I knew it

I joined a bowling team at work. Today, one of my teammates admitted that they invited me onto the team to provide them with amusement. I told them ahead of time that I stink, so I figured it was to set the handicap.

I should have known. At least we're all having fun.

Essential Freedoms

I heard from a speaker last week that six freedoms are essential for us:

1. Time freedom
2. Relationship Freedom
3. Spiritual Freedom
4. Physical Freedom
5. Monetary Freedom
6. Freedom to pursue our dreams.
   

This list really resonated with me. As I re-launch my blog, I think I'll take a post to explain what each means to me.

The World's Fair

I willl have to try this meme! Maybe tonight.The World's Fair

Rich state, poor state

Crooked Timber � � Rich state, poor state

Free Books Free Minds

This site (WOWIO) has two of my favorite things: 1) free and 2) books. I imagine that these books are published under a CC license or are in the public domain, but as I'm just getting back into my work I'll have to do it later.

I cant' wait to check it out! If anyone checks it out before I do, please let me know what you think.

Banned Books

At the request of Jedi Jawa, here's my list of banned books. These are the 100 most banned books. The ones I've read are in bold.

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Lolcat iz horrifide

The Right-Wing Facebook - Welcome

The Right-Wing Facebook is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Can't wait to have more time to check it out.

A Language, Not Quite Spanish, With African Echoes - New York Times

This article from the New York Times reminds me of Gullah, the creole language spoken by descendants of runaway slaves on the barrier islands of South Carolina.

On another interesting note, the Spanish word "lengua" means "tongue" in both English senses of the word: thing in your mouth AND language. Many of these metaphorical sayings don't translate perfectly: it's interesting to find one that does.

Jena and new media

What Jena means (and indicates) about how we use technology. eSchool News online - Technology spurs students to activism

What they Aren't reporting to bring us stories of Ellen's doggie

This disturbing article from blackagendareport.com - details how the middle class is slipping closer and closer to poverty. Meanwhile, the title of the article, "Numbers Tricks Mask Declining Wages and Rising Inequality" says it all.

Disgusting that more people can't wake up and smell the coffee.

21st Century South American Literature

The VQR � Fall 2007 edition features works from South America. I was disappointed with the number of fiction offerings, but I'm hoping the quality will make up for it.

Mario Vargas Llosa

At the New York Times, there's an interesting interview withMario Vargas Llosa , a Peruvian novelist. I was interested to see his view of Reagan (knowing that he's a conservative too). Although he's not my favorite writer, I have to say that I respect his unwillingness to talk about García Márquez. Obviously the two have had some kind of difficulty that's between the two of them. Let's keep it there and not get into a he-said, he-said bit.

Saying goodbye to the Southern Kitchen

This slide show chronicles Byrd's saying goodbye to a Charleston institution, the Southern Kitchen. This was also one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston. it's not often that you find good home cooking from a family restaurant in that area since so much has been taken over by the chains.

i also see a glimpse of my favorite waitress, Nina, in there. We only discovered the place a couple of years back. Wish we had tried it earlier!

Brains are Weird

This image supposedly indicates whether you are right-brained or left-brained.Brains are Weird, or maybe it's just me. I can see it both ways, and it's not because I tried to as one commenter indicated. I'm also thinking that it might be because of my very weird eyes. I wear contacts, and my right eye is much worse than my left eye.I have practically no depth perception, so I'm thinking that perhaps my eyes aren't working in tandem as they should.

Did anyone else have the same experience?

Can they sink no lower?

This article in the NY Times details how the right-wing nutjobs like Michelle Malkin are Sliming Graeme Frost, the Maryland child that served as an example of the kinds of people the SCHIP is supposed to help. Instead of feeling sympathy for the poor kid who has gone (and is going) through a terrible ordeal, instead Michelle Malkin publishes his home address so that people can drive by and take a look at their house for themselves. There's an excellent analysis in the WV Blue. This is unconscionable. These Republican chickies, both Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter. Exactly how nuts do these people have to show they are before they are taken somewhere to get treatment? I hope they're nuts and not just eaten up with hate. Nuts you can treat. I'm not so sure about hate.

Again, I'll add to what Kanye West said about Bush. He also hates hurt children. And anyone else who opposes him.

Reading the Mind in the Eyes

According to this test (Revised, Adult), I have high-functioning Asperger's. While I may not be the most socially adept person on the planet, I generally do OK, so I'm wondering if anyone else is having a hard time with this test?

Bizarro World

I normally dislike the Seinfeld show, though I'm quite familiar with it because I was a young adult in the 90s. Nuff said. However, a government official says that "It's just sad to hear a former president speak like that" to refer to a former president TELLING THE TRUTH, we have officially entered Bizarro World. Carter says U.S. tortures prisoners

Stop the Hate Rally

What with the recent events in Logan County, this year's Stop the Hate Rally in Charleston is even more important than ever. If anyone's able to go, I'd love to hear about it.

(Cross posted in Appalachian Greens.)

Steps to a More Satisfying LIfe

Fortunately, according to this article, I am so satisfied that I can hardly stand myself. Well, except for the sleep bit.

Finally, a Cool Nerd