LaBrea Tar Pits

In the middle of downtown LA, surrounded by office buildings and the HQ for the screen actors guild, the ground oozes black gooey stuff. This is not a movie set, as you might be forgiven for thinking - this is the LaBrea Tar Pits. Scientists and volunteers dig in search of fossils, and there have been massive amounts found - dirge wolves, camels, saber tooth cats, woolly mammoths, horses, and at least one person! Quite a fun way to spend an afternoon while in LA.

Digging in Pit #91:
























You can see additional LaBrea pics here.

Recent Reads

One of the wonderful things about a vacation is the opportunity to read as little or as much as I wish. Love lazing in bed (one cup rule) and sinking into a good book. Completed Unaccustomed Earth this past weekend. Love how this author tells stories - but have the same issue I've always had with shorts - by the time I really get into the story, it's over. Never-the-less this is a delightful read.

Have found that I love shorts read aloud. If you'd like to give it a go, download the PRI Selected Shorts from iTunes and enjoy. The stories are read by actors and are quite a delight.

Inspirational people

TED has so many, and I listened to this one again this morning.

Recent Reads

1. Three Cups of Tea
This is my book club's selection for July. It has gotten rave reviews, and I did enjoy it. An inspirational story about one man's journey and how he has made such a difference for many thousands of children in some of the poorest parts of the Muslim world. I do have a gripe with the editing of the book - there are numerous errors throughout the book that I found extremely annoying, but if you can get past that, this is an interesting account.

2. Chez Moi
Delightful little book I stumbled upon recently. Translated from French, this is the story of a woman who has lost everything and re-creates her world one piece at a time. I was constantly hungry as I read, and would love to have her restaurant in my neighborhood. Philosophy mixed in with food, friendship and life.

Fashion Alert

Ooh the critics have been harsh - too harsh in my opinion. I for am delighted. I cannot wait to see men wear clothes like these.

Pacts

There are so many issues that can be discussed about this story, but what is uppermost in my mind is that we as a society have failed these girls. At 16, they have no idea of what is in store for them.

Who cares whether they made a pact or not? The fact remains that these girls did not get the guidance they needed. Fingers can be pointed at parents, at school administrators, at movies (what a joke that is), but all that pointing is sure easier than looking at our collective responsibility in this matter. Have we not proved time and time again that the "abstinence program" does not work? How is that we continue to refuse to see how education about options, risks and contraceptives can only help our kids?

Dexter

As you might know, I'm not a big TV fan, and tend to watch shows on DVD that get highly recommended. Recently watched a couple of episodes of this show, and cannot tell you how much it disturbed me. There is something creepy about the protagonist being a serial killer - am I supposed to relate to him in some way? Does killing "bad" people make it ok? I am fascinated by how crimes are solved, and think there are some really interesting ideas - but cannot get past how creeped out I got watching the show.

Okay, and here's another pet peeve - what is with how women are portrayed? Could they be any less ridiculous? Where are the shows with interesting women roles?

Do you watch it? What do you think?

Do you Roomba?

I've been excited ever since the iRobot launched their first versions of the Roomba. I have wonderful memories of a house cleaned daily, freshly laundered and ironed sheets, etc. I assume that it's obvious that I had little to do with achieving this Shangri-La, though I did wallow in it. So when iRobot started up, I figured this could be my way of re-creating paradise (did you know that my version of heaven is a wonderful library with a large fireplace, huge windows, leather couches and a cat - but that's another story). The Roomba cleans while I'm gone; goes back to it's docking station, maybe it is only a matter of time before it makes dinner!

I have yet to buy one - but think so often about getting one that I might as well do it. So, here's my question. Do you Roomba? What do you like or not like about it?

Public Art

Loved exploring the Santa Monica pier. Here are pics of a cool art wall.

Summer Solstice

Hope you get to spend some time outside to celebrate the summer solstice. This is a special day at our house. Happy versary Babes. 82

Star Sighting

You know the stories about how people see actors everywhere in LA?

We were walking along Santa Monica beach early one morning, and this guy looks really familiar. As the walked by (about a foot away) I realized who he was (though I had the wrong name). John was walking really fast, followed by a boy (maybe his son?).

I know there are websites where people call in and track the location of famous people every moment. Not sure I understand why you'd want to do that, but it's fun to have someone you recognize from the movies stroll by. Such an LA experience!

Tiger Rocks

It's a thing of beauty to watch this man play golf. Mediate gave him a run for the title this year - they tied and had to go another 18 holes - also tied, so sudden death on the 7th hole at Torrey Pines. Some really incredible golf.

Home again

Back from sunny SoCal - and as always, I wonder why I do not live there? Love the beaches and mountains, and the weather is simply delicious. Then I open up the local paper and see a house on sale for $24M - that's a lot of zeros! After browsing through several pages, a little house for $800K seems like a deal! Ouch.

Show update

DAC is going well so far. It's lovely weather out here, and I hope to spend some time on the beach this weekend.

I was on a panel yesterday entitled "Networking, Negotiation and Nonsense" - part of the Women In Design Automation workshop. It was fun, and I got to meet some really great women from around the world. It was wonderful to be surrounded by women - so much of my career, I have been the only woman in the room.

Here are some of my lessons learned that I shared:

1. Say YES to things that make you nervous.
2. Have a vision - what is you want? Success means different things to different people, and it changes over time, so get clear on what you really want, and check in with yourself regularly.
   
3. Ask for what you want. Once you really internalize that the worst case scenario is that someone says no, you 'll find yourself daring to ask for things important to you - and often getting it.
4. Charge your batteries. Find things that interest you and make time to pursue them.
5. Careers do not have to be linear - they can be elliptical or even convoluted.
6. Never, ever burn a bridge.
7. Be your own best advocate.
8. Follow the 80/20 rule - let go of being a perfectionist.
   

What advice would you give to your younger self knowing what you now know?

On the road

On tap for today is to pack and get ready for my week in sunny LA. I'm headed out for a trade show, and hope to spend some time wandering aimlessly on the beach. Not ready yet for a panel discussion I'm signed up for on Monday, but other than that, all the work items have been crossed off my to-do list. Next on my list is to start packing - the good news, have picked my reading material for the trip.

Night at the movies

Recently watched There Will be Blood, and actually feel asleep about 2 hours in. Had to finish watching the last 20 mins or so the next night. Not sure what all the hype was about. Certainly Daniel Day Lewis is a good actor, but did not enjoy the movie at all. Does not make me want to rush out and read the Upton Sinclair book it was based on either. Very disappointing.

Random Items

• Kitty has now been gone for over a week. Still getting calls from kind neighbors
• Rainy day - would rather be home with a good book and a fire right now
• Getting ready for a trade show next week - a thousand little details to keep track of
• I'm on a panel Monday at the show and have not given it a moment's thought
• Love my local library - picked up stacks of books yesterday
  
• Having bad dreams and a constant feeling that I'm forgetting something
• Really miss Niks
  

Senator Kennedy

I was saddened to hear about the Senator's brain cancer diagnosis, and am glad that his operation yesterday was a success. Our state is world renowned as having the best medical facilities in the world - people come from here from all over the globe for treatment. Am I the only one who wondered at the fact that the senior senator from Massachusetts went to Duke for his surgery?

Recent Reads

1. Idyll Banter
A quick and fun read - with some real gems. It felt like reading letters from a friend.

2. The Passion
My book club is reading this book for June. A quick and delicious read and I's sure that I read the book when it was first released. The author is quite a poet, and I loved so many of the passages in this book. Here is an example: "We gamble with the hope of winning, but it's the thought of what we might lose that excites us".

3. The Decorated Page
Have read this book over a dozen times - simply looking at the pictures makes me happy.

4. The Decorated Journal
Another book that makes me happy to simply browse through.

5. Living the Creative Life
The book interviews various artists and I really enjoyed seeing some of the art created and learning more about how people play.

Visual Journal

Some recent pages. You can see the 2008 collection here.

The Kindness of Strangers

Our kitty is still missing in action - cannot even begin to describe our angst.

What has been amazing is how wonderful people in the area have been. They have called to say that they saw a similar cat in their yard. They have called to see if a stray is ours (he was not). They have called to see if we have found him yet. They have called because their kid saw a similar cat at the bus stop. They have called to say that they looked in their garage and shed, and he was not trapped in there.

Mind you - most of these people are folks we do not even know. We are indeed surrounded by wonderful souls.

Rafiki MIA

Came home from the long weekend to find him gone. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Recent Reads

1. Body Surfing
Been a while since I last read a chick lit book that had interesting dynamics. Also really liked the writing style - have read other books by the author, and have found them all with thought provoking angles.

2. The Appeal
Not his best book - but certainly better than the non-fiction he recently released. I know that there is corruption and lobbying (not considered corruption) at all levels of government - and this book reminded me of how well organized and funded special interest groups are, and the dangers this presents us all with.

Night at the movies

Am always in search of a good movie .....

1. 1408
Should have been good - John Cusack in a Stephen King short story adaptation. JC's mug was in every shot, and he did an admirable job of conveying a range of emotions, but the movie itself was missing something - direction? editing?

2. I am Legend
Am a Will Smith fan - and you are not - do not even bother to read further. His mug is in every shot - a sci-fi post apocalyptic story - where it turns out that everyone is incredibly clean and pulled together. I mean if you were in this scenario, would you seriously be concerned about shaping your eye brows? A huge disappointment, and I really wanted to like it. Again missing good writing, direction or something.

3. The Namesake
Enjoyed the book, and was looking forward to this Mira Nair movie, but again, not quite what I expected. A good story about Indian immigrants and their struggles. The loss of culture as kids are raised in the diaspora, and the strange things that work out and don't. Still, felt that it was a movie for the west, not for the Indian diaspora.

4. Love Comes Softly
Remember Little House on the Prairie? If you do and loved it, you might enjoy this movie. Not sure how I stumbled upon it - and watched it to see the sure thing ending really. Not hard hitting or though provoking in any way, but a movie one could watch with kids.

5. Juno
What a gem of a movie - loved everything about it.

6. A Jihad for Love
An interesting documentary I saw at a local film festival. Would recommend it - how do gay Muslims reconcile their sexuality with their faith? The Imam in the movie was at the show to answer questions - really inspirational. I hear that theatrical openings are scheduled in NYC this week. Go check it out.

7. The World Unseen
Another movie at the MFA film festival. An interesting POV on apartheid in South Africa. Beautiful photography, but the script was rather juvenile, and that was too bad, as the story was anything but.

Any movies you would recommend?

Recent Reads

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Really interesting little book that packs a huge punch. The story of a young girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. There is much written about that period of time, and this story tells it from the POV of a 10 year old girl. I loved that the book is in graphic black and white drawing format.

Pop the champagne

Amazing news from California.
2 down, 48 to go.

You get what you pay for?

There is a common myth that the more one pays for something, the higher the quality, the better the experience, etc.

That is not my typical experience when it comes to many things, including restaurants. In the last month or so I had lunch at a new local eatery and watched in astonishment as the waiter picked up a fork that was lying on the floor and put it back on a place setting. eeeuuuu. I jumped to a hasty (and it turns out incorrect) conclusion, that this was because it was an inexpensive venue.

Not a week later I was having lunch at this higher end, very popular joint, and wouldn't you know that exactly the same thing happened. Now at the 2nd place, the fork was picked up off the floor within the 10 second rule, but it too ended up in a nicely folded napkin at a nearby table. Makes you wonder what goes on that you cannot see doesn't it?

Body Image

A couple of images from the WAM. I find it fascinating to see how women's bodies have been represented through the ages, and in different cultures - it's amazing what is in fashion at a given moment in time. My book club is currently reading Trisha's book, and I'm learning how food issues can start as earlier as in the womb, or much later than the highly reported teenage years. Yes, there is the media and culture pressure to be thin - but there are really many reasons why women (and men) develop eating disorders. Fascinating - give it a read.

Cryonics

Let's start with a basic definition: "Cryonics is a speculative life support technology that seeks to preserve human life in a state that will be viable and treatable by future medicine. It is expected that future medicine will include mature nanotechnology, and the ability to heal at the cellular and molecular levels."

The topic has been on my mind the past several days. That and cloning. Had a fascinating discussion with Babes last night. I certainly think that there might well be a time when we can cure diseases we cannot cure today - though it must be pointed out that we still do not have a cure for the common cold. What fascinates me is not the technology itself - though it is fascinating - it's that people sign up to have their remains stored at no small cost.

Which brings up the question of old - what is it that makes me me and you you? Would I still be me after being frozen for decades, or centuries (never mind whether I could ever be brought to life again). I have no idea what happens to consciousness after death - but am uneasy about the idea of waiting around in cold storage until some time in the future. This is indeed a sci-fi blockbuster story, but what about the realities of the situation?

What do you think? If cost was no object, would you go into cold storage and wait for a (hopefully) better future?

Cat Art

There is a huge body of cat art - well animal art of all kinds, but I have a special interest in cats. Here are some really old creations on display at the WAM. Reminds me of one of my fave quotes: In ancient times, cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.

Mosaics

It is funny how we often neglect to visit places in our own backyard. Spent a couple of hours exploring WAM yesterday - pleasantly surprised at the quality of their collection. The current exhibit has amazing woodcuts from China. I also loved the mosaics - the lion is a portion of a huge floor mosaic - the largest in NA. Well worth a visit.

Eight Belles

Have finally got enough distance on this to write about the tragedy of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby last weekend. As the only filly in the race, it was hard not to root for her.

What is is about horses that broken legs equals death? There have been many articles and opinion pieces written about investigations into the entire sport, and some of the photos of her last moments are heart breaking. Barbaro was not killed (let's skip the cute language) until he had time to sire the next generation. So what was it about Belle's injuries that she was killed so quickly? More questions than answers, but for me the Derby lights have dimmed.

Nephews

Where has this week gone? Can hardly believe that it is already Thursday. Some recent pics of the cute boys in my life.

Rainy Days

We've had much needed rains the past several days, but it does seem rather unfair that it rains on the weekend and we have lovely weather during the week. What's up with that?
The boys were over Friday, and it was fun hanging out with them. Aren't their wellies cute?

Visual Journal

Inspired by bird song. I am lucky that I get to hear birds and not traffic or other heavy machinery on my morning walks and evening saunters.

Visual Journal

Visual Journal

My most recent hand made journal. I was inspired to use fabric sampler remnants as the spine - works great, and what wonderful colors. Covers are painted cardboard, and the inside pages are made of watercolor paper. Book size is approx. 9"x6".

Children's Museum

Did they even have these when we were kids? There seems to be one in every city these days. A fun afternoon was spent at the one in Vegas, where the kids got to play dress up, sing karaoke, make ice-cream, and generally run around.





























You can see other pics from the afternoon here.

Recent Reads

1. Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions: An Intimate Exploration of the Mixed-Media Work and Collections of 35 Artists.
Fun book to read, and delightful visually. It's always interesting to see what people collect. I like the image of artists as magpies, collecting shiny objects.

2. Name All The Animals
My book club's April book. The story about how a family copes/does not cope with a death in the family. The story is told from the POV of the sister who is left behind. Overlays of faith, family, loss, and growing up. Members of the book club loved it, and while it had many wonderful images, I doubt I would have finished the book on my own.

3. Change of Heart
The most recent Picoult book - the one I went to listen to her reading recently. The author does a good job of taking a situation and showing it's many facets. Found the book interesting, though certainly not as good as My Sister's Keeper.

Park Girls

Pics from a play afternoon in the park. Why is it that we stop swinging when we become adults?
You can see more of pics from that afternoon here.

Empty

Ain't this a sign of the times? Who would have thought that cell phones would be so ubiquitous? These stripped phone booths remind me of a time that seems so long ago. The real question is where will Superman now change into his cool outfit?

Inbox

I can tell it's going to be a busy day - just look at what is in the inbox!

Neighbours

It's always fun to see the many way that people are creative. These are pics from some of my neighbours yards.

Bellagio Girls

If you get to Vegas, you gotta check out the decorations at the Bellagio - they do an amazing job.
These pics of my sister, sister-in law, nieces and yours truly are taken over xmas - yes, am finally getting around to posting these. The entire Bellagio photo set can be seen here.
I do think that I have the cutest nieces!

The most wonderful time of the year

Other than football season, this is the most wonderful time of the year: the local ice-cream stand is open for business. It has been a long, hard winter, and I for one am delighted that I can walk over and get me some home-made "bear claw".

Food for thought

Susan sent me this funny link - read the text below the pic. I laughed out loud - brilliant in so many ways.

Mailbox Art

The weather is beautiful out here - though we could certainly use some rain - if only to flush away the pollen. On a walk yesterday, found some creative souls. Aren't these fun?

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month, and my pal Michele pointed me to this link.

I have always struggled with poetry - believe that I have repressed memories regarding them! I write some poems of my own. We ask all visitors to the boat to leave a Haiku in the log, and yet, I simply cannot sit and read a book of poems. Every year, I pick a couple of collections to read, and I like some and do not like others. The learning and expansion of my mind continues ....

Recent Reads

So many books, so little time....

Duma Key
I used to be a huge King fan - he has written some amazing books and short stories - Misery and Dolores Claiborne, are a couple that come to mind. But I lost interest in his books after IT - right about the Dark Tower series - huh? Well, decided to take the plunge and read his new book, and really enjoyed it. King has a wonderful way of scaring you in bits, and before you know it you are not breathing. I blew through this 600+ page book in 4 days, and I worked 2 of those days; and I had to stop reading by 10:30 at night or else I would not be able to sleep. A wonderful sort of creepy, scary story.

Education Article

I had this article published in a trade ezine earlier this month. DAC stands for Design Automation Conference, and is the largest annual show in my industry.

Education: A Lifelong Adventure

In Bill Gates’ recent testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, he highlighted the gathering threat to U.S. preeminence in science and technology innovation. For the United States to secure its continuing global leadership in technology innovation, he warned, we must as a nation commit to a strategy for excellence in, among other things, education.

There is a crisis in our public education systems today.

As professionals in the technology arena, most of us have an inkling of the statistics that reveal the seriousness of the state of education in our country. According to the U. S. Department of Education, we have one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the industrialized world. Thirty percent of ninth graders, and nearly half of all African American and Hispanic ninth graders, do not graduate on schedule. Of those students who do graduate and go on to college, a full 25% must take remedial courses on material they should have learned in high school. Less than 40% of our high school students graduate ready to attend college.

The record of American students in math and sciences is particularly alarming. Tests indicate that U.S. fourth graders rank among the top students in the world in science, and above average in math. By the time they reach eighth grade, they are only average compared to their peers in other nations. By 12th grade, U.S. students score near the bottom in math and science, across all industrialized nations. As a result, too many U.S. students enter college without even the basic skills needed to pursue a degree in science and engineering.

It is hard to disagree with Bill Gates’ stance regarding the importance of education from a competitive and societal standpoint. In fact, I so strongly felt the need to better understand what has gone wrong with education, and to, in some way, be part of the solution, that I recently took a year out from my career in technology to teach. I chose to teach seventh grade science in an urban Massachusetts public school.

The experiences I had teaching science to those seventh graders were exciting, frustrating, eye opening, and infinitely rewarding. Here are some of the things I learned:

• Most students are hungry to learn, but the structure of public school classroom education and the budget pressures in many communities leave both students and teachers underserved.
• Seventh grade is around the time that the lack of a solid foundation in math and science starts to stress kids. Students, particularly girls, either get hooked on science or lose all interest in it.
• The quality of math and science teachers in the public schools is proportional to the compensation provided for them.
• Until teachers are held accountable for understanding the material that they are hired to teach, it is the students who will be shortchanged.

You may not be able to take a year away from your current profession and teach math or science as I did. If you are reading this, you do have the power to make great changes in the quality of public education in your community. Here are some steps to take:

• Take an interest in the quality of public school education.
• Encourage your employer to get involved. Sponsor a science field trip, provide supplementary educational materials, and expose children to the rewards of careers in technology.
• Volunteer to tutor a child in math or science.
• Ask your children’s teachers what help they need to succeed.
• As a person in a technology profession, volunteer to talk about what excites you about your work.

Moving forward, I’m encouraged by Bill Gates’ call to action and applaud his use of his celebrity status to bring attention to this problem. He recommends a commitment from the U.S. government to build a strategy for innovation excellence, and suggests a set of initiatives and policies to provide the foundation to strengthen U.S. competitiveness. His proposal to build educational opportunities for students to ensure they have the skills to succeed is an idea we all should embrace. As someone who has been on the front lines, I endorse these reforms to improve educational opportunities and invest in our young people. Take a moment while at DAC to consider how you, as a technology professional, can effect improvements in public education.

To read the entire transcript of Bill Gates’ testimony March 12, 2008 before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, visit: link

Tax Day Cometh

Oh do not even get me started!

Barns

Love barns. Want to someday own land with a barn - there is something magical about them. Pics of a lovely barn from a recent Stowe weekend.

Night at the movies

I find it incredibly ironic that as TVs get bigger and better with HD, the content of movies continues to deteriorate (at least Hollywood ones). How long before the movie industry goes bust do you think?

1. Gone Baby Gone
Woof! Casey Affleck simply is not lead actor material. The movie is simply not worth the time, and I was looking forward to it - it's a Dennis Lehane story. Ah well, glad that I did not pay the $10 to see it in the theater.

2. Away From Her
Simple, lovely movie about a couple who have been together for 40 or so years, when the wife gets Alzheimer's. The story of love and loss, and how people cope. Beautiful.

3. La Vie en Rose
I see why Marion Cotillard got the Oscar for best actress - wow! Though the movie itself dragged a bit, it was interesting to learn about the life of Edith Piaf.

Visual Journal

Here are some recent pages. So glad to be feeling better.

Flu Season

Been hit twice this season .... did not even know that you get it twice.

Some interesting watching material when you are sick:

1. House MD
No matter what you've got, and how miserable you feel, you are simply grateful to not have what they have on the show.

2. Sicko
Oh, why did I watch this while sick? So many things to talk discuss - but my mind can only hold one thought at the moment, and that is - let's move!