I re read for the dozenth time, A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'engle. It is a short quick read, one that I loved as a kid and still enjoy reading today. It was published in 1962. According to a Wiki article, it was written between 1959-1960. It was rejected numerous times because it was considered too 'different' but eventually won several awards. Tesseracts are just too fun.




I've read but once a few of her other books. I wonder if they would still hold the same appeal. Perhaps one day soon I will wander over to the library and see of they are available to borrow.

The reading of this book came from a need to read something quick moving and light. I've been reading though my old business books, some health information books and then the usual assortment of science, particularly physics/quantum physics books and magazines. I go a bit slower on the latter, because I find my mind wandering thinking about the subject matter and its implications. Whenever a friend is curious about the subject but does not know where to starts, I often recommend anything by Robert Gilmore, particularly, "Alice in Quantumland: an allegory of quantum physics". It provides the concepts through use of characters in a loose story line. I enjoy the visualizations of the story. Other books I have by him include, "The Wizard of Quarks: A Fantasy of Particle Physics", "Scrooge's Cryptic Carol: Visions of Time, Energy and Quantum Nature" and Once Upon a Universe: Not-So-Grimm Tales of Cosmology". Good stuff. Other recommendations are passed over with a glazed look on their face. oh well. haha


I've never gotten very far in the math arena, so I generally stay away from the mechanics. Although I have a feeling I would 'get it' if I tried. There is something appealing in numbers and formulas. I find myself often needing to reacquaint myself with classical physics. I often forget what something means, or it feels just out of reach in recollection. Not often am I in conversations that allow for the practice of concretely accommodating the information. But it is perpetually fascinating to me nonetheless.

I'm working through the book "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan, after watching the Cosmos series on DVD recently (13 hour long episodes, done well and still relative despite it being produced back in 1980 and updates in 1990). The book follows along the old PBS series fairly closely, each chapter reading like an essay. I have the smaller paperback version, so there aren't as many pictures as the large book. One day that will be added to my collection- both the bigger book and the series. A recommended read (and viewing) for anyone curious about the cosmos.

Awesome weekend weather-wise, hmmm? I recall this time last year we had some 80's perfect weather and in taking advantage of the gorgeous day, I took a slew of pictures, but I don't think I eve posted them here. I recall seeing people at the parks engaging in picnics, stone-skipping along the lake, people sitting individually reading in little grassy spots, boaters and so on. Even though the temps can get summer like warm, it still has that aire of autumn. The sun is lower, the earth smells are more pungent and of course, the organic scenery; leaves are turning color, pumpkins are ubiquitous, flowers are dwindling, and mums are blooming. This week we may see a day like that. Hope the wind and rain holds off, and that if you can work it, make a day of hooky happen.

So I want to get some good long walks and/or hiking in soon. I haven't really gotten out much it seems, not in comparison to other times in my life. Anyway, my boyfriend, his son (who is 3) and I went to the erie canal (in lockport) and fed the birds some old bread. We were marveling in the day, of "indian summer" and I was telling him of last years warm days as mentioned above. I said, 'if I blogged about it, then the temperature would have been documented as well.Not so much because I typed it out, but because (e:paul) has the temps included as part of each post-header information.' Just tickled me how relevant that bit of info was/is.

And as we remember, and as (e:jim,46056) posted pictures of recently, that two years before, it was much much different sort of weather than what we are enjoying right now. It is weird to see those pictures. I was just looking at a few that I took while sitting on the 290 for a couple of hours that crazy night. I was posting from my car, as well. I remember once i got close to Youngstown, not a flake of snow was to be seen.

Well, anyhow, enjoy the rest of the weekend. Get outside and play!!

Little known medical fact: Chuck Norris invented the Cesarean section when he roundhouse-kicked his way out of his mother's womb.

Love the Norrisisms

Oh and a post on office supplies.

yeh, office supplies.

sorry.


Office supplies are fun for some reason. I like the way certain pens and pencils feel. I love a fresh pad of yellow cambridge paper. I regularly carry a steno pad and either a binder or padfolio. I use post-its of all sizes in everything I do. If I still wrote in a paper journal, I would add that to my list. I used to love picking out a book to write in. Its been years and I still haven't finished the one I last bought. Occasionally it is written in, but not often and certainly not with any eloquence like in previous journal book writings. Also, I like my surroundings to be organized and some office supplies offer a fun, attractive way to do just that.

I have been in need of a planner. Well, a calender. But not a wall hanging one. Something that has the days of the month in blocks so I can write appointments, deadlines etc down. Yet not a big desk calender either. Nor the tiny month by month travel style- that is just too small. Yet something I can carry around with me. I know what I want and maybe only once before have I found what I really want which would be something the size of a notebook. I've been looking and had contemplated making my own (but don't really trust my skills in making it look decent). In the past, I have only found planners that have a smaller than I want full page calender followed by either a slew of pages for daily or weekly 'at a glance' with more than sufficient space to write along with a bunch of extra pages and sections for things I never use such as a special notebook section, address book, contacts, international money conversion tables and so on. I've yanked out the sections I didn't want to use and always found myself with an emaciated version of what I had originally purchased. Many of the planner options are very attractive looking, especially the cases some of them come in, but much of it is simply wasteful to me. So my search continued.
My idea of a planner is something that can't really be made for me, so I modify them to my needs, and have found that a calender style works best. My needs are simple, I write very small, and I need to view the whole month before me. Any extra notes are jotted down on a steno pad. Or a sticky note. That's how I roll.

I was quite surprised to find a planner, well, "monthly calender" that was exactly what I want. Notebook size, open it up and there is the whole month with each day displaying adequate size boxes, and a small section that shows the previous and following month, and a little "note" section. Very simple, thin and very much what I like. It even has hole punches so I can add it to my binder (used for active projects, relevant magazine articles, a notebook, pens, post its etc). Or it is thin enough to slip it into my Padfolio (carried over from back in the school days, also love this for meetings, workshops, taking notes on books, or for anytime I want to carry a specific days work project as the binder is rather big and heavy) or it can be shoved into my daily bag/purse if I wish, depending on the days itinerary. I don't really care what it looks like. This one is quite colorful, and that is fine with me. No unicorns, haha

As I have a 'thing' for office supplies (almost as much as computer stuff), I found a new padfolio for a reasonable price. My old one is just that, old. I love it, but it is beat up; more so on the inside than the outside. The leather simply holds up really well. I have another that I have used, but the front has a plate on it engraved with the name of a prior company I had worked for.Might be silly, but some parts of my past I like to keep there. My padfolio is reserved for current going-ons. So when I saw this one, I bought it. It is something new and actually much different than any of the traditional folder style I have used. This pad is slender, but it has an additional section (opposite where the paper pad lives) that allows for me to tuck away a folder (or my calander!), and a small zipper part and a place for business cards or whatever. Also, the whole contraption zips up, which I find appealing since i have been concerned in the past that the stuff in my padfolio would fall out or get torn up from all the jostling through my travels.

yup, that is my story. To make it a little more interesting, I offer pictures of my finds.







And to back up the title of this post and opening line, a couple of clearance folders, yes, folders that I had to purchase:


chuck norris had his tonsils removed with a chain saw


chuck norris beat the sun in a staring contest

that is all.



just keeping it light...

I saw a picture of a super fluffy exotic looking cat that I hadn't seen before. Needing to find out more information, I was introduced to the Pallas Cat (felis manul). I want to hug it despite it looking like it could and would rip my face off. I love their pissy little faces. I guess they hiss a lot, even as babies. But I think they are rather cute at the same time. Kittens, of course are head exploding cute. I looked at a slew of pictures and a video of a Pallas kitten playing with a domestic kitten. It was insanely precious. I'm a dork and just spent a solid half hour looking at these cats. Oh, I found a few informative videos as well. Figured this was as good of place as any to ramble about the kitties and to post pictures for future ogling.

(WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallas%27s_cat)















ok, this is the picture I saw that sent me off trying to figure out what sort of cat it is

so I'm looking into small business stuff. Such as what steps need to be done to make it "real". I have thought about it on and off (and off and off) again for too long now. Being the master procrastinator that I can be (procrastinate now, don't put it off, I say!), it is time that I carve out some self imposed deadlines and go to it. When outside forces dictate a deadline, I work magic in the wee moments leading up to it. I thrive on it actually. However, left to my own, I get easily side tracked into an ADD-like train of thought. I end up starting millions of projects, start a few more while doing them, branch off into a forest of other distractions and then find myself at Starbucks (or some other coffee joint). Really, I am pretty organized and focus when I want, but when I'm not compelled, it can be chaos.

But all in all its not such a bad thing. I just am feeling the need to have more structure and results in my going-ons, and to be 'legit'. Building my little empire, gradually take over the world. The usual.

I'm gathering that the local small business association might be a good place to start? what are your thoughts my business minded friends?

and probably a few tax courses or something might be a good idea?

other directives?

classes in general are good for me. I tend to follow through when in a class environment. Not that I want to go back to school, i just mean, a few seminars or something might be beneficial.

I'll expand more later.. I need to get back to work.
(e:strip) related procrastinations are genuinely permissible.

update: I just found a few upcoming seminars being held at NCCC Summit Extension located at 6929 Williams Rd, Niagara Falls. (Near or at Summit Park Mall, I think?)

They are free:

1. Thursday October 23 1:30-3:30
"Financing Sources and Business Plan Development"

2. Thursday October 30th 1:30-3:30
"Developing a Marketing Plan"

3. Thursday November 6th 1:30-3:30
"Business Organizational Forms: Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Corporations and LLC's"

4. Thursday November 13th 1:30-3:30
"Record Keeping for Small Business"

to register: call 434-3815 or email: sbdc@niagaracc.suny.edu

If I keep looking, maybe I will find other stuff going on.