Welcome Fall

For some reason this year, I'm looking forward to fall. Maybe it's the change that is coming. Maybe it's because I have lots of plans for next year and I'm excited to get them going. Maybe it's because I'm looking forward to Christmas and spending it with our little family and our beautiful tree. (Seriously, our tree is freaking gorgeous. You should come over just to ooooh and awwww and then go home and look at your inferior tree and feel sorry for yourself. COME ANYTIME!) (har har)

I really don't know what it is, but I'm excited for fall. Leave, apples and pears, pumpkins, Halloween, snow, snow skiing (maybe I'll get Marcelo to try snowboarding this year) and then the new year! I'm just excited for the changes.

Maybe it's because I turn 30 this year. 30 seemed so far off when I was 12. I mean, 16 was conceivable. 20? A little bit harder, but still dream-able. I don't think I ever thought about what it would mean to be in my 30's!! And now that it is here, I can't say that I'm sad. I think it's great, and I'm happy with the way things are going.

For the most part. I still have lots of things I want to do. And I'm excited for those things to happen someday. Nothing ever stays the same.

Changes. Don't you love it? WELCOME FALL!!

Birthday WISHES

I have started making a list of things that Marcelo can get me for my birthday. That's always a difficult thing for me to do because I would rather be surprised, but I'm also really practical. I want to give and get something useful. Even if it's something silly and non-sentimental, I would rather have something that I want and need rather than something that is just "nice".

I'm sure I've talked about this before.

But I've started a list for him of things that he can get me. This is the list:

* Headlamp light for night time reading in bed. (We don't have room for side tables/lamps, and I don't like leaving the main light on while I read. It burns my eyes and makes them more tired)
* The New TiVo Premium
* The New Balance running shoes that I tried on a few days ago at the 26.2 store in Provo (My current shoes won't make it until mid Oct for the half marathon)
* A panini maker (I actually don't know if I *really* want this one. Because I fear that I would do nothing but make paninis all day. And that would NOT be good for my weight goals)
* Breakfast in bed. I do this for him ALL the time. I would like him to do it for me JUST ONCE. I think I should get this. But maybe I'll hold out for this one till Mothers day next year.
* A new pair of Pumas. I really need some "casual" shoes. And they have a pair of 12's! (I know, I have massive feet. It makes shoe shopping a nightmare and not at all fun.)
* One of those key chains with the rubber/cloth holder for my chapstick. I have about 3 tubes of chapstick at home, 2 in my purse, 1 in my church bag and 1 in my old diaper bag. But what if I don't bring one of those bags with me? What if I just have my keys with me? Like yesterday at the lake. Sun + Water + Wind + Cheetos (and other assorted salty chips) =VERY CHAPPED LIPS. And I was without chapstick. And I have been wanting one of those for a while now. Seriously, I *could* just pick one up at the check out counter the next time I'm at the grocery store, but then I couldn't complain about it on my blog anymore, right? Anyway, it's a silly thing that I have on my list. My husband will make me happy if he gets it for me for my birthday. I'm easy like that.

However, this is all moot. Because I already know what I'm getting for my birthday. I'm getting a new iPod!! See, my crappyNano 4G iPod that is 5+ years old has stopped being recognized by iTunes. I took it into the local Apple place, and they couldn't help me. So now I'm going crazy. Because I literally use my iPod every day. I run with it every day and when I'm home I listen to books on CD as I'm cleaning around the house or out with the dog and the baby at the park. So without an iPod I'm seriously stunted.

And what luck! They just announced the new Nanos! Which is what I was going to get anyway! And it's double the storage size of what I have now! But still the same price! AND IT HAS A CLIP FOR ATTACHING TO YOUR CLOTHES DURING EXERCISE. AND IT HAS A PEDOMETER!!! (I use a separate pedometer about 3 or 4 times a week to track my miles) My mind just kept blowing up as I was reading about it. And it comes out next week. I think they were thinking of me when they planned that release date.

So I may not get a surprise on my Birthday, but I don't seem to care right now.

Maybe I'll print off this list and re-title it "Alicia's CHRISTMAS wishes".

I'm sure he won't notice the change.

Out of it

We went to the Lake today. It was cold and windy. And one of the jet skis didn't work for a few hours, so I had to go all the way back to town to find some replacement parts for it. It eventually did work, and we had some good times. Some good, white cap filled times.

I think everyone always comes back from time at the beach/lake/large body of water entirely spent of energy and ganas to do anything else besides sleep. I'm currently fighting some ZZZZZ's myself right now. I just want to make sure that my baby goes down before I do. She's going to sleep like a rock tonight. I'm really REALLY looking forward to it.

But my point is, I don't think there is anything better than taking a shower right after coming back from the beach/lake/large body of water + sun. ESPECIALLY if you are a little toasty from that sun. You need to get washed and clean ASAP to make the eventual sunburn better. Trust me on this one. Wash yourself nearly instantly and it won't be as bad as if you wait for it to "set in". But seriously, is there anything better than that shower? AHHHHH, I'm remembering it now. It's a whole different kind of zills.

Next item. I think I am really out of it. I think that I am the only person in north America who didn't see Avatar the first time it was in theaters. Seriously, where was I? I don't know. I know Marcelo saw it. But when did he see it? Why wasn't I there? I have no answer for this. But I have decided that I am going to see it. Because I have no plans to buy a 3D TV, so I think that I should see it in the theaters before it leaves.

So who wants to go with me? Who wants to spend another $10-$12 dollars on a mind blowing visual masterpiece with a preachy C- story? Hands?

Ok, I didn't think so. I guess I'll just go by myself.

I'll be the loser with the Whoppers and Milk Duds front and center all alone on a Saturday night.

I really should get some Swedish Fish too. . . .hmmmm

Book Review: Plastic Fantastic

Plastic Fantastic: How the Biggest Fraud in Physics Shook the Scientific World by Eugenie Samuel Reich

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I think this is the nerdiest book I have ever read. Ever. Mostly because it deals with a LOT of physics and the explanation of experiments and materials used. Organic crystals, sputtering machines, pentacene crystals and particles changing from p-type to n-type (just to name a few). And this book is about 45-50% physics explanations. But it has to be, because it's about the fraud that can be carried out in the scientific world. Especially when people don't understand what one scientist is doing and take him at face value when he makes certain claims. When he claims to be doing impossible things, the author wants to make sure you know why it would be impossible to do what he was claiming to have done.

The main point is this: Science is self-regulating. However, people need to be more on top of things and if things seem to good to be true, they just might be. Don't be afraid to call foul! Or Fraud for that matter. And the author makes a good point: Science is self-regulating. If someone makes a claim and it is false, that claim will eventually be proved so due to the inability of others to duplicate it. HOWEVER, the author also points out that until that happens, millions of dollars and years of time and energy can be wasted to prove these theories that are lies. And how do you give someone back a year of their life? (The author talks about some scientists that were turned off this kind of physics study solely based on their frustration, and chagrin at not being able to duplicate the false claims of the fraudster)

I think the author wants authority and others in position of power to not push so hard for papers and results to be printed. He thinks that the fraudster felt as though this was expected of him. And so he would print a paper as "fact" and then he hoped that others would prove his theories with their work. If he wasn't so pushed to print and publish, he might not have done what he did. Or maybe he would've no matter what. The author seems to think that he is not so much an EVIL scientist as a lazy and unimaginative one. No thoughts of his own, no way to make his own experiments work. So who knows, maybe he would been a fraudulent scientist no matter what.

Due to the fact that most people that read this book won't be physics geniuses, I think the author did a great job making the ideas and experiments easy for the layman to understand. That's why it gets 4 stars. Also because it talks about Los Alamos Labs, and UIUC where a friend is studying for her physics PhD right now as I type. I hope she's not trying to prove any of this guy's false claims!

But seriously, this is a geeky book. ENJOY, MY GEEK FRIENDS!

Dinner Al Fresco

I gave the baby some dinner the other night and this is where she went to go eat it.


She decided an al fresco dinner would be nice this evening. Don't you love how the rabbit is always included in whatever she does?

They were checking out the view of the "Y" this fine summer evening.

The Big Six

"I would totally marry you again, Ali"

What more can you ask for on your 6th wedding anniversary?

Oh, I know! How about a child that isn't sick? I would've really appreciated it if my kid didn't get a hand and mouth virus that has caused blistering hives to break out on her palms, soles, and her ENTIRE "diaper zone." They almost look like festering boils. Yech. And i guess it's pretty contagious the first few days (Which today is) so we felt like we couldn't ask anyone to babysit our HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS and PLAGUE RIDDEN child.

So instead we took her with us to the Red Lobster. We inflicted her borderline infected corpuscles on them. . . . And their lobster tank. . . .Which YES my child stuck her hand into (and almost her face too, if you were wondering)

Did you know that they will take a live lobster out of the tank and bring it around for the kids to "pet" if they would like. Those things give me the creeps out of the water. And I just realized why. They look like spiders with tails! Flailing legs, wandering antennae, a tail that curls up into itself when the manager "tickles" it. Geee geeee geee geeeeeeeesh!! NO THANK YOU!! You can take that thing right back to the kitchen. Boil it up and bring it to me with a side of butter. Otherwise I don't want to see it again. (If you were wondering, I had the Lobster Pizza. It was FREAKING AWESOME. And nothing squirmed at me as I tried to eat it)

And for an anniversary dinner, it wasn't too bad. Even with a tag-along baby. We didn't get into any fights. We didn't let the baby's constant climbing down and getting up bother us. Mostly because we kept feeding her a steady stream of snow crab and lobster pizza. I think she ate about 2 whole legs of crab herself. So I guess we know she likes seafood! We got to talk about being in San Diego (where we were married and where we went just a few months before she was born) and about how Marcelo wants to live somewhere close to the coast so he can eat seafood everyday. And even though it was our anniversary, I don't mind spending it with the sweet, sweet Bibbers.

Because, as Mar says, she is the fruit of our time together.

Happy Anniversary, Amorcito. I would totally marry you again, too!

Curly Girl

At our family Reunion last week, my sister produced a book for myself and my niece to read and enjoy. It was called Curly Girl and it talks about the care and maintenance of curly hair, which all three of us have.

And while my hair is much MUCH less curlier than my sister's or my niece's, it's interesting to learn about the different things this woman suggests for those with curly hair who like to wear their hair curly.

First, she thinks that everyone with curly hair SHOULD wear their hair curly! So you should immediately throw out your flat iron, blow dryer (for straightening purposes, that is) and other like hair torture devices. She gives a few products to use, but she never comes out and gives NAMES. I wish she would just give a NAME! I mean "spray gel" what is that? Does leave in conditioner count as spray gel? What about a root booster? What about mousse? Can I put some in a spray bottle, fill it with water and call it "spray gel?" Also, she says your conditioner is very important (as you will see why in a minute) and so you need to make sure your conditioner is good quality and has all these things in it. Like emollients and humectants and the like. But she never says WHERE we can find these conditioners. Do I have to go to a salon? Does Pantene have these in them? Can you just give me a list of "acceptable" conditioners, PLEASE? (I understand, legally, why she can't do this. But it's still quite annoying for us in the real world who is trying to wrestle a 2 year old octopus-child in a shopping cart. Those people don't have 30 min to read the back of every bottle of shampoo to check if it contains the certain chemical formula she says to look for. Come on! Help a sister out!)

Moving on. She advocates throwing away ALL shampoo. She says shampoo is too rough on hair anyway, and is a disaster for curly hair which is much dryer than straight hair. So using your fingers, some conditioner and a little time in the shower is how your hair will get clean. And she says you can keep a little shampoo around for "spot cleaning" like you would spot clean a nice sweater. But never the whole head.

I don't know how I feel about all of her techniques. Like the certain way to cut the hair. I don't have hundreds of dollars to go and find the perfect hair stylist that will "talk" to each individual curl and find out where it wants to lay. Because to have everything PERFECT, I have to find the the Bob Ross of hair cutters. "Where does this tree want to be? How about right here. A happy little tree right here just coming out of the water." Nope, sorry. No time or money for that one.

However I would have to say that after about a week of doing what she says, I see a definite difference in my hair. I have less of a "halo" around my head because my hair tends to not be so dry. And I haven't had to use any dandruff shampoo for this whole time either! The moisturizing conditioner and my agitation while I scrub my head seems to be breaking up the loose skin cells and yet keeping things nice and moist. It really is making my curls cuter and more defined. I'm a believer. Until someone tells me my head smells from lack of shampoo, that is.

But seriously, what is spray gel? JUST ONE LITTLE NAME BRAND, PLEASE!?!?