JOY ARRIVES…
We’re happy to report that Ani gave birth to a 7 pound, 8 ounce little girl, Petah Lucia, at her Buffalo home early Saturday morning, January 20. Mother and baby are both healthy and happy. Welcome to the world, Petah!"

none sing | neon sign

2007-01-26T13:58:00.000-04:00

"The true artist helps the world by revealing mystic truths"
- Bruce Nauman

A good article

new vids

2007-01-17T10:02:00.000-04:00

Time on your hands?

A little past seasonal...watch linmore's most recent installment:
Yule Tube!!

And some terrific tunage from Nouvelle Vague (I also love the video):
Dance With Me

o canada

2006-12-01T14:57:00.000-04:00

I've said it once and I'll say it again..."the things we find on YouTube..."

Buy Nothing.

2006-11-22T14:10:00.000-04:00

»Buy Nothing Day is coming up. Participate by not participating.

»New videos to check out:
my response to this
my video present to Lindsay

»Some music I've stumbled upon lately and like:
Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - listen to Skeleton Key
Joanna Newsom - a harp I like??
Kelis - the jury is still out but I like some of her songs...
and check out who she does collabs with: Cee-lo Green and will.i.am!

stupid! stupid!

2006-11-20T14:54:00.000-04:00

Geoff Berner. Live at Strike 2, Sackville, NB.

babies

2006-11-17T23:07:00.000-04:00

Anyone have a baby? Having a baby? Know a baby? Consider these or even these from Twisted Twees for a present!! I thought they were fabulous.

Also from the same site, pillow cases for the happy couple. And these are for babies but I know some grown-ups who could get some use out of them too (i.e. me).

for.xmas

2006-11-17T09:23:00.000-04:00

In case there are people out there thinking about xmas shopping already (I am) I thought I'd bring attention to something. I'm doing this because I'm positive that unless you have a deviantART account you do not know that it exists. Of course, I am talking about the dA store!!

There are so much different art - of all genres, mediums, sizes and items - available to buy, depending on what your budget may be. And you have the satisfaction of knowing that not only are you supporting an artist, you are supporting a whole community project!!

Art is a great gift to give and I just thought I'd bring some attention to a place many might not have looked. And on that note, my birthday is coming soon...

not like it was before

2006-11-09T11:03:00.000-04:00

I'm sure many of you have had your "life changed by Joel Plaskett". I know I have and I want the t-shirt. But today I was listening to one of my favourite songs by him and was just touched. It sums up a lot of what I've been feeling lately. So check it out, Absentminded Melody by Joel Plaskett:

It’s dusk as all the shadows fall
The sun is laid to rest
At night the city comes to life
As the light dies in the west
Here we stand as some local band
Sets circles ‘round the clock
Smoke so thick you need a lighthouse
So loud I can’t hear myself talk

Someone whispered in my ear
“It’s not like it was before”
I don’t know what happened here
I guess we just got bored
The good old days
Well I suppose, I’m glad they’re behind us now
The only thing worse than growing up
Is never quite learning how
Late at night we toss and we turn
Lay awake ‘til dawn
We close our eyes as the sun comes up we’re gone

video+template change

2006-11-03T00:02:00.000-04:00

What do you think? It is a work in progress...Speaking of works in progress, I have to convince a certain glamourous friend of mine to start a blog all about her new-soon acquisition! Woah was that even a sentence? Oh well, bask in the glamour, people:

spirit.night

2006-10-31T01:24:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone! It's my favourite day of the year. Dress up and enjoy it! And now, for a story...

There was an old woman who had no family still living. Her only friend was a little white dog who went everywhere with her - with one exception. The dog loved the fireplace in winter, and after the old woman went to bed he would sometimes go and lie in front of the warm coals. Usually though, the dog slept at the very edge of the bed on a throw rug.

The woman wouldn't allow the dog on the bed with her, but if she became frightened or had a nightmare, she would put her hand down to the little white dog and he would lick it reassuringly.

One night the woman was reading her newspaper just before going to sleep. She shivered and pulled the comforter up around her as she read that a mental patient had wandered off from a nearby hospital. No one knew if the patient was dangerous of not; he was a suspect in the murders of several women who had lived alone.

The woman turned out the lights and tried to sleep, but she was frightened, and tossed and turned fitfully. Finally, she reached down to where the little white dog slept. Sure enough, a warm, wet tongue began to lick her hand. The woman felt reassured and safe, and left her hand dangling off the bed as she turned and settled in comfortably. She opened her eyes for a moment and looked through the open door into the living room.

There in front of the fireplace, sat her little white dog, gazing at the coals and wagging his tail.

And down beside the bed, something was still licking her hand.

**Morgan**

why?whynot?

2006-10-26T21:49:00.000-03:00

I wish I could sculpt...this is just awesome!

contribute!

2006-10-26T12:13:00.000-03:00

I just contributed to an interesting project...have a look!

PS those are my feet. The one and only. Two and only.

the.ultimate

2006-10-24T15:34:00.000-03:00

My ULTIMATE Apple Store order would go something like this (keep in mind that if I actually was mega rich and bought all these things, I would be overwhelmed with a feeling of greed...also keep in mind that this list excludes presents, which would be included in an ULTIMATE order of course, but there is no time or space for that now)....so here goes:

iPods
1. Black 30GB video iPod
2. 4GB Product Red iPod nano
3. new iPod shuffle

computers
1. 15-inch MacBook Pro (with 3GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM) + iWork '06 & Final Cut Express
2. Mac Pro with:
--two 3.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon (s?)
--16GB memory (this option adds like 6000$!! holy crap)
--one or 2 or 3 extra hard drives
--30" Apple cinema display (that's right, suckas!)
--Bluetooth and Airport Extreme cards
--Apple keyboard (but not Mighty Mouse, I have one!!)
--iWork, Aperture and Final Cut Express HD preinstalled
(this total comes to almost 13'000 US$, FYI)

acessories
1. Airport Extreme base station

I think that's it for now, I don't want to overdo it ;o)

halloweeeeeeee'en

2006-10-19T09:48:00.000-03:00

As you might be aware, I'm obsessed with Halloween. And I've been really trying to get in the spirit lately (or get the spirit in me!! mwa hahahaha)... I have been looking up some things to do leading up to Halloween. I thought a history lesson was a good place to start, it's just so interesting. Think of reading the history of Halloween as comparable to re-hearing the story of Christmas every year.

I love reading scary stories (well, stories in general) because I feel like I get involved in the life of the characters. So if the characters are creepy and dark and evil, I too will become that way *insert evil Dracula laugh*. I found that The Lair of the Moonmistress has a great collection of literature. Although it is displayed as yellow text on a black background (a designer's nightmare to say the least), there are some great classics in there. One of my favourites is "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe. Great story. Very eerie. Oh yeah. But there are also some folk tales which look promising.

How could any celebration go by without searching for some weird related shit on YouTube?

-ghost crossing
-thermal camera
-little girl (ps this one scared the crap out of me)
-prison ghost

None of these are fake videos that are just a nice scene that you stare at until some loud screaming and a creepy image comes on the screen suddenly and make you jump up and run away (I hate those, although it is funny to see people's reactions...I promise there are none in these links).

thai/rabian ravens

2006-10-16T12:23:00.000-03:00

Oh yeah....an apparently age-old question? And Joel's fiesta! Arabian with Thai food!

happy.birthday.joel

2006-10-05T10:42:00.000-03:00

Happy 26, Joel! This year is sure to be more fun than last...new hair, we're getting married, the list would continue if I could think of anything else off the top of my head. Hope your day today is the best!

................................................

Let me singa song for you
That's never been sung before
All the words were meant for you
And never been said before
She kisses when she sleeps
She kisses when she's sleeping
Let me sing a song for you
A song that's worth the dreaming

Don't waste my time
This is it
This is really happening

What's the use in marigolds
These flowers are for you
All the lights go after burn
The sky it splits in two
I kiss her on her teeth
I kiss her on her teeth, hmm
Let me sing a song for you that alters your belief

Son't waste my time
This is it
This is really happening

-Ryan Adams

video.self.portrait

2006-09-29T12:28:00.000-03:00

I guess that's what you could call it...the song is the beginning of Garbage Bag Birds by Ghostown Belle - listen to more here!!

roll.it.up

2006-09-22T09:48:00.000-03:00

Just thought I'd link here to the last video I made. Lindsay and me making sushi :o) Sorry about the weird picture of sushi that fades in in the middle...it was supposed to be in the exact middle so that it would be the display pic for that video but the timing was off *sigh* But it's my picture from a few sushi nights ago. YUM!

:newsnewsnews:

2006-09-20T10:41:00.000-03:00

That's right...I'm updating my blog with information that is already known by the few people who read it. But whatever, how often do you get to do a post about being engaged?? Joel asked me last weekend in a very romantic log cabin after our favourite supper of pizza and wine and after a previous night of getting soaking wet in a tent in the rain. The log cabin was certainly welcoming after that.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In other news that is not quite as exciting, my best friend and dog of 14 years has been put to sleep because of kidney failure. It all happened pretty quickly, she went downhill very fast. I was cooking a special meal for her that she seemed to be enjoying, but she stopped eating it and 3 days later we knew it was the end. She wouldn't even eat her favourite treat, cheese. Ginger was the best dog ever and although I am finding it extremely difficult to deal with her death, I have great support and beautiful memories that will last me forever. I know she had a long, happy life full of love and that is the best thing a pet can be given.

What is this?

2006-08-29T00:54:00.000-03:00

Who are these people??

ready, set, rasterbate!

2006-08-28T11:10:00.000-03:00

I wanted to share with people a site I've known about for a while but never really raved enough about. A subdivision of The Sect of Homokaasu (I have no idea what this main site is about, btw), the Rasterbator is something worth checking out.

It converts your own images into giant Benday dot murals a la Lichtenstein. You can make them as big as you want, as fine-detailed as you want. You can also choose all black, all another colour, or multi-coloured, like your photo.

This is great to fill wall space or just express something you love. PS sorry I have no example image, any I found online suck and I haven't printed on of these for myself yet.

i love pink

2006-08-09T18:44:00.000-03:00

It's no secret I love the colour PINK. At this moment, I have pink fingernails and a pink belt on...and one more pink thing too. I just thought I'd share with you some great artwork by people in a community close to my heart, deviantART. The PiNK! Photography Contest just ended and the results are iN! You can view the entire range of contest entries here. I definitely love the (featured) photo that won - Offering a Sweet Galaxy by *saturninus. If you're a pink fan, this is the artwork collection for you!

=1= Make Poverty History

2006-08-04T11:17:00.000-03:00

I like to take the lazy way when it comes to causes. Like leaving clothes on my steps for the Diabetes Association to pick up, or like leaving empty wine and beer bottles out back of my apartment for a homeless guy to take at 4 in the morning. Or, I send pre-written emails to my local and national political leaders. So I sent one recently to the PM and to Brian Murphy, MP Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe asking for commitment at the G8 Summit in Russia in July. I have never before received a reply to these emails (and I've written a lot of them, or rather...sent a lot of them) and I have certainly never received a reply from the PM's office. But this time I got one back from Brian Murphy. So this means that he either got a lot of these emails and sent out a mass one OR I was the only one and he just sent one to me (doubtfully that is what happened). I like his answer though. I like that it exists and I like that he bitches a little about the Conservatives and I especially like that he agrees with my request to make poverty history.

August 1st , 2006

Dear Ms. E---:

Thank you for your recent email in which you expressed your wishes for
the G8 Summit and AIDS conference.

I strongly believe that the goals made at Gleneagles are worthy policies
and should be brought into effect immediately. Increased aid, better
AIDS treatment, enhanced primary education, debt cancellation, reducing
the deaths of children from malaria and more effective trade deals are
all important to the growth of developing countries.

Over the past several years, Canada has become a leader in combating
poverty, especially in Africa, not only in aid but also in efficient and
effective means of delivering this aid. In the 2005 Budget, the Liberal
Government committed to doubling our international assistance over the
next five years. While I am encouraged that the Conservative government
has adopted this commitment, I am disappointed that the doubling of
international assistance to Africa has not continued. Further, I was
discouraged that the Conservatives cut $47 million to the prevention and
eradication of AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Polio. Finally, there was
no commitment in the budget to reduce developing countries debt. In the
2005 Budget, $172 million was allotted for a debt relief initiative for
the world's poorest countries plus an additional $34 million
contribution was made to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt
relief initiative.

I strongly believe that Canada should strive to reach the goal of
committing 0.7% of its GNP to foreign aid by the year 2015. Therefore, I
was disheartened that the Conservative budget had no substantial
commitment to increase foreign aid or eradicating global poverty.

Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue.
Yours truly,

Brian Murphy, MP
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe

ok.go

2006-08-03T16:26:00.000-03:00

Thanks, YouTube. Without you I would not be able to waste as much time, see as many strange things OR discover bands that dance on treadmills (in tight pink pants and heels even)!! The music's not too shabby either. I'm going to check these guys out!

•more OK Go videos
•OK Go page (wicked design, guys)

make.art.now

2006-08-03T10:15:00.000-03:00

Wow, I love this guy's idea! Scott Wade's Dirty Car Art is a step up from "wash me" or "lave-moi lave-moi lave-moi"!! I like the idea of him walking around parking lots and drawing on cars, even though mostly his work is on his own car. I also love his "art is everywhere - make art now" philosophy.

mostly just CRAP

2006-07-31T15:46:00.000-03:00

I recently saw this design-y geek-y cartoon on Design Observer. For anyone who doesn't know me, I can often be found complaining about improper grammar/spelling or design principles (or lack thereof). I often feel like I want to hunt down whoever is in charge and correct them on whatever it is they have done wrong.

The principles of design are simple as long as you can remember CRAP.

•C is for contrast!
If you're going to have contrast, make sure it is obvious! i.e. make the text WAY bigger instead of by just one point, or instead of just making it *shudder* bold. . .PS this doesn't apply to blogging. *wink*

•R is for repetition!
Don't choose a different font or colour for everything. Try and repeat the elements to achieve some sort of consistency. This is used for creating product/company recognition. . .what do you think of when you see the colour combo white & green on a product? TD Bank? XBox? iPod shuffle? Depends on the green probably. This was probably a bad example (as Joel knows, I'm bad at examples). I learned this repetition thing in grade 4 art class. My teacher said "always try to use a colour 3 times in an image to make it more pleasing." She also told me to try and keep those colours separated, as to create a triangle of colour.

•A is for alignment!
This bugs me endlessly. The final word on this is to line things up at least with something else. And keep it consistent. Don't right-align something, left-align something else and have the header centred. Gross!

•P is for proximity!
This makes copy easier to understand, web sites easier to navigate and information easier to sort out. Think: what is most important? And put that element in a place of prominence. Keep groups of info together! This one is harder to explain but you'll know it when you see it.

Well now you all know how much of a geek I am. But come on, everybody has something they are geeky about and everybody has something that bugs them to no end. Maybe not as many as I have. Maybe more (!!!)

overwhelm

2006-07-18T10:58:00.000-03:00

{often be overwhelmed} give too much of a thing to {someone}; innundate : they were overwhelmed by farewell messages

In this case, I am overwhelmed with things to post about that I find cool. Although it would be nice to be overwhelmed with farewell messages. I guess.

• A magnetic floating bed » no hiding things under here!

• The two-second tent » how awesome is this?

• Photo wallpaper » Endless photographic possibilities!!

• Why haven't I seen recycled chopstick art before?

• And last but not least, something nostalgic » America or burst!

*edit: Sorry for more YouTube but I totally forgot how funny this was.

.hyperactive.

2006-07-17T13:46:00.000-03:00

Check him out, I also like this experiment.

.look.younger.live.longer.

2006-07-14T20:08:00.000-03:00

I just took the RealAge test. I guess I'm 31.5 years old, compared to my actual 23.6 years. For those who have never heard of the RealAge Plan, it was developed by a Dr. Roizen. I heard about this test from the book You: The Owner's Manual by Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet C. Oz. I am loving this book. It's so interesting! Pick it up, if you have a chance. I actually heeard about the book because Dr. Oz was on Oprah, he talked about some great things (including poop...that's right, poop)! So, back to my 31.5:

What should I do about it?
Make sure I am getting enough vitamin E, folic acid and potassium.
Add flexibility training to my workout routine.
Keep on top of my blood pressure and cholesterol.
Try to relieve stress and be safer day-to-day (e.g. not driving while impaired).

What am I doing well?
Taking vitamins
Diversifying my diet
Eating breakfast every day
Maintaining a healthy intake of calcium, fruit and vitamin C.
Healthy resting heart weight.
Strength training and cardiovascular exercise.

For anyone reading this, let me know your results! I'm interested. There is also a nutrition assesment, which brought my age down to 28.6 because I eat so well.

popcorn++

2006-07-13T17:36:00.000-03:00

Recipe!! Last night I felt like POPCORN! And I felt like cooking (as per usual).

So I jazzed things up a bit (imagine that) with a caramel popcorn recipe I found on the VegWeb.

I didn't have corn syrup, otherwise I might have made this one from All Recipes (I scaled it to 8 cups because that is about one bag) because it sounded easier. But the non-corn syrup one was FANTASTIC and way easier than I thought. w00t!

.make pineapples not war.

2006-06-21T10:26:00.000-03:00

I keep trying to start this blog, but somewhat unsuccessfully. But today I both felt like blogging AND had something fun and interesting to share.

Pretending to be in Hawaii has never been so easy! Even if you do not live in a tropical climate you can grow your own pineapple! That's right! These instructions come from You Grow Girl, a site that I can't wait to explore, seeing as I recently discovered an interest in green thumbs. I don't have any yet...but if I grow a pineapple, does that qualify? I'm sc00ting to the grocery store ASAP!