I am the person who changes the station when CPR starts their pledgedrives, and the person who makes up a pressing engagement when those Environment Colorado people accost you. But this is cool. Cool enough that I am going to donate. If you want to be cool, you should too. And maybe give something to NPR. For the both of us.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tyingtheknot/tying-the-knot-short-film-story-of-a-closeted-poli?ref=live
Plus, give a little get a little. Some cool swag could be yours if you donate. And if you give the big bucks, you could get an invitation to sit with the cast and crew. And they are cute.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Screw teacup pigs
Tiny dogs are cute. Tiny pigs are cuter. But cutest of all? Petite pachyderms. The trend of acquiring the shrink-a-dink versions of normal animals will reach its climax once I adopt a pygmy hippo. This may sounds like some sort of sick paradox, but really, its a tiny hippo! And I want one. Take note Santa.
I am going to walk around with it so that I can feel like a GIANT. I will go "Roooooaaaaarrrr I AM HUGE. ADORE ME ANT-LIKE PEOPLE," at which point, you might counter, "but you are the same size as us" and I will reply, "But I am bigger than this hippo, so I am obviously GINORMOUS. Bow down to your master." And you will have to, because my logic is flawless. And I will name it Hippy Longstocking. And we will go to the park and play fetch, except she won't go get the ball because Hippos don't fetch. Obvi (I mean, hippos aren't dogs, sheesh). Then we can go swimming together and I will ride on her back. There will be music, and birds draping ribbons around us, and rainbows shooting through the sky.
http://news.discovery.com/animals/baby-pygmy-hippo-110607.html
Also, props to the hippo's mom, she is 25 years older than her baby daddy. Cougrrrrrrrrrrr.
If you are reading this and wondering, wtf does this have to do with laura, or anthropology, or really anything, the answer is: get me a pygmy hippo and we will find out.
I am going to walk around with it so that I can feel like a GIANT. I will go "Roooooaaaaarrrr I AM HUGE. ADORE ME ANT-LIKE PEOPLE," at which point, you might counter, "but you are the same size as us" and I will reply, "But I am bigger than this hippo, so I am obviously GINORMOUS. Bow down to your master." And you will have to, because my logic is flawless. And I will name it Hippy Longstocking. And we will go to the park and play fetch, except she won't go get the ball because Hippos don't fetch. Obvi (I mean, hippos aren't dogs, sheesh). Then we can go swimming together and I will ride on her back. There will be music, and birds draping ribbons around us, and rainbows shooting through the sky.
http://news.discovery.com/animals/baby-pygmy-hippo-110607.html
Also, props to the hippo's mom, she is 25 years older than her baby daddy. Cougrrrrrrrrrrr.
If you are reading this and wondering, wtf does this have to do with laura, or anthropology, or really anything, the answer is: get me a pygmy hippo and we will find out.
Monday, June 6, 2011
It's the company you keep
Because cool people (or weird people) hang out with others of their ilk. If you have 5 minutes and want a study of the awesomeness and randomness of this world:
http://awesomepeoplehangingouttogether.tumblr.com/
http://awesomepeoplehangingouttogether.tumblr.com/
Friday, June 3, 2011
Appreciation
I think it's time that we all show a little appreciation in our daily lives. Often, when we get really busy, we forget about all the things that make our lives so great. It's important to take time to express how important the little things are. Like the sun on your face, the chirping of birds, puppies playing in the grass, or, most importantly, SKULLS.
They do so much for you...they act as a safe-deposit box for your noggin', they support your beautiful face (I mean, imagine a face with no bone structure.....not the stuff wet dreams are made of), and for people like me (shout out ANTHROPOLOGEEKS!), they tell a nuanced story of the past.
So, in honor of skulls (cue trumpets), tomorrow is Skull Appreciation Day. It is a national holiday, like maybe the banks might even close. So be sure to celebrate and keep in mind all the skulls that have touched your life.
For those of you who will be in the Richmond area, head on over to this great consortium of craniums.
For the rest of you, get a scalp massage, wear a helmet when you bike, and stop banging your head against the wall.
Let's all take this day to salute the wonders of the human skull and to say thanks to skulls for all they do, we wouldn't be alive without them. No really, we wouldn't.
They do so much for you...they act as a safe-deposit box for your noggin', they support your beautiful face (I mean, imagine a face with no bone structure.....not the stuff wet dreams are made of), and for people like me (shout out ANTHROPOLOGEEKS!), they tell a nuanced story of the past.
So, in honor of skulls (cue trumpets), tomorrow is Skull Appreciation Day. It is a national holiday, like maybe the banks might even close. So be sure to celebrate and keep in mind all the skulls that have touched your life.
For the rest of you, get a scalp massage, wear a helmet when you bike, and stop banging your head against the wall.
Let's all take this day to salute the wonders of the human skull and to say thanks to skulls for all they do, we wouldn't be alive without them. No really, we wouldn't.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Dancing queens
A sample of the delights of San Pedro:
Today I walked out of the museum and happened upon the Day of Dance, sponsored by the San Pedro Municipality. I think I missed the bulk of it, but I did get to see the last three dances and that was a treat, in oh-so-many ways.
The first dance I saw was something of the twirling in unison, sweep arm up, sweep arm down all while wearing a strangely painted unitard genre. Like a CC Dance Workshop production, only without spotlights and Imogen Heap playing. So no photos of that, not really worth the memory card space.
The second dance was like someone combined kindergarden and mind-altering drugs. And I am only half sarcastic. Twelve little girls in leotards with turquoise tulle wings and some kick-ass facepaint were rocking out to Over and Over by Hot Chip and Rehab by Amy Winehouse. They were supposed to be butterflies, but they were the kind of butterflies I imagine one would see if they had just taken LSD -- doing the robot, doing some crazy circle dance things, disco-ing. This is all just speculation, as I have never taken LSD, but they were pretty trippy awesome. And incredibly well choreographed for it being a production of wriggly girls under the age of 10.
Then there was the last number in which 8 adolescents booty-shook and break-danced. The four boys were pretty good, doing flips, cartwheels, and quite a few semi-acrobatic moves. The girls were pretty good at making me uncomfortable, doing pop and lock-its, butt-shaking, and quite a few semi-indecent moves. Their dance was equivalent to what I would assume one would see in a strip club, if I frequented such places (maybe I should get out into the world more so I wouldn't have to speculate so much about things like LSD or strip clubs--or not), only they did not remove any clothing, which was good because there was not much there to begin with. It made me feel a little violated. And more than a little concerned for the future of mankind. But maybe the future of mankind just includes a lot of provocative dancing and iridescent purple animal print "clothes."
This image was cropped for modesty. And I had to delete all the others because I felt like a dirty perv having them on my computer.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good: Apparently, it is not uncommon for people to sell treats office-to-office in the museum. So far I have partaken of fresh squeezed mango juice and homemade cake (still warm!). I didn't even have to leave my chair in the lab. Dear fat kid.....
The Bad: It is now coat-in-the-lab season. Even though it gets to be beautiful, warm, and sunny t-shirt weather outside, I am wearing a coat while working. At least it hasn't become mitten-in-the-lab season yet.
The Ugly: In the past couple of days I have seen some gnarly mouths. Yesterday I collected data from a man who's canine was growing diagonally across his face, barely sticking out where his first incisor should be. The lady who just passed my station was congenitally missing a premolar on one side, and so to compensate her other premolar on that side was growing completely sidewise. Blech. In addition, I have seen caries and abscesses that make me want to bust out the toothbrush five times a day. Cringe.
The Bad: It is now coat-in-the-lab season. Even though it gets to be beautiful, warm, and sunny t-shirt weather outside, I am wearing a coat while working. At least it hasn't become mitten-in-the-lab season yet.
The Ugly: In the past couple of days I have seen some gnarly mouths. Yesterday I collected data from a man who's canine was growing diagonally across his face, barely sticking out where his first incisor should be. The lady who just passed my station was congenitally missing a premolar on one side, and so to compensate her other premolar on that side was growing completely sidewise. Blech. In addition, I have seen caries and abscesses that make me want to bust out the toothbrush five times a day. Cringe.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Premolars and panoramas
I consider today a case study in the awesomeness that is San Pedro. I will present it to you as an example of all the wonderful things this place holds and an argument for why there is no reason that your butt is not on a plane right now headed down to see me.
I spent part of my morning measuring crania (hopefully this will turn into the most studly study of genetic affinity ever to hit the Middle Horizon). Then the museum director and I brought order to the giant chaos that is the deposito 2. We arranged all of the Solcor 3 cemetery remains into numerical order by tomb number. I was in anal retentive heaven. The morning was capped off with a lunch of tacos, curry vegetables, and watermelon juice. That is right -- fresh WATERMELON in JUICE form. Yum frickin' yum. If you have seen the "Chile is the land of bountiful fruits and vegetables" commercials, you know what I am talking about.
Then the real fun began. After lunch, I learned how to make casts of the dentition from our skeletons. If you have ever been to the dentist (ahem, boyfriend), you may remember when they do the casts and it is icky and tastes like what bubblegum, grape, or mint might taste like in hell. Well that is what my skeletons got to errr, enjoy. We used an alginate to make a negative impression, and then filled that with plaster to make a positive. One of mine broke, but the other turned out just swell. Photos of the process are in the works (That means I haven't taken any and probably won't ever). Which is too bad for you because you will just have to imagine me with the diabolical look all dentists possess, a facemask, and a skull themed apron slapping a tray full of pink goop onto a thousand-plus year old skull.
But before you get too caught up in that imagery, let's move on to the coup de resistance. I rode my bike home and what was waiting for me but this:
Life is pretty damn good.
I spent part of my morning measuring crania (hopefully this will turn into the most studly study of genetic affinity ever to hit the Middle Horizon). Then the museum director and I brought order to the giant chaos that is the deposito 2. We arranged all of the Solcor 3 cemetery remains into numerical order by tomb number. I was in anal retentive heaven. The morning was capped off with a lunch of tacos, curry vegetables, and watermelon juice. That is right -- fresh WATERMELON in JUICE form. Yum frickin' yum. If you have seen the "Chile is the land of bountiful fruits and vegetables" commercials, you know what I am talking about.
Then the real fun began. After lunch, I learned how to make casts of the dentition from our skeletons. If you have ever been to the dentist (ahem, boyfriend), you may remember when they do the casts and it is icky and tastes like what bubblegum, grape, or mint might taste like in hell. Well that is what my skeletons got to errr, enjoy. We used an alginate to make a negative impression, and then filled that with plaster to make a positive. One of mine broke, but the other turned out just swell. Photos of the process are in the works (That means I haven't taken any and probably won't ever). Which is too bad for you because you will just have to imagine me with the diabolical look all dentists possess, a facemask, and a skull themed apron slapping a tray full of pink goop onto a thousand-plus year old skull.
But before you get too caught up in that imagery, let's move on to the coup de resistance. I rode my bike home and what was waiting for me but this:
Life is pretty damn good.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Fulbright conversations
And here is the highly intellectual discourse two Fulbrighters shared yesterday:
Me: STTTTTRRRREEEEETTTTTTCCCCCCCHHHHH
Fellow intellectual: Are you making baby dinosaurs in there?
Me: STTTTTRRRREEEEETTTTTTCCCCCCCHHHHH
Fellow intellectual: Are you making baby dinosaurs in there?
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
News from the Atacama
I know you all have been eagerly awaiting my blog post, and so I am here to please. I arrived in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, safe and sound. Life is wonderful, beautiful, and both immensely complicated and simple all at the same time. Life in San Pedro is at a much slower pace, which is very nice. However, with my spanish ability equivalent to that of a three year old and the basic errands of every day life a little different here, getting anything done has proved difficult. But I know you all have lots of pressing questions, so here is my very own San Pedro Q&A:
1) Yes there is running water. It is usually hot. No we do not drink it unless under duress. There is bottled water for that. And no there is no recycling and I am trying to apologize to the earth for messing it up even more with my plastic bottles, so if you know its number, can you send it to me?
2) There is electricity, phone, and even internet. Yes, even 100 miles from real civilization you can check facebook (not that I will be posting photos, so don't ask). And you can even get 500 channels on dish network if you are so inclined.
3) Blair is here!!!!! She got here on Sunday and we have been having a blast ever since. She has lots of work to do :( but still manages to be awesome and fun! Thank god, because I couldn't imagine enough trouble to get into by myself.
4) I am about to rent a house. Right now I am living in a tourist cabin until my house is ready. The rent is about the same as an apartment in Denver. And going out to dinner can be even more, easily. So don't think you will all be getting awesome alpaca scarves because that alone would be more than the GDP of several small nations.
5) I have a sexy, sexy bike. It is shiny silver with black and red accents. The guys who I bought it from were so drunk they put the pedals on wrong not once, but three times. This can be excused because it is Carnival (related to Mardi Gras) here this week. And also because the bike only put me out $130, instead of the $400+ I would have paid for a new bike. I am accepting name applications, because sexy sexy bike is not the name of a bike you can bring home to mom and dad.
6) If any of you are single and wish to meet some Chilean men, I can hook you up. I have several friends that are very nice. Obviously they will not be as good-looking/charming/funny as my boyfriend, but he is taken. And don't even think about stealing my man. I will come home and kick your butt.
7) I am very happy. I miss home, friends, family, thai food, and my boyfriend. But life is nice and I can't say this isn't an amazing adventure.
Pictures of this year's trip will be coming soon....At the moment I can only leave you with some parting shots from past years.
1) Yes there is running water. It is usually hot. No we do not drink it unless under duress. There is bottled water for that. And no there is no recycling and I am trying to apologize to the earth for messing it up even more with my plastic bottles, so if you know its number, can you send it to me?
2) There is electricity, phone, and even internet. Yes, even 100 miles from real civilization you can check facebook (not that I will be posting photos, so don't ask). And you can even get 500 channels on dish network if you are so inclined.
3) Blair is here!!!!! She got here on Sunday and we have been having a blast ever since. She has lots of work to do :( but still manages to be awesome and fun! Thank god, because I couldn't imagine enough trouble to get into by myself.
4) I am about to rent a house. Right now I am living in a tourist cabin until my house is ready. The rent is about the same as an apartment in Denver. And going out to dinner can be even more, easily. So don't think you will all be getting awesome alpaca scarves because that alone would be more than the GDP of several small nations.
5) I have a sexy, sexy bike. It is shiny silver with black and red accents. The guys who I bought it from were so drunk they put the pedals on wrong not once, but three times. This can be excused because it is Carnival (related to Mardi Gras) here this week. And also because the bike only put me out $130, instead of the $400+ I would have paid for a new bike. I am accepting name applications, because sexy sexy bike is not the name of a bike you can bring home to mom and dad.
6) If any of you are single and wish to meet some Chilean men, I can hook you up. I have several friends that are very nice. Obviously they will not be as good-looking/charming/funny as my boyfriend, but he is taken. And don't even think about stealing my man. I will come home and kick your butt.
7) I am very happy. I miss home, friends, family, thai food, and my boyfriend. But life is nice and I can't say this isn't an amazing adventure.
(Top to bottom: Town church at night; me in a salt mine; Red Fox; view of Licancabur Volcano from the museum)
(Top to bottom: Me imitating the dinosaur-head like rock formation; the ever-present backpacker; dog eating the equivalent of go-gurt)
Monday, February 14, 2011
V-day stands for vomit
I know some of you throw up in your mouths a little as a result of the mushy-gushiness that is ubiquitous on Valentine's Day. Today I am throwing up in my mouth, and the toilet, and a little bit the floor (cleaned that up, don't worry). But likely more due to a bug or the 4 pieces of heart-shaped pizza and 1/3 of a cake I wolfed down.
So much for romance. I don't need flowers, or chocolates, or diamonds. Just a bucket. And maybe some gingerale.
And boyfriend still loves this Pukey McPukerton. Which is pretty remarkable given that this is definitely not the grossest I have been lately, by far. So I love you honey! More than I love the toilet right now, which is saying a lot.
So much for romance. I don't need flowers, or chocolates, or diamonds. Just a bucket. And maybe some gingerale.
And boyfriend still loves this Pukey McPukerton. Which is pretty remarkable given that this is definitely not the grossest I have been lately, by far. So I love you honey! More than I love the toilet right now, which is saying a lot.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Because oppression is funny?!?!
Dear Groupon,
I love a good deal. And I love any company that facilitates me getting a good deal. But, let's put that in the past tense because it is time for us to break up. You are rude, crude, and have a bad attitude, dude.
But seriously,
Making light of oppressed peoples and using them in your marketing ploys is frankly offensive. The conflict in Tibet is not something that should be mocked and used to make a buck. It is repulsive that you would even consider using a people's struggle as an advertising campaign, let alone invest millions of dollars in doing so. Seeing as how you have enough spare cash to put into such tasteless ads, why don't you take a fraction of that and invest in any of the causes you so brashly deride?
And by the way, setting up a web page where we can donate to those causes does not absolve your guilt. Especially when the title of said website is "Save the Money." Learn a lesson from the Kenneth Cole fiasco. Struggles for basic human rights and the freedom of speech, which you so carelessly abuse, are not a laughing matter. Use your power to speak up for those who have been marginalized instead of adding further to their plight.
Groupon, what you have presented is a lousy deal. It may be that I have no sense of humor, or that I am being too sensitive, but I am not interested in supporting any company that is so blatantly money-centric that they turn real issues into plugs for coupons.
You have a year until the next super bowl, and I hope you take that time to fire all of your marketing staff, re-evaluate the direction your company is going in, and stop being such tools. Then, maybe we can talk.
Until then, I will have to live my life at full price.
I love a good deal. And I love any company that facilitates me getting a good deal. But, let's put that in the past tense because it is time for us to break up. You are rude, crude, and have a bad attitude, dude.
But seriously,
Making light of oppressed peoples and using them in your marketing ploys is frankly offensive. The conflict in Tibet is not something that should be mocked and used to make a buck. It is repulsive that you would even consider using a people's struggle as an advertising campaign, let alone invest millions of dollars in doing so. Seeing as how you have enough spare cash to put into such tasteless ads, why don't you take a fraction of that and invest in any of the causes you so brashly deride?
And by the way, setting up a web page where we can donate to those causes does not absolve your guilt. Especially when the title of said website is "Save the Money." Learn a lesson from the Kenneth Cole fiasco. Struggles for basic human rights and the freedom of speech, which you so carelessly abuse, are not a laughing matter. Use your power to speak up for those who have been marginalized instead of adding further to their plight.
Groupon, what you have presented is a lousy deal. It may be that I have no sense of humor, or that I am being too sensitive, but I am not interested in supporting any company that is so blatantly money-centric that they turn real issues into plugs for coupons.
You have a year until the next super bowl, and I hope you take that time to fire all of your marketing staff, re-evaluate the direction your company is going in, and stop being such tools. Then, maybe we can talk.
Until then, I will have to live my life at full price.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Artifactupon?
I have a love-hate relationship with Stumbleupon. I love it because it unlocks a world of strange and wonderful -- wedding cake recipes, hipster translators, inspirational quotes, pictures of nebulas. However, I have come to hate it because all of a sudden it is three hours later and I am staring at yet another picture of a kitten sitting in a bowl. It's like gambling. Only free. And maybe slightly more addictive.
Only I have now found something even better [For those of you suffering/recovering from a stumbling addiction STOP READING NOW. DO NOT GO ON].
The Te Papa Museum in New Zealand has an online collections page where you can click on a button and a series of six objects is chosen randomly just for you! And you can click it as many times as you want! And you can see hundreds and hundreds of amazing objects!
And I need to take a breath because I am getting a little too excited for my asthmatic good.....
But, it is amazing and wonderful and addictive. And at the end of three hours you come away with more than the knowledge that cats haz cheezeburgers.
So I am providing this link to you for your own enjoyment. I know you are all mature adults and will make your own choices in life, but proceed with caution -- it may suck you in.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
ICE ICE Baby
Denver is colder today than Antartica. That's right COLDER than frickin' Antartica. You are a disgrace weather. Here is a picture so that you can visualize the cold. If you need help, put a bunch of ice cubes down your shirt, wet you hair, and step into a walk-in freezer. That might approximate it.
Ok, truth be told, this picture was not actually taken today. Because it is so COLD out that I refuse to go outside at all. Not even to take a picture. Especially not to take a picture. Because I am not a penguin, a snow petrel or even an elephant seal. And I am also not a dedicated enough photographer/blogger. So sorry. But not really because I am warm and cozy.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Three Ts
Boyfriend: "Oh, we should have gotten more eggs when we were at the store."
Me: "But we got toilet paper, so it's ok."
Boyfriend: "Yeah, all you need in life is toilet paper, tissues, and trash bags."
Damn straight. This is why I love the man.
Me: "But we got toilet paper, so it's ok."
Boyfriend: "Yeah, all you need in life is toilet paper, tissues, and trash bags."
Damn straight. This is why I love the man.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Hello Hello!
Hello there!
I'm Laura and this is my brand spanking new blog (ok, it's a little old and has been sitting here empty for a few weeks). My new year's resolution was to improve my relationship with technology; we kind of broke up back in the giga-pet days. But broken giga-hearts aside, here is my first, albeit somewhat feeble, attempt at being a member of the 21st century.
This is a picture of me. On a caterpillar. Because nothing says modernity like a caterpillar. If you are game, which I'm guessing you are since you are reading this, you should follow me and my magical caterpillar -- not a euphemism -- as we try to get our geek on in the world of mankind...
I'm Laura and this is my brand spanking new blog (ok, it's a little old and has been sitting here empty for a few weeks). My new year's resolution was to improve my relationship with technology; we kind of broke up back in the giga-pet days. But broken giga-hearts aside, here is my first, albeit somewhat feeble, attempt at being a member of the 21st century.
This is a picture of me. On a caterpillar. Because nothing says modernity like a caterpillar. If you are game, which I'm guessing you are since you are reading this, you should follow me and my magical caterpillar -- not a euphemism -- as we try to get our geek on in the world of mankind...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)