On the Road Again: Willie Nelson Biodiesel

You think I'm kidding, but I couldn't be more serious. Willie Nelson, yes this one:



has his own brand of biodiesel. You can even buy a custom mousepad and bumper sticker. It's actually pretty cool. I don't know that I would want to deal with the mess and smell, but if gas prices go up much more I'll be thinking about it!

Never Prettier

I remember the day I was married, my grandmother whispering in my ear, "You will never look more beautiful than you do today". She was right. It's inevitable. We reach the peaks of our looks and then slowly get more middle-aged looking. Those reading that are older than I am (if anyone is indeed reading ;), might be offended that I am already complaining about this. I can tell the difference the last decade - or even the last five years have made. My head turning phase was very short lived and that might have had more to do with working in a man's field than my great looks :P. (At many jobs I've been the only woman in my unit). All of the sudden I'm the person college students and dads ask what aisle they need at the grocery store. I know the answers too. Frozen garlic bread is near entrees and pizzas. Peanut butter is on the bread aisle. Breadcrumbs are on the top shelf near the baking supplies. I know when to use Tylenol or Advil. I know how to get wine out of a light colored shirt and I always have a tire guage in my car. I like nurturing people a lot. I don't miss having less life experience, but I do miss my 20-something flatter stomach and glowy skin. What I miss the most is feeling more confident that I'm appreciated as a woman. That sounds so cheesy, but any ladies reading this will know what I mean!

This week's Time has a great except from Dr. Andrew Weil's book on living better, longer: Healthy Aging:

I hope that you will discover and enjoy the benefits that aging can bring: wisdom, depth of character, the smoothing out of what is rough and harsh, the evaporation of what is inconsequential and the concentration of true worth.

I'm feeling some of those in small amounts. I am wise on some topics... although some issues in particular - I have huge blind spots. If depth of character can be reflected in letting people see how weird I am and being comfortable with that, I think I can count it. I gave some of you the address of the blog :P. I see the smoothing out, but there is a long way to go. It would be nice if you could get personality callous remover. The last area has been very problematic for me lately. Far too many things are falling in the inconsequential category. I don't see many in the true worth column. Things feel out of balance. I don't know if it's life choices or attitude. Speaking of attitude, I am temporarily breaking my moratorium on quoting country lyrics:

I don't buy the lines in magazines
That tell me what I've gotta be
Don't base my life on a movie screen
Don't fit the mold...

I don't need to be 19 years old
Or starve myself for some weight I'm told
Or turn men's heads...

And I no longer justify
Reasons for the way that I behave
I offer no apologies
For the things that I believe and say
And I like it that way

Cause I'm a real live woman

Okay, so don't forget to notice!!!

Nein in Germany: John Jacob Jingle Himer-Smith

Some countries regulate children's names. Germany doesn't allow hyphens. They worry about the epidemic caused by hypenated people marrying and having kids with four surnames and so on and so on. They also make sure that first names make sex obvious and if not, that the middle name makes it obvious.

If you have a subscription to the WSJ, you can read the whole article.

Papa Smurf To The Rescue of African Child Soldiers

This blog is just writing itself tonight... and I'm not making it up! CNN reports:



Out of an idyllic blue sky dotted with birds and butterflies come warplanes that carpet-bomb the Smurfs' forest village, killing Smurfette, leaving Baby Smurf wailing in distress and sending Papa Smurf and the others bolting for cover.

The scene from a bizarre commercial featuring Belgium's lovable blue-skinned cartoon characters is so upsetting it can only be shown after 9 p.m. to avoid scaring children.

Smurfette is killed and the others go running. Baby Smurf sits crying at the edge of a bomb crater.

*****

It seems like a strange approach for a very worthy cause.

Oh Boy! George

Just when you thought Boy George's look:



couldn't get worse, this happens:

U Can't Touch This

Yo, check this out! MC Hammer may be available for your next event. We've been looking for a keynote speaker for our next computing conference. This is going to top my list!

"He had previously been part of religious rap group the Holy Ghost Boys." I wonder if Amazon or iTunes has any of their music.

Baglady Also Likes to Can

Determined to get my value out of the six pounds of Costco peaches that turned out to be too ripe, I embarked on a peach preserves odyssey. It's a two day recipe. Sadly, I started to feel too tired to can by the second day, but had a pot of peaches begging to be finished. Turned out really yummy.