Openaire - Laptop Case/Workstation on the Behance Network

Okay, I need one of my friends who can make things to create these with me. I'm seriously pondering if there'd be a good way to sew something like this, maybe with sleeves to put hard items in to create the sturdy-ness. This just sounds like such an awesome thing for travelling - if I could get one for Scott, I'd give it to him for his birthday.

Openaire - Laptop Case/Workstation on the Behance Network

The House From Up! Now Exists In Real Life—and It Flies! [Video]

My joy at this occurence is, well, about the same as the joy of Jesus Diaz - the guy who wrote the bit about it for Gizmodo.

The House From Up! Now Exists In Real Life—and It Flies! [Video]: "

This is really nuts. The people from National Geographic have built a house inspired by the Pixar movie Up! Yes, a house tied to gas balloons that actually flies. I'm so giddy I can barely type. More »









SQUIRREL!

Michal Maciej Bartosik

This is awesome. High art + lightsabers = lovely!
...what? ...what do you mean "they're not lightsabers." I know lightsabers when I see them, dagnabbit!


Michal Maciej Bartosik: "

Michal Maciej Bartosik has created two new floating compression lights that are based on two of Kenneth Snelson‘s sculptures: ‘Needle Tower’ and ‘City Boots’.

Utilizing Snelson’s structural discovery, appropriated and popularized by Buckminster Fuller as “Tensegrity,” Bartosik proposes new possibilities of light forms, whereby the light source and its electrical wire work mutually in compression and tension to produce a seemingly discontinuous field of light defined by it structural form.

The light sculptures won best Studio North Collection at the IDS11.

---

Share This: Twitter | Facebook | Discover more great design by following Design Milk on Twitter and Facebook.

---

© 2011 Design Milk | Posted by Jaime in Home Furnishings | Permalink | No comments"

On the Scene....Forever Fifties, Milan

Scroll down with me... AHA! Her boots are AWESOME! (P.S. Blog-This works now!)
On the Scene....Forever Fifties, Milan: "

"

Trying out "Blog This"

Does this work? Do you see a post from Dornob about a cool recycled materials house? I hope so!

Photographic technique

Well, I think I've decided to share the beautiful and fun things I find on this site, keeping my TexasAdjacent blog reserved for house reviews/Austin local things.

Anyways, I just love this discussion of technique and planning on Kyle Cassidy's LJ - it's well worth a read!

Someone else's idea

Desk/Bed/Awesomeness

I'm not sure if I love this idea most because of the clutter cover, the space saving or the idea of a desk the size of a twin bed. All are most excellent, most excellent indeed.

Most Beautiful College Campuses

As my little sister begins to contemplate colleges, I contemplate places I'd love to visit her at...

The Matrix as a Charlie Chaplin film

Too, too funny!

Which is worse - the illness or the cure?

You know that feeling that you get when your "non-drowsy" meds are actually quite drowsy? It feels like instead of blood you have water and it's flowing down your veins at half speed - which is simultaneously faster than normal blood (since water is less viscous than blood) and slower, since it's actually moving slower, as previously mentioned. Focusing is difficult. The world passes by you, as if you were on a train or bus, looking out a slightly clouded window into a cold, cruel world.

This is the blog post of that medication. It apparently increases my metaphoric tendencies while at the same time decreasing my speed and accuracy of typing. I wish not to be on these meds anymore. I really wish not to be at work any more. My nice, warm bed is where I would prefer to be located at this moment. With a book on tape droning at me 'til I fall asleep. That would be perfect.

None of that for me, though.

I shall instead attempt to work - knowing that my attempts are probably going to be miserable failures or at least misguided and taking 2x as long as necessary.

Allergies are no fun. Allergy meds are also no fun. I don't know whether I am good to drive or will be when it is time to go home. This is also not a good thing. I wonder if there's a way to get Scott over here to drive me home. Or to church. Or whatever.

Prayers appreciated.

Unicorns are Extinct

If I were to ask you what you thought unicorns represent, what would you say? My first response is purity. Unicorns, like purity, are almost extinct. Unicorns exist in our minds, in our imaginations, but not at all in the real, physical world.

Purity exists only in God. (James 1:17 - Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.)

So, these two things cannot be seen, touched or interacted with in our physical world. But they are things we strive for. What human being does not crave purity? What little girl does not want a unicorn?

I certainly wanted a unicorn when I was little. Why I thought a horse with a sharp pointy thing on its head would be better than a regular horse, I don't know. But the truth of the matter is, unicorns poop rainbows, have self-brushing hair and are always refreshingly fast, but never stubborn. Nor do they require feeding, for they dine on sunshine. As someone who regularly partakes of a diet of sunshine, I knew this was not only possible, but true.

Even to this day, the concept of a unicorn appeals to me. I imagine their hooves would jingle melodically, they would never require saddling and would always be very, very fast. I would gladly commute via unicorn, because the unicorn would know the way to work and I could just sit and read whilst I rode.

---This Unicorn Themed Post is brought to you by Hannah Sillily Asking Scott What She Should Blog About. I promise to ask someone else next time I can't come up with something.----

I certainly want purity still. This is why I clean, this is why I strive to be better, to do better, to live BETTER. Because I know I am not pure, but I seek after it. And when I can't find perfection - I settle for second best. Luckily, eventually, I will get this perfection. Someday God will take me and make me perfect. But, even better - God loves me now. And He, who is pure and perfect, does not need me to make myself perfect - but instead is completing this work in me, through His Son, even now.

Life has consequences

"Live Life to the Fullest" is a saying that I usually whole-heartedly endorse. But sometimes I realize that it needs a caveat, or at least, an addendum. Because when you live life to the "fullest" you leave little room for rest, relaxation and adjustment. You're always going full speed ahead and you can't ever stop. This weekend was wonderful, amazing, enjoyable, and very, very full.

On Friday I arrived home to a surprise delivery. Our good friends in Abilene had sent us a gift - a game called Dominion that we had thoroughly enjoyed playing with them last weekend. This gift, of course, had to be USED! So I called our friend Craig, who is often up for some last-minute-fun, and invited him over for an impromptu game-time. We picked up some tasty Bun from a local Vietnamese restaurant and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy ourselves. Scott was glad for the break, I was glad for the fun times with friends - it was an excellent way to begin the weekend.

Unlike most Fridays, though, we didn't stay up too late - because we had to get up way too early for a Saturday to get Scott to his conference on time. I then proceeded to search for about 30 minutes until I found the Habitat for Humanity ReStore (I forgot the exact location, and left my cell phone @ home). Eventually finding the place (I now know where it is and shall not lose it again!), I proceeded to purchase a door, a faucet & some rope. Little did I know that each and every one of my purchases had a flaw!

I'm going to stop for a moment here and highlight the phrase "Little did I know" - because it's worth a second look. It's one of those "indicators of doom" that you instantly recognize. Just sayin'. DOOM!

So, flaws: The biggest & most obvious was that the door was not the right size. The hinge holes were in the wrong place. So I had to return the door, bringing along part of the old door to show where the hinges were supposed to be. Then I looked at the faucet - the faucet was not the faucet that was pictured in the box. Fortunately, I decided I liked this new faucet equally well to the one pictures and furthermore, was not picky. The rope - well, I bought the rope to hold the door in the car. Completely unnecessary. So, the rope was not so much flawed as superfluous. Ah well.

The 2nd door (having returned one door and come home with door with right hinges, then hung said door (not easy with only 1 person & very heavy door!), was too wide. Furthermore, I knew that the narrower door would be too narrow! So, I decided to narrow-fy the door and widen the door frame. This required the purchasing of a plane, so I was off to Home Depot. Needless to say, I opted for the $8 manual plane, rather than an electronic one that would not allow me the pleasure of working my butt off and really earning this closing door.

Oh, and just FYI - I salvaged the old door handle off of the old (and literally fallen to pieces, not to mention defaced) door. It has a lock, which we will have to be careful not to engage, as we have no key.

Then, at about 4:30, I go pick up Scott and we head to a TEMA party (Texas E-something Medievalists Association) that is about 40 minutes southwest of Austin. But the view of the sun setting was worth it - also the Indian food & the cheese & wine. We were the youngest people there by at least 5 years. But it was interesting.

So, we get home at about 9:30ish, maybe a little later. We are ready to decompress. I am too tired to play our new board game (also fun for 2 people, major plus!), so we pull out the bed-couch and settle down for Stargate: Ark of Truth. About 20 minutes into the movie, we hear a very emphatic knocking on our door, followed by...Christmas carols?

It is Mom & Lynna! Surprise visit! Wow! Talk about surprise! We are, of course, absolutely delighted & flabbergasted to see them. Scott gets very hyped up and cannot go to sleep. I end up going to sleep at about half-past midnight. I have no idea when he came to bed.

Late bedtime aside, my joy at having my Mom with me for the second weekend in a row means I cannot stay abed and I am up not much after 8AM. 's gonna be a loooong day.

We clean the kitchen.

We play board games.

We purchase a salt grinder.

We eat burritos.

It is very, very, very good. I am happy, I am tired. I am glad to see our small drop-in visitor kitten head off to her new home. It is only 3pm.

I play Portal.

I am too tired to play Portal.

I am too tired to stop playing Portal & do something else.

Scott grades papers.

We head to house church.

So, after house church I am pretty much exhausted, both physically & emotionally. But I am too awake to go to sleep. So I don't get to bed until after midnight, and don't go to sleep 'til after 1AM.

Today is a very, very slow day. I'm glad that there's nothing terribly intensive going on because I could not handle intense at this particular juncture.

This blog post is more about me processing this weekend than informing others about it. This coming week is very full - but I hopefully shall find the time to rest and breathe - because on Friday night, there is a party at our place and I really, truly want to have a most excellent time.

Now I've just gotta come up with a costume for said party!

Things I Love - in 5 minutes or less

I'm about to head home for the day, so without further ado, here is a list of things that make me smile, giggle or otherwise brighten my day:
-my husband
-Trillian Astra's wikipedia links
-cold, cold water
-the good feeling you get when you exercise at lunch instead of spending money on a soda
-nonetheless, the aforementioned ice-cold soda
-This American Life
-cleverly avoiding listening to the public radio station's week-long plea for money by listening to NPR podcasts on my USB stick
-planning to give money to the public radio station anyways
-hammocks
-hammocks + books
-hammocks + books + lemonade
-hammocks + books + Raspberry lemonade + nearby ocean or lake for ambient noise
-Portal
-the Portal song
-the fact that we have an emulation of the Portal computer giving us directions
-my family
-my family
-my family
-my awesome friends
-kittehs
-MY kittehs
-Squirrel!
-saying "It's funny because the squirrel gets dead"
-decorating my house
-my HOUSE!

and many, many more things. For these and much more I am thankful. Thanks God! You're awesome!

Gearing up...

So, when you start off on a bicycle, you hopefully start where the ground is flat. Then, after a little while, perhaps you go up a hill. If you're a normal person (i.e. not my brother whose bicycles are interesting & odd... love you bro!) you have gears to help you transition smoothly from the flat ground to the uphill climb. The reward for all of this is the thrilling sensation of flying DOWN the hill...well, unless you live in certain parts of Austin, where in order to get that, you really need to just turn around - because when you reach the top of one hill, lo and behold, there is another hill. Not saying this from personal experience mind you - my bike has not yet left the back porch (for shame!), but having driven in these areas, I can imagine biking them.

All this to say - November is coming. And with November is NaNoWriMo (that's National Novel Writing Month for those of you who don't know). And so, in preparation for my uphill attempt towards 50,000 words & a completed story, I'm going to endeavor to post in my blog much more often. Perhaps not every day, but my goal shall remain 7 posts a week.

This post, explaining what I'm up to, is not even the "flat land" right now I'm standing by the bike, contemplating my tires, checking the gears, etc. It's been a looong time since I was last on this particular machine and I want to make sure all is in running order.

Wish me luck!

-Hannah

Fear Not!

Okay, so this is not a "real" blog post. But if I made lots of posts like this, then it might be, no? This is merely a very cool idea that I wanted to pass on. This is why you go to college. And, apparently, Africa.

This world is not my home, so while I'm passing through...

Myself, my husband and a few of our associates are pondering a trip down to Cape Canaveral this November to watch a shuttle launch. Details are still pending - but if it works out, it'll be one of those memories we keep for our grandchildren. As I was telling a friend about this, she asked me if seeing a shuttle launch was on my "bucket list." Now, not having made a "bucket list," I'm thinking that's impossible - but not for long! People's goals change, what I value will change - so I thought it might be a good idea to make a list of "Things to do while I'm passing through" - even if I don't ever accomplish them all, it'll be interesting to see how, in 1, 5 or 10 years, this list has changed: what items have been crossed out, what has been added, and what, if anything, has become less important.

1) Explore Europe as Husband & Wife

Scott and I had a lot of fun in Oxford, but it was the "getting to know you in a new context" kind of fun. Perhaps my best memory with my Mom (so far!) is when we spent a week travelling around Europe, exploring new cultures and learning about each other. I really want that kind of an experience with Scott - preferably without kids (so either in the next few years or with a really awesome baby-sitter/ grandma!).

2) Live in a foreign land I want to put down at least semi-roots somewhere that is not in America. Toronto might count for Scott, as he had the stability of the university, but not for me - as I never really had the necessary "tethers" to make our life in Canada stable for me. I want a steady income, scheduled life, health plan, bank, neighbors, the whole nine yards. Ideally, English would not be the native tongue and we would stay for more than a year.

3) Have kids Okay, this might seem to be a "given" - but I know there'll come a time some day mid-way through this whole "have kids" process when I'm wondering why in the world I ever stopped taking birth control. This item is on the list to remind me that I want to have that moment, move past it and appreciate all the wonderful moments that come before, during and after. Scott, my love, I can't wait to see you as a dad and I can't wait to be a mom!

4) Relax at a spa This is on the list because if it wasn't, it would never happen as it is too much money for one day's worth of pleasure. But I really want to do the whole "spa treatment" thing - preferably as part of #1 or #2, as then I'd have a chance of experiencing a traditional spa day, whether it be Japanese baths, Roman baths or Russian travelling spas, I'm up for it!

5) Go PAST my limits I'm not sure what activity this will end up being - but I'm confident its out there. Whether sky diving or climbing a really big mountain or performing on stage in front of a large audience, I want to find my comfort zone and step out of it in a major and memorable way.

6) Publish Something I have too many stories inside of me to not complete and submit something for publishing at least once every year or so. With enough persistence, maybe one of my stories or books would get published. Even if that doesn't happen, though, I want to go through the process.

7) Attend Burning Man Fire, lots of fire and things ON fire and music and, oh, the moment I heard about this festival I knew it was for me!

8) Sleep in the Redwoods I've been there once, now I want to go camping! I only have vague memories of these giant trees, so I want to make firm ones and have the whole experience.

9) Take a road trip With a group of solid friends. At the end, we'll all either love each other or hate each other. I want this experience!

You may notice that seeing a shuttle launch is not on this list. Well, I think Scott ought to have SOME things that are on his list and not mine, right? And, although I am as psyched as it is possible to be about something that is at the "still figuring out if its possible" stage of planning, seeing a shuttle launch has never been something I've always said "I want to DO THAT!" about - so it doesn't go on the list...yet. If I am denied this opportunity, it may make its way onto the list.

The Merrie Monthe of May

Okay, I started to write a post about what's been happening in the last month (MONTH!) - but there's a few things still going on. Enough that I'm seriously still too overwhelmed to write about it in detail. Suffice it to say that:
May 1st (Friday) - purchased house
May 2nd (Saturday) - moved into house
May 6th (Wednesday) - house got carpet
May 8th (Friday) - in Dallas to see new Star Trek movie with Trekkie friends (AWESOME!)
May 9th (Saturday) - sewed Tina's ren faire costume all day
May 13th (Wednesday) - new water heater in house
May 15th (Friday) - in College Station for Matt's graduation
May 23rd (Saturday) - My BIRTHDAY - spent at Ren Faire, also, mery got engaged
May 25th (Monday) - Memorial day party with friends!
May 28th (Thursday) thru May 31st (Sunday) - in Dallas for A-Kon
June 1st (Monday) - Mom & Lynna come to visit & help with house - guest room & study are now painted
June 5th (Friday) - not going out of town, so we have a game night!

Wow, looking back at that, no WONDER we're exhausted. Happy, but drop dead tired! And in 2 days, I shall add June 11 (Thursday) - Welcomed 2 Bengal kitties into our new home.

Hedgehog (an actual, unedited IM conversation between myself and my sister)

MaryLynn: Hedgehog. Yeah, you heard me.

me: no.
GASP
you can't mean
HEDGEHOG!

MaryLynn: yes, I'm afraid it's true

me: wow
I mean
I always knew
but I never expected

MaryLynn: You know what this means, right? We will have to... take steps.

me: what will you do now?
yes
steps must be taken
certain...drastic measures

MaryLynn: Can you make the preperations for me?

me: I'm afraid not
this is something you must do

MaryLynn: I'm just... not sure if I can... It's just too much for me

me: for yourself

MaryLynn: Help me, Hanni, you are my only hope!
I mean, honestly... the prophecies have foretold... and now, hedgehog...

me: deep down inside, though, you know this something you must do
and I know you have the strength

MaryLynn: Alright. Can you bring me... THE CHEESE BALL OF DOOM please?

me: are...are you sure you're prepared?
do you need a little time to think about this?

I mean, you have options, surely?

MaryLynn: do you think maybe THE CHEESE BALL OF DOOM is overkill?

me: it might indeed, be overkill
perhaps merely the crackers of imminent peril ?

MaryLynn: perchance.

But only in conjunction with the /wine of complaining/

me: here, I bring them to you on a platinum plated silver platter cast in the shape of a steep hill

MaryLynn: No!
you must not!

me: oh my! you are right

MaryLynn: yay verily, the imminent peril is overly enhanced by the platinum!

me: perhaps the gold & emerald encrusted basket with lavender ribbons?

MaryLynn: nay, the lavender ribbons simply will not do.

me: but the lavender ribbons add a softening touch
and they go so nicely with your robe of cerimoniousness

MaryLynn: aaah, true, true.
'tis important to match the robe.

me: perhaps the risk of the lavender ribbons would be lessened if I tucked a watermelon flavored gummi bear in the bow?

MaryLynn: hmmm, that might do. Only so long as the bow is tied in a sailors knot, and you hold your breath while tying it.

me: that I can do
that, but no more!

MaryLynn: or else who knows what might happen!

me: for, as I said, you must face this task on your own

MaryLynn: ah yes. with no assistance at all

me: none

MaryLynn: *sigh *

me: no matter how convincingly the Scottish sheep argue

MaryLynn: ack, they are mighty persuasive

me: beware their fiendish baahs

MaryLynn: and bleats

me: and remember.
Hedgehog

MaryLynn: *shudder *
I shall be strong, my dearest.
I shall endure.
And now, I must be off, for this cannot wait.
The basket?

me: here it is, I hand it to you with my left hand turned sideways
in the Persian manner

MaryLynn: standing on your left foot alone?

me: my left foot and my left foot only

MaryLynn: ah, good.
I accept the basket with my eyebrows raised and my nose crinkled, holding it precisely betwixt the second and fifth fingers of the right hand.

me: as is only proper

MaryLynn: and now repeat the ceremonial words after me "Yon is the day of the hedgehog, beware all ye eaters of crackers, for your time cometh. The day is near and the gummi bear is at the door. Prepare yourselves!"

me: "Yon is the day of the hedgehog, beware all ye eaters of crackers, for your time cometh. The day is near and the gummi bear is at the door. Prepare yourselves!"

MaryLynn: And so it is, and so it shall be. Farewell, dear sister! Until I return, victoriously or in a small box!

me: a tear slides down my cheek
I wipe it off, with my paisley kerchif
Farewell!

Looking forward

It's cold outside. Which has nothing and everything to do with my day. I got dropped off at work today, because Scott needed the car to run errands. Hopefully he'll come home with a bag full o' goodies from a very specific sale we've been haunting. Not necessarily things for us (okay, a FEW things for us) but lots of goodies! Good ones! Despite the deadline being three days away, I'm still trying to figure out my Statement of Purpose for the MSIS degree at UT. Prayers and good thoughts appreciated, for sure. But, the theme of my week, and really, of my month, is going to be the following:

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25

I've tried to make a practice of reading the Proverbs 31 woman verses once a month. This month, this verse in particular seems to be especially pertinent. As Scott and I have been deciding what our plans will be for the future as regards housing, I realized just how important it is to be able to "laugh at the days to come." Not just for spiritual or practical reasons - although those are many - but for my own happiness. If I can look at the future with joy instead of fear, then my days are full of hope, not drudgery. In fact, if I look at those days which I've been most depressed, I think most of them can be seen to stem almost directly from a lack of certainty in my future. So, as we're going forward, I'm making this a priority - no matter what we do, I want to be able to laugh at the days to come.

I promise that eventually I'll stop posting links and start writing posts again. Really

"Many individual do not realize the benefits of playing board games especially in relation to health."

I knew it! I knew it! Now go, check out the full article!
http://playingboardgames.com/playing-board-games-helps-prevent-degenerative-diseases/