Posted by Michelle on Feb 15, 2010 in
This N That I just found the best site ever! How many times have you been at the movies with your bladder about to burst because you didn’t want to miss the good part? This has happened to me and my pea sized bladder countless times. RunPee.com tells you the best time to go, how long you’ll have and even gives you a cue so you don’t have to watch the clock. We went to see Wolfman this weekend and I tested it and it was correct! And get this….there’s even an app for it, complete with a countdown clock! But please, please, look it up before the movie starts or sit on the back row. There is nothing more irritating that the glow of an iPhone in the theater.
Posted by Michelle on Nov 23, 2009 in
Miscellaneous I’ve noticed this year that we have gone straight from Halloween to Christmas! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I think it deserves a little more attention! : )
I work downtown and on my way to work the Monday after Halloween, I saw Christmas trees in store windows and couldn’t believe it. I was disappointed again the following week when several neighbors had Christmas lights and trees up. The home owners association gives us a certain date that the lights have to be taken down but can’t they be put up too early?
This year I saw no turkeys, no pilgrim hats or feathers. Jack-o-lanterns turned into Christmas trees. I absolutely love Christmas but my family will continue the tradition of putting the Christmas tree and decorations up the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Tags: christmas tree, decorations, halloween, lights, thanksgiving, tradition
Posted by Michelle on Nov 10, 2009 in
This N That (PhysOrg.com) — Scientists in Australia have identified a single gene that strongly influences whether you have curly or straight hair.
The study looked for genetic variations in people of European descent to identify any genes associated with curly and straight hair. People of European descent have 45% straight hair, 40% wavy, and 15% naturally curly hair. Professor Martin and colleague Dr Sarah Medland have previously found there is up to a 90% chance of inheriting the curly hair trait.
The scientists, from the Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) in Brisbane identified the TCHH gene (trichohyalin) on chromosome one as the major gene controlling the curliness of hair. TCHH has been known for over twenty years to play a role in the development of hair follicles. It is expressed in the inner root sheath of developing hair follicles.
Leader of the team, Professor Nick Martin said that variations in the gene determine how straight or curly the hair is, but more work is needed to determine the exact variant that influences curliness. Professor Martin said a variation that causes a change in an amino acid is the most likely contender.
Hair morphology has been studied extensively in Asian populations, and research carried out in Japan last year determined the genetic basis for the straight, thick hair common in East Asian populations. The differences in the FGFR2 and EDAR genes found in Asia are thought to have originated after East Asian and European populations diverged. Much less is known about the genetic basis of straight and curly hair in Europeans.
The study analyzed data collected from a 30-year study of 5000 twins of European ancestry. The twins were asked whether their hair was curly, wavy or straight, and the researchers then tried to match the hair type against the data on the genomes of the twins.
The paper was published on November 5 in the online edition of the American Journal of Human Genetics. The research is likely to have applications in the cosmetics industry and in forensics, where the knowledge may help in identifications.
More information: Common Variants in the Trichohyalin Gene Are Associated with Straight Hair in Europeans, The American Journal of Human Genetics, 09 November 2009, doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2009.10.009
Tags: curly hair, gene
Posted by Michelle on Oct 20, 2009 in
This N That I remember not so long ago when I was all nice and sweet. I would go out of my way to help people and I had tons of patience. That has all gone out the window!
A woman came in to my place of employment last week and wanted to put up a flyer of her daughter that was an advertisement for a child beauty pageant which is ridiculous enough. I wouldn’t have let her post it but she was talking to a co-worker who was nicer than me. I wanted to strangle her as she was going on and on about how these pageants build “confidence” and “character”. I remember rolling my eyes and thinking, it builds the child’s confidence or yours? How could you parade your little girl around like a prized Pomeranian?
Very seldom does a day go buy that I don’t mumble under my breath “what a freaking idiot”. Is the world full of idiots or am I becoming intolerant? I am a very happy person but it seems that I have totally lost my patience for stupid people.
A girl came in today that wanted an application for “whatever position we had open”. She just moved to town and felt that she was qualified for anything we had, I assume. Keep in mind, I work in an office environment, not Burger King. She had a piercing in her face and a some tattoos. I immediately thought, “freaking idiot”. I had to step back and try to channel that nice person who didn’t judge people by their tattoos, or appearance in general. It was difficult but I think I found her, if only briefly.
I will try to be nicer but I can’t wait until that damn pageant is over and the Pomeranian flyer is taken down. Freaking Idiot.
Tags: child pageant, freaking idiot, mean, pomeranian, tattoo
Posted by Michelle on Aug 31, 2009 in
Miscellaneous Living in Las Vegas I became used to seeing homeless people. They have an area off of highway 15 north that we call Tent City. You can see the small tents that they live in. I got used to seeing dirty people on the corner of a busy intersection holding their sympathy signs about how hungry or stranded they were. I used to look the other way and roll up my windows, I’d even lock the door. It became such an everyday occurrence that I became desensitized to it and was able to look them right in the eye with my window rolled down and tell them “no”. Then one August day, in walked Mr. & Mrs. Hurt.
I was at work when a couple walked in. I greeted her but she didn’t respond in any way. I brushed it off and waited for the man with her to come in the door. She stood quietly and patiently until he came in and walked up to my desk. He took out his pen and paper and told me that he was deaf and obviously couldn’t speak. In a series of quick notes back and forth I learned that he and his wife were displaced from hurricane Rita. They drew social security but were currently homeless. The police picked them up the night before at a Waffle House and put them up in a motel for a night. As kind as that was, they had the same problem at check-out time, back on the streets.
My place of business has nothing to do with providing help to homeless or any kind of aide. My best uneducated guess was to call the Salvation Army. They had room for the couple! I was proud to tell Mr. Hurt that I had been able to help them. He shook his head and then wrote that his wife was deaf and blind. They had been married for 25 years and he would not go to a shelter unless they could be together because she could not communicate and they didn’t want to be apart. I could feel the tears well up but I held them off so I could make more calls. After an hour and a half, someone finally suggested that I call the First United Methodist Church. The associate Pastor there was able to help but he didn’t have a vehicle available to come get the couple. I volunteered to take them to meet the Pastor at the motel near his church. I took all of our notes and put them in an envelope to help the Pastor make sense of what was going on. A co-worker and myself helped them to my car and we took them a mile away to the motel.
In between my phone calls to churches and charities and and my notes to Mr. Hurt, I saw him communicate with his wife in such a loving way. It was just sign language but I could tell that he loved her so much. Without a single word, this couple, Mr. & Mrs. Hurt, managed to touch me in a way that I will never forget. I will continue to keep them in my prayers.
Posted by Michelle on Jun 7, 2009 in
Miscellaneous A great cause that helps the members of our military and their families is Cell Phones for Soldiers. Their website provides a free shipping label or you can find a drop off location in Tulsa. Cell Phones for Soldiers send the phones to ReCellular, which pays them for each donated phone – enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad. They have distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.
Posted by Michelle on Apr 22, 2009 in
Miscellaneous Help protect your Second Amendment and join the NRA.
Free membership includes:
- 24/7 Defense of your Firearm Freedoms
- NRA’s Freedom Times Monthly E-Letter
- Your NRA Membership Card and Decal
- Savings on Hotels, Rental Cars and More
- Invitations to “Friends of NRA” Dinners and Celebration of American Values Special Events
- Free Admission to NRA’s Show With Over Five Acres of Guns, Gear and Outfitter Displays (with current membership) in Phoenix, 2009 – Charlotte, 2010 – Pittsburgh, 2011
Posted by Michelle on Apr 15, 2009 in
This N That Let me start off by saying, I keep an extremely clean house and have never seen any bugs in the house, not even flies.
Last night I saw an ant in the pantry, the little bitty ones. My husband and I gathered boxes and laundry baskets and cleaned all the food and small appliances out of our enormous pantry. I mixed up a solution of vinegar, borax, a little dish soap and water to clean the pantry shelves and floor. I had been meaning to do that for about a month now anyway. I did find lots of crumbs and some cereal on the back of shelves, my bad.
After I cleaned all the shelves and small appliances we put it all back and I was happy! As a precaution, I placed a paper towel soaked in the cleaning solution on each shelf and a small container of vinegar on a lower shelf.
This morning, I saw another ant and I went nuts! I cleared the pantry out again but before I put the food back, I got on line to see what kind of ‘ant cure’ I could find that was all natural and safe for the dogs. While searching, I even found people who LOVE ants and won’t even give advice on how to get rid of them. I didn’t ask but I looked around and was thinking about it when I saw a post that said ‘don’t even ask’. What a kook!
I saw an ant on the counter so I tested with cinnamon, I think he ate it. I tested with borax and he ran. So I trapped him in a 3″ diameter circle. He was running in circles for 10 minutes! If he went another 10 minutes, I was going to break out the video camera! Well, he finally crossed the line and died. I found another victim but he was stronger and kept crossing the line. So I made the borax barrier taller, didn’t help. I buried him in borax but he kept climbing out and running. I finally got him with my finger. lol I wish I had a magnifying glass.
I am getting obsessed and frustrated. I cannot find out where they are coming in and it is pissing me off. There aren’t a lot of them that I see at once, just 5 or 6. We had put banana peels and apple cores in the trash this morning so I put that in the garage and everything in the pantry is sealed so will they just go away if they can’t get to anything? Any suggestions would be appreciated!! Until then, the bottom of the pantry is sprinkled (heavily) with borax. Smells good though.
UPDATE!
I just read on wikihow that borax should be treated like a poison!!! I have just vacuumed the pantry and cleaned it again for the 3rd time in 12 hours. *heavy sigh*
Tags: borax, clean house, frustration, how to kill ants, poison, sadistic
Posted by Michelle on Apr 13, 2009 in
This N That I made the mistake a few years ago of telling my husband that I think he is so cute when he smokes a cigar. I quit smoking last year and hate the smell of cigarettes but I just can’t help but love it when he smokes a cigar, I just love it.
He is supposed to be smoking them outside but tonight he was standing in the living room and lit one up while giving me that “I’m so sexy” look. I started laughing as usual. We were enjoying a hardy laugh when the smoke detector went off. The dumb ass was standing right under it. LOL
Tags: cigars, smoke detector
