Music Meme

This could be embarassing…

• Go to Music Outfitters, enter year of high school graduation for song list in the search box [it will bring up a “Top 100”]
• Bold songs you like
• Underline your favorite
• Strike out the ones you hate
• Leave untouched the ones you don’t remember or don’t care about

1. Hold On, Wilson Phillips
2. It Must Have Been Love, Roxette
3. Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O’Connor
4. Poison, Bell Biv Devoe
5. Vogue, Madonna
6. Vision Of Love, Mariah Carey
7. Another Day In Paradise, Phil Collins
8. Hold On, En Vogue
9. Cradle Of Love, Billy Idol
10. Blaze Of Glory, Jon Bon Jovi
11. Do Me!, Bell Biv Devoe
12. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You, Michael Bolton
13. Pump Up The Jam, Technotronic
14. Opposites Attract, Paula Abdul
15. Escapade, Janet Jackson
16. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You, Heart
17. Close To You, Maxi Priest
18. Black Velvet, Alannah Myles
19. Release Me, Wilson Phillips

Read more…

Tags: dumb fun

Memed Me

Laurie tagged me for this one.

10 years ago: I had just finished up at the community college with a bunch of awards: winner of the short story part of the creative writing contest, top math student for the year, an award for top women and minorities in math and science, and some scholarship money from the AMAYTC tests. I was also recovering from my second eye surgery in June to correct my tearing retinas (on my left eye — my right eye had been corrected in March that year). I was also working at Hallmark for the summer, house-sitting for my physics instructor from Normandale Community College, and was preparing to move to New Mexico (from Minnesota) to finish out my undergraduate degrees.

5 years ago: < insert maniacal laugh here > I was studying for quals. My advisor for my research assistantship would not give me any new work over the summer so that I couldn’t be distracted away from studying. Andrew and I started dating that summer 5 years ago, too. Somehow he put up with my insane qual studying that summer — I think that’s when I knew he’d be with me for the long term.

1 year ago: Andrew and I were planning for our wedding. Pretty much everything was in place by this time last year, but my wedding dress was AWOL.

Yesterday: I was working. Nothing spectacular, though I went into the office even though I normally telecommute on Mondays. Went to lunch with Lorna and Sandy to combat the Monday-blues. Last night Andrew and I watched part of The Lost World – the mini series version from A&E.

Today: Telecommuting. I’m getting caught up with some of my thesis work, and delving into some of the background/physics of my data. This evening Andrew and I will have our weekly “journal night” where we go to Starbucks and I read journal articles and Andrew works on some of his writing.

Tomorrow: Working again. Nothing special. Andrew has his cello lesson in the evening, so I’ll probably watch my Netflix movie, National Treasure.

5 snacks I enjoy: Doritos, anything with chocolate (especially dark chocolate), chips and hummus, Phish food ice cream (from B&J), cheese

5 bands that I know the lyrics of MOST of their songs: Sting, Indigo Girls, Dido, The Monkees, Weird Al

5 things I would do with $100,000,000: Beyond the usual quitting work, buying a dream house and helping out our friends and family, I’d travel a bit (though I’d want to spend time at the dream house, too!), and set up scholarship funds at some of my alma maters.

5 bad habits I have: Cursing, procrastinating, not eating healthy-enough,

5 things I like doing: Biking, scrapbooking, snuggling Andrew (and no, that’s not necessarily a euphemism for anything), going to the movies, playing with our cats

5 things I would never wear: Bikini, tube tops, micro-skirts, thongs (can’t stand the butt-floss!), spike-heels

5 TV shows I like: Battlestar Galactica, Gilmore Girls, The Closer, Clean Sweep, 30 Days (I hope it comes back)

5 movies I like: Besides the Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings movies, The Incredibles, Pirates of the Caribbean, Ever After, Real Genius, Never Been Kissed

5 famous people I’d like to meet: Einstein, Feynman, Harrison Ford, Fredrik Pohl, Sheri S. Tepper

5 biggest joys at the moment: Andrew, the cats, summer biking, having dinner made for me (best. husband. ever.), reconnecting with my thesis work

People I’ve tagged: Mushi & Sweetie,

Tags: dumb fun

For those of us with little time to read…

Book-a-minute, SF/F — all the sci-fi and fantasy classics boiled down to their essence.

They also have Classics and Bedtime Stories.

Tags: dumb fun

Madlib Meme

JD tagged me for this one.

A typical day for Barb

On a typical day I wake up, wash the boogers from my big toe and put on my sock. I say goodbye to Orlando Bloom and I hopped on my scooter to a vet office where I am a Support Scientist. I feel itchy about what I do, sure I’d rather be a Head Asshole in Charge in Egypt, but this pays the bills and buys me lots of batteries that I can rebuke.

My morning is pretty sunny. Aside from my π/4 trips to the game room to apply deoderant and my angry encounter with Mushi it’s just the same every day.

I break for lunch and draw with Donna over a angry plate of magic mushrooms. A quick jaunt to Hartford to smooch with Sweetie, who’s a total genie, and it’s back to the grind, until 3 PM when I jump in my crunchy pink bus and head for home.

My evening is spent exercise and listening to Barenaked Ladies while hopping on one foot around laundry room wishing I was Einstein and drinking all sorts of chai. Then its off to bed where I dream of cats and Wil Wheaton in a teddy.

Passed to:

• Sweetie
• Mushi (though Mushi is really busy with work, so it might be a while until she can get to it)

The Instructions:

Take the following and fill in your own blanks, try not to read as you fill. Post this, let everyone know who sent it to you and send it on to three more people. Have fun.

The Madlib:

A typical day for (your name).

On a typical day I wake up, wash the (sticky substance) from my (body part) and put on my (piece of clothing). I say goodbye to (celebrity) and I (method of travel) to a (place) where I am a (your job title). I feel (adjective) about what I do, sure I’d rather be a (any job title) in (city, state or country), but this pays the bills and buys me lots of (plural noun) that I can (verb).

My morning is pretty (adjective). Aside from my (number) trips to the (room in home or building) to (something you do in the bathroom) and my (adjective) encounter with (a blogger you kow well) it’s just the same every day.

I break for lunch and draw with (someone with a Web site who’s not really a blogger) over a (adjective) plate of magic mushrooms. A quick jaunt to (place) to (some kind of personal interaction) with (blogger who you consider a friend), who’s a total (something you dress up as for Halloween), and it’s back to the grind, until (time in the afternoon) when I jump in my (adjective) (color) (vehicle or mode of transportation) and head for home.

My evening is spent (something you do at home) and listening to (band or musical artist) while (activity) around (room in house) wishing I was (someone you admire) and drinking all sorts of (beverage). Then it’s off to bed where I dream of (plural noun) and (a Web celebrity) in a (clothing item).

Tags: dumb fun

Friday Fun

My AAS poster is printed, and I just need to pack my bags for tomorrow’s trip, so it’s time for a bit of Friday fun! (Blame Mushi)

You Are Incredibly Logical

(You got 88% of the questions right) Move over Spock – you’re the new master of logic You think rationally, clearly, and quickly. A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Tags: dumb fun

3 is the magic number

The “3” meme, via Cheeky Prof.

3 names you go by:
* Barb
* Barbara
* Snuggles (that’s Andrew’s name for me — if you’re not him, don’t try it)

3 screennames you’ve had (besides blog pseudonym):
* rhombitruncated
* astrowoman
* cubeoctahedron

3 physical things you like about yourself:
* smile
* eyes
* hair

Read more…

Tags: dumb fun

WTF??

(Blame Mushi)

Tags: dumb fun

Silly quiz…

Which Website are You?

(Blame Mushi)

Tags: dumb fun

Book Meme — Home version

Here are the rules:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that “cool” or “intellectual” book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

Here’s the same thing from home:

“What’s a Pervect doing traveling with a Klahd, anyway?”
“Who’s a clod,” I bristled.
“Easy, kid,” Aahz said soothingly.

From Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin. Certainly less intelligent that my “Work version”…more fun, too.

Tags: dumb fun

Book Meme

Here are the rules:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that “cool” or “intellectual” book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

Here’s mine:

The transformation of components of the second rank η^μν transform by

η’^αβ = Λ^α_ν Λ^β_μ η^μν

by comparison with Eq. (4.26), η’^αβ = η^αβ. Thus η^αβ has the same components in all frames, as we have assumed.

From Radiative Processes in Astrophysics by George B. Rybicki and Alan P. Lightman. No lie — that’s the book I have out on my desk at work. Maybe I’ll try at home tonight, and see what’s lying around there.

[Link from Mr. Hassle’s Long Underpants]

Tags: dumb fun