Random Giggles | Page 218

Silently Sick

27 September 2006, 10:07 am by Giggles

Categories: Health, Questions, Work

Considering my job, I find it amazing that I don’t get sick more often than I do. This year however, a cold is going around the school that has leveled several teachers already. Today I’m home sick, and I’m never home sick. I’m probably well enough to go sit in my room today, but I don’t want to get anyone else sick if I can help it. And sitting is about all I’d be able to do, because I’ve lost my voice. It’s gone. Completely gone. I could squeak out a bit last night and it might have been possible to go to work. But when I woke up this morning I couldn’t make any sound. If I try to talk, there’s nothing. What is interesting to me is that when I try to whisper, I can actually “talk” loud enough to be heard. I wonder why that is. What is the difference between what happens when you talk and when you whisper? My throat doesn’t hurt too bad, and I find it real funny when I lose my voice. I wish there was someone I could talk to all day just to hear how bad I sound. It would be talking just to hear the sound of my own voice.

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Why I cut fabric the way I do

24 September 2006, 9:14 pm by Giggles

Categories: Family, Learn Something, Quilting/Sewing/Knitting/Crafting

There are several things that I do in my life that I can easily trace back to the time I spent in Brasil. I know I did not do them or think them before I went, so I know that is where I picked it up. Things I have done my whole life are a bitter harder to pin point, but I wanted to try.

I learned how to sew the old fashioned way – the original way – in the original art schools. I learned how at home from my mom. I have never gone elsewhere to learn how to sew. My mom taught me the basics and I have modified them and figured out a few things on my own. I still call her from time to time with questions though. So this would explain why, when I am cutting out fabric, I do it on the ground. That’s where my mom always cut out fabric. She would spread it out on the floor in the living room or the family room, put the pattern pieces on top and then cut out the pattern.

Now when I’m cutting out fabric, it gets spread out across my living room floor and I put the pattern pieces on it, I use pins to hold them down instead of shoes though, and I cut it out. It would appear that this is not the way most people do it though. Most people either stand or sit at a table when they are cutting out fabric. But that’s not how I learned. I even have access to huge cutting tables on Saturday night that I could use to cut things out on; but it would seem too weird to do it there.
That’s where that bit of me came from.

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What I learned about traffic lights

21 September 2006, 9:44 pm by Giggles

Categories: Learn Something

The first electric traffic signal in America was at the intersection of 200 South and Main Street in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Modern Marvels

21 September 2006, 9:43 pm by Giggles

Categories: Random, Science & Tech

Apparently the Discovery Channel is doing a show all about modern marvels. But I’m guessing they probably won’t be talking about some of the great ones in my book. These are some of the ones that I would include.

Cruise control – Love it. I will never own a car without it again. I love driving in general. And there are times when I want to feel the push of the gas pedal. But there are other times when I just want to enjoy the ride.

Minced garlic in a jar – I think I’ve mentioned this before. Fresh garlic makes just about everything better, and it is so nice to be able to just spoon some out of a jar when I want to cook. I love fresh garlic, and this saves your fingers from smelling like garlic for the next week.

Shredded cheese in a bag – Hmm, maybe I’m lazy and that’s why I like these things. But when I’m making quesidillas, on the stove of course because microwave ones are just soggy mushy things, it’s real nice to be able to pull out my bag of grated four cheeses. Saves my knuckles from getting scraped when I’d grate it myself.

Toasters, specifically my toaster – It’s a four slice thing that holds the bread right in the middle of the slot so it gets toasted the same on both sides rather than leaning against one side and getting unevenly toasted. And then you put some butter and cinammon and sugar on it, wonderful.

I think I’ll add things to my list as I think of them.

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My theories on traffic

20 September 2006, 9:58 pm by Giggles

Categories: Life

I spend a LOT of time driving these days. I get pretty close to 400 miles a week on my car. And most of those miles are on the freeway. About 10 hours or so on the freeway every week has given me plenty of time to think about, of all things, driving. And seeing that I get a kick out of watching people and their interactions, I’ve had a lot of fun watching all the other cars on the freeway and testing various theories and watching how they play out.

In an experiment, you need to have a constant against which you can compare everything else. So I have set myself up to be the constant in my experiments. And I have done this through the miracle that is cruise control. I know that my speed is a set constant that does not change. And so I can watch how others either pass me or are passed by me, knowing that it is their speed that changes and not mine.

My favorite cars are the ones who just have to be the fastest on the road. They crack me up. They are also the cause of most congestion. This is because they have to drive in the far left lane, because they are obviously the fastest car on the road. This inspite of the fact that they are constantly being passed by people on the right. If they could just swallow a little pride and change lanes, traffic would move a lot smoother. What is fun though, is when they start to get passed, and so they speed up. Since I am going a constant speed, I can tell they are speeding up. They get up just far enough that they can’t be passed, and then slow down again. I continue on my merry way in my lane, start to pass them again, and they speed up again. It can go on for miles.

And that’s the second part of my theory. I think most traffic congestion can also be found to have its roots in people who can’t drive a consistent speed to save their lives. They will go anywhere from 65 to 80, up and down and back up again. There have been a couple of crashes on the freeway that I’ve seen recently (after the fact, not the actual crash), and I know there are several every day. It seems that a crash should be pretty impossible since everyone is going the same direction, and should be going basically the same speed. But with certain people’s inconsistencies, it is very possible to suddenly slam into the back of someone who was going a certain speed five second ago and is now going slower.

In neither of these cases have I seen it be one type of person or another who is more inclined to be guilty. If anything, I would say women are more guilty of thinking they are the fastest on the road when they really aren’t, but that will require more observation. Without a doubt though, those with the most inconsistencies are those on cell phones.

My third theory is about flat tires. On one drive I saw three people on the side of the road with flat tires. People had stopped to help the first two, who happend to be women. The third was a poor male, and nobody was stopping to help him. So, if you are going to get a flat tire on the freeway, it’s much better to be a woman. You don’t even have to show a little leg to get any help.

As I continue driving, I will see what else I can learn. People are so fascinating.

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The cost of free education

18 September 2006, 9:15 pm by Giggles

Categories: Education, Venting

To say I was surprised to find out that my friends are paying between $100 and $200 for their children to attend free public schools in Utah would be an understatement. Shocked and appalled would be much closer to to my feelings, throw in a good amount of anger at the utter stupidity of those in charge of education here, and that’s probably closer to how I feel.

I could not believe that a school could charge that much in fees, so I had to do some research. Turns out, a school can charge a whole hell of a lot more than that. The fees for public education make the fees I pay for graduate school seem piddly by comparison for the education being received. But I expect fees in college. Hell, I’m paying for college already. You shouldn’t have to pay for high school and junior high. The policy for the different districts’ fees and a list of just how much they charge can usually be found on the internet if you are interested.

Just what is the deposit fee for? Why would there be a refundable deposit? Are you putting a deposit on your child?

It makes me sick to think of the financial fiasco that is education in this state. I understand a bit better now how it is the state can justify spending so little on education, they make the parents make up the difference in what I would consider highly excessive fees. It shouldn’t cost $70-$100 to send your child to junior high, and it definitely shouldn’t cost around $200 to send your child to high school.

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