He was convinced there was no egress from this nightmare of corridors. Minutes ago Mehtab had stood on the roof, overlooking a yard encircled by hoarding and floodlights, and could actually see the way out to the desert; but naturally it had changed when he descended … Continue reading Egress: Games and Revolutions
So remember a couple weeks back when the wife and I drove up to Minot on a mission? (if not, check back later, I have to bedazzle all my posts after I get home every day) Well, I am now revealing that the object of … Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: An Unusual POV, #4: Proud o’ my wheels
Do you remember all the toys you had as a kid?
I had plenty of toys as a kid, and for the most part you could say that they fit into these broad categories; there were building toys, action figures, stuffed animals, plastic vehicles, remote-controlled vehicles, and books. I count books because they were significant part of my life, especially when I was a kid. However, discounting books as toys since they would win hands down considering how much I read as a kid, do I really remember what my favorite toy was?
I can tell you with absolute confidence that the one toy that I miss most, and the one that I would have back if I could, was my stuffed buffalo. I could get another stuffed buffalo, but I have never seen one like the one I had when I was a kid. And I’m really not sure I could describe it, but I know it when I see it. That being said, I don’t think the buffalo would qualify as my favorite toy per se.
You see, as a kid I was really preoccupied with building toys. Now when I say building toys, I’m talking about the kind of toys you use to build things; I had Lincoln Logs, I had Legos, I had Construx; then there were various models that I mangled; but I really liked to make stuff. It made me feel creative, it have me purpose in my play, it helped to build my imagination. So if there’s a favorite that I had it was a building toy. When I was younger it was Legos, but when I was older, I began to get into Construx, which if you have never seen it, is like a plastic snap-together erector set. Speaking of erector sets – I’ve seen them, I’ve heard others say they had them, but I never did. It might have to do with all the little pieces. As it was, my Dad threatened to throw away my Legos if he ever stepped on one when they were given to me, and for what it’s worth that still makes me laugh to think of it, I don’t know why.
As an adult, I still enjoy creating, crafting, and building things, and the building toys taught me that it was possible: that piece by piece things can still be created from scratch; and this is important in a world that is largely manufactured by machines. This is where hand-making renegades get their courage: through this confidence that everything is made not by magic, but by discrete processes that can still be done to some extent by hand. I’ve made hand bound journals, knitted and crocheted articles of clothing, and cobbled together structures of wood. Nothing is beyond my reach if I only have the materials and the know-how plus time.
And sometimes I still fool around with my Legos.
This post was prompted by today’s Daily Post prompt.
So do you ever get to feeling like all anyone ever does online is complain about stuff?
This ain’t the barter system, baby. You want my future in six words? I make it to one hundred.
Dear friends and readers, I have had this questionnaire put to me: 1. What is your favorite beverage? 2. How many hours do you sleep at night? 3. What do you eat for breakfast? 4. Do you like to cook and why? 5. How do … Continue reading Do I really like questionnaires?
I thought that it might be nice to share a few of the things that I find around the Internet while I’m being distracted from running and writing in the morning – things that I like, things that I feel like I should share with my readers and that I don’t really know if I could do justice for in just one post. Hence we have the Surf Report: a roundup of things I have to share with all of my wonderful readers.
First in the roundup today is an article I just finished reading about why counting Calories may be an inaccurate gauge of nutritional content and intake. I thought it was interesting because I am myself on a restricted-Calorie diet, and some of the science behind this new thought on Calories may explain why that works for me.
Why We Can’t Rely On Counting Calories
Next we have this TED video – I told myself I wasn’t going to do this to you, but it’s a fifteen-minute video about stress and how the idea that it’s bad for us is a bunch of baloney that’s conditioning us to kill ourselves physiologically when we are under stress. I think everyone should watch this, it really speaks to the reach of the positive attitude’s power on ourselves.
Finally, if you’d like a light snack, try making popcorn with the Swedish Chef:
Stay out of trouble!
🙂
“Well, Vern – ” “Well?” Vern returned Carl’s look of mischievous intent. Every time the old feller gave that look, he dropped a line that was so heavily baited it could snap a tree trunk. Thank heavens he only did it when the Coffee Stop … Continue reading Chronicles of the Dragon Runner, lap 1: An Unusual POV
Today’s photo comes from my run. Part of the trail at the end of the River Road Trail was closed with fresh blacktop on it, so I had to improvise a route that would get me back to my usual path. I ended up following … Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: An Unusual POV, #3: Lost in the Woods
Back in May of 2011, I posted an infographic about how sitting is killing you. At the time, I was posting a couple times a week, averaging about 3-5 views a day (basically, nobody was reading my blog at the time); I wanted to blog, but … Continue reading What am I really excited about?
Rob's Surf Report 