Tuesday, September 30, 2003

Fashion Note

By the way, concerning the recent photo posted here of me in my bathing suit and visor: I really never thought that I would be the kind of woman to wear a visor. Only golfers wear visors, don't you think? and women who wear all khaki-colored clothes with pressed seams in their jeans. However, the beating sun of the desert climate prevailed, and I put on the visor. I wore it in Disneyland, too, because after all, everyone looks awful in Disneyland and I'm not even close to being the worse-dressed in that crowd.
Leah Brooks at 4:14 PM

Happy Birthday

Barb turns 44 today! We saw kd lang perform in Santa Rosa recently, and during the concert, someone yelled out "It's my birthday!!". kd launched into her Marilyn Monroe-inspired "happy birthday" song, and when she got to the part where you insert the name, she sang "happy birthday, 'it's my birthday', happy birthday to you".

We got such a kick out of it that we can't stop saying "happy birthday, 'it's my birthday'".

She opened one present from me this morning - Al Franken's new book "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them", and Gerry Nachman's book on comedians, "Seriously Funny". I'd put in the links, but I'm lazy, and honestly, if you are interested, you can look 'em up at Alibris yourself.

I put up some pictures of our trip at Shutterfly. Hope you like them!
Leah Brooks at 10:22 AM

Friday, September 26, 2003

I didn't expect there to be such a gap between posts here - I even took my laptop with me on this vacation! but in Phoenix, I decided to unplug, and then in Zion, we WERE unplugged. The motel didn't even have a phone in the room. We dialed up once from the local cafe that had internet access, but didn't want to stay on long. The canyon beaconed!

Zion Nat'l Park is on my top ten list of favorite places in the world. Finding the words to express why is a challenge. The best part was our hike up the Narrows, the path up into the throat of the canyon. You continually have to wade into the river, crossing back and forth to tiny spits of sand and grass that grow up against the walls of beautiful sandstone. Red, orange, yellow, white walls, every color of stripes and layers, carved by wind and water over thousands of years... or is it millions?

More soon. I'm on the computer in Sequoia Nat'l park - we're staying our last night in a lodge on an alpine lake, and waking up early, I wandered to the lobby and found this computer. The keys are sticky and I'm finding it hard to type!


Leah Brooks at 5:10 AM

Thursday, September 18, 2003

How Much is Inside a Sharpie? - Part 1

I wanted to post something for Leah in case she connected during her trip so that she sould have something different and interesting to read. The jury is out on this post, but maybe it qualifies as mind candy trivia How Much is Inside a Sharpie? - Part 1
R.G. Brooks at 2:53 PM

Monday, September 15, 2003

On Sunday, the dawn broke hot and it just got hotter. The crows in our neighborhood began complaining immediately, as they always do when the sun comes up. Their clatter gradually got louder and louder, and I went out on the porch to see what what disturbing them. From all directions, crows were flying towards the tall birch trees in the neighbor's yard behind our house. Already, a large collection was seated in the tree, bending the supple branches at the top, fluttering and bouncing around as new crows arrived. It was impossible not to feel like I was on the set of Hitchcock's "The Birds", because the soundtrack was identical!

I leashed up the dog and we went around the block to see if there was some explanation for their crow caucus, but none was to be found. The collective term "an argument of crows" seemed quite appropriate.. crows never seem to have a polite thing to say about anything. My neighbor and I, the only ones out at that early Sunday hour, wondered about earthquakes and warning signs and the ominous look of a couple hundred crows in a tree.
Leah Brooks at 11:10 AM

Thursday, September 11, 2003

I've got pre-vacation syndrome. Busier than I like to be, and less motivation than one might want to get that work done. Everyone just must have it done before I go. Last minute requests and new deadlines appear out of nowhere.

I don't know why I respond to work pressure by wasting time here at the ole blogsite, but that's the way it is.

Here is a picture of one of the cutest children on the planet, my friend Andrea's daughter, Jemima.


Leah Brooks at 3:19 PM

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

I love the fact that the Segway was conceived of and created. However, I really don't think that it looks "cool" enough for people to want. It is a great solution for those who don't want to go any faster than a person can walk, but who may have difficulty doing so. But face it, we all want to zoom a little bit. When Donna broke her leg and we travelled together to Portland, she rented a motorized chair to get around in. We had so much fun zipping around on that thing. I stood on the back, behind her (not allowed) and we raced down the hotel hallway. We pushed through crowds, urging them aside with the little horn. A Segway, no matter how intellectually cool (anything with a gyro in it ... ), doesn't have the oomph that that little chair had. Maybe if they add racing stripes??
Leah Brooks at 10:52 AM

Tuesday, September 09, 2003

Optical Illusions

I just love optical illusions.. observed the "moon effect" again last night, and darned if I can figure it out. But here are some more mind-boggling ones, that just make your mind and eyes hurt while trying to figure out how they seem to move, but really don't.
Leah Brooks at 4:24 PM

Sunday, September 07, 2003

Getting used to home

Lola has been gradually getting used to the idea that this is her home - not the humane society, where she was for 2 months. It's interesting to watch how she starts to trust that we are her people, which spaces are okay and which are not, and that she has the right to eat in peace. This morning, she initiated a game with me and in the backyard for the first time. She gleefully caught her ball and brought it back, and fake-growled as I tried to take it away. What joy.

Everyone is falling in love with this dog, including Eve, who since I've known her has never paid attention to a dog, and has claimed to "not be a dog person", almost to the point of seeming to hate them. Friday night she was sitting on the floor with Lola, and on Saturday, she left Lola a voice mail. Now that speaks of major personal power on the part of the dog.

Leah Brooks at 9:46 AM

Friday, September 05, 2003

Database news

Normally, I post things that happen to me, and not news items, but since I AM a database geek, I'll post this story about the creation of a Global Film Database. It will be an online catalog of the world's movie and broadcasting treasures for researchers, historians, educators and the public. Cool! can't wait!
Leah Brooks at 12:24 PM

Tuesday, September 02, 2003

Welcome, Lola!

Lola the elkhound/chow mix has entered our lives.. she is so very different from Bailey, but I have a feeling she will fit in just fine. She is energetic and stubborn (whatever Lola wants...), has a lovely curley tail and heavy fur that is soft to the touch. She has a black tongue (it's the chow in her).

Her "pound name" was Priscilla, because she came in with Elvis. Elvis got adopted, and she was so sad. We are keeping the Presley family connection by giving her the middle name of Marie. Now we can say that Priscilla is her "stage name" or "soap opera name", by which she once was known.


Leah Brooks at 4:06 PM