tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141660632012-02-01T18:48:58.720-05:00And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh. -Friedrich NietzscheKanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.comBlogger4281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-24713242434082425492011-10-09T19:02:00.002-05:002011-10-09T19:41:18.357-05:00

This post may make it WAY into the realm of TMI for more than a few. But it is what is is. It's what is going on in my life and it is what I want to write about. So any skittish or cowardly readers who don't want to think about or discuss THE PAUSE may exit now.For the last 4 months or so, I have been more than mildly worried that I have been losing my mind. Seriously. No, really - seriously.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-85916343693699346202011-10-04T21:02:00.003-05:002011-10-04T21:52:46.608-05:00

Warts make you think of witches, I bet. When I was little, I had a line of warts that would come and go on my forearm. I was absolutely horrified by them (as any good preteen would be). More recently, I've had a series of plantar warts that don't so much horrify me as piss me off. They're highly painful, inconvenient, and gross. The latest one is on my big toe, if anyone cares."Warts and All":

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-68533344123526035012011-09-30T06:49:00.009-05:002011-09-30T09:01:12.528-05:00

For the last five months or so, my family and close friends have been listening to me complain about how busy and overwhelmed I am (and they have been very patient about it, I must add). The story goes: I burst into tears at random times. I have trouble breathing sometimes (literally and figuratively). There is NO MORE SPACE left on any of the little squares in my calendar planner. I have to

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-91469526465244259442011-05-15T12:18:00.004-05:002011-05-15T13:00:02.882-05:00

We got our first CSA haul last Tuesday. My goal this year is to not let ANY of the wonderful CSA bounty go to waste, nor to let any of our bountiful garden output go to waste. I'm being optimistic about our garden. Last year was so pitiful it wasn't at all difficult to use it all since we got a handful total. This year is going to be awesome though. So to inspire myself and have a place to

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-91354586258924116652011-04-12T21:29:00.006-05:002011-04-15T07:46:05.715-05:00

Subtitle : Jen invokes the privilege to engage in indulgent navel-gazing"It is what it is."My husband says this phrase a lot. I get incredibly irritated every time. I told him it sounds awfully condescending to me. Why not just say, "I am mature enough to view this problem that is making you curl into a fetal position and sob as the simple event it is, all contentedly set in its proper place in

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-78304310039783866142011-04-10T17:06:00.004-05:002011-04-10T18:58:21.926-05:00

I miss blogging. It's been 1.5 years since my last blog post and I think that hiatus has been long enough. Part of the reason I stopped blogging is because it was simply easier to communicate in sound-bites on Facebook, and I didn't feel the need to sit down and take the time to think things through on a broader scale with enough depth to create a blog post. I think I've had enough of that

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-40307144836253105702009-11-02T16:46:00.002-05:002009-11-02T17:24:09.379-05:00

November is NaBloPoMo, which translates into National Blog Posting Month. Someone has decided to form a national movement to encourage daily blog posting for one month a year. Why? No idea. I'm certain there is some advertising revenue in there somewhere for somebody.In any case, while I don't get particularly excited about made-up movements like this, I suppose it's a good excuse to try to post

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-31078583950497810362009-11-01T19:45:00.003-05:002009-11-02T07:10:53.627-05:00

November. WTF?At the beginning of every autumn, I tell myself that this is the year I am going to go slow and revel in the change of seasons and enjoy every second of the cooling temps, the fires in the fireplace, the start of a new school year. I'm going to go slow enough to track the incremental changes in leaf color on the trees in my years and I'm going to feel the aura of autumn in every

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-85041259915785346352009-10-15T09:40:00.009-05:002009-10-15T11:26:08.429-05:00

Today is "Blog Action Day", and the topic is Climate Change, so my good friend Holly has encouraged me to use this as an excuse to start posting on my blog again.Most of you reading already know I'm an atmospheric scientist, so this topic is near and dear to my heart. I spend a lot of time hanging out at blogs of so-called "global warming deniers" or "skeptics" to try to understand where they are

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-86148983483150865972009-09-07T20:40:00.006-05:002009-09-07T21:35:09.264-05:00

Well I certainly took a hiatus. It was unplanned, actually. I apologize to all two of my dedicated followers. :-)Since July 17, the date of my last post, we've gone on vacation to Colorado. We went white-water rafting and hiking and soaked in the hot tub under the Rocky Mountain stars. What I remember most though, is that my daughter got sick with what I assumed was a stomach bug - she was

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-17109351219521503602009-07-17T05:18:00.002-05:002009-07-17T05:31:28.006-05:00

pre-ground hazelnutbitter and mellow and smooththe hot bites my tonguemuted morning sunair so still it suffocatesthunderstorm loomingJillian Michaelswaits in the dvd; comeI sigh, I obey

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-11987744371543968822009-07-12T06:36:00.003-05:002009-07-12T07:53:37.859-05:00

If you read the news, you've probably heard of the incident of the private swim club in Pennsylvania that told a mostly-minority daycamp that they were no longer going to be allowed to bring their kids there to swim this summer. One of the families that attends the daycamp just filed a lawsuit against the swim club for racial discrimination.[Funny aside. I read about the suit earlier and didn't

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-25761471463740037042009-07-05T14:00:00.002-05:002009-07-05T15:02:39.189-05:00

Today is my birthday, and look at what gift I received from Mother Nature.As of 2:45 this afternoon:Light Rain 65°FFeels Like65°F Updated Jul 5 02:45 p.m. ETI've got the air conditioning off and the windows open so I

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-88627921963805320482009-06-11T17:30:00.003-05:002009-06-11T18:19:45.291-05:00

Farm share pick-up day:One of the original reasons we wanted to join a CSA this year was to support small local farms. Today, we received a dozen peaches from South Carolina. While this particular CSA does support several farms here in town, we've discovered she occasionally brings in peaches from South Carolina and apples from Pennsylvania. One look at the peaches and I was smitten. Local

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-74558512425252856792009-06-10T21:51:00.004-05:002009-06-10T22:08:44.237-05:00

I've been dreaming again, finally. It's been a while. Suddenly, I've had very vivid dreams for the last few nights. Last night's was just silly, but dear neighbor M helped me figure it out.I was at a scientific conference and many of us were meeting at someone's house for dinner. All throughout the dinner, I kept spilling my drinks and knocking over my chairs. (feeling a little inadequate, ya

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-32350042274945217762009-06-08T20:38:00.006-05:002009-06-08T21:12:48.673-05:00

We have a new family member now. Lucy is an 8 week old diluted calico that we adopted from our local animal shelter. E (my 10 year old) has been orchestrating this move for months now. She is in little girl heaven. Her tiny kitten slept on the pillow beside her last night and woke her up by gently batting her cheek with her paw. She's been prancing around the house tonight, attacking unsuspecting

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-15035360253484654442009-05-22T06:44:00.002-05:002009-05-22T07:02:00.672-05:00

I was surprised when I looked at the date of my last post. Apparently, I'm still losing days. So on that topic (my last post) here are my latest adventures in the story of my mind's demise:At the orthodontist yesterday (for Q) I was trying to make an appointment for E to be evaluated. They were getting some background information. "Who's her dentist?" All I could think of was "Dr. Payne." We've

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-61846997469476199042009-05-15T19:24:00.002-05:002009-05-15T20:22:54.644-05:00

I fear I'm losing brain function. Really. Should you worry about me? Yes. I think maybe you should.First order, it seems I am able to complete much less in a much longer amount of time than ever before. Functionality is trending toward negative infinity. Today, for instance, was my day off. I had no requirements. This was my day to catch up. I had vague notions of a sparkling house and concrete

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-9730696999739584402009-05-06T18:11:00.004-05:002009-05-06T18:32:17.277-05:00

I lost April. I usually like April too, so it's sad that I lost it. At work today, a friend and I both tried to remember what had happened during April. It truly slipped by, unnoticed. And this got me thinking. We all remember how time was so much slower when we were kids. I would sob after Christmas was over because the wait for the next one seemed interminable. Forever. And in my defense, it

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-66040266312292916152009-05-06T17:53:00.003-05:002009-05-06T18:11:33.187-05:00

I was tagged by wakeupandsmellthecoffee. Thank you, Wakeup, for thinking of me. ;-)1. What are your current obsessions?Facebook. American Idol.2. Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often?Flannel pajamas. I find I am putting them on earlier and earlier every day. At least I haven't started to wear them to work. Yet.3. Last dream you had?The last one I remember is that my friends Jamie

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-73318084378156352852009-04-29T05:44:00.003-05:002009-04-29T05:54:03.294-05:00

Someone got let loose with colored sidewalk chalk on the NASA site Monday night. So I came into work Tuesday passing graffiti such as "SMILE!!" and "DANCE ACROSS THE ROAD!!" and "YUM YUM FOOD" (in front of the cafeteria) and "I LOVE NASA" in front of the mail box, all in pastels. As I walked up to my building, I passed up "SMILE, YOU'RE SAVING THE EARTH!!!" and "SCIENCE ROCKS!!"Very odd. Puzzling

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-31594192010074108672009-04-25T07:42:00.006-05:002009-04-25T08:51:14.031-05:00

...in which yours truly decides to finally create another blog post because there is an enormous mound (10 yards) of hardwood mulch sitting in the middle of her driveway. This is actually a very poor plan because the temperature is supposed to reach into the 90s later today so the more I put it off, the worse it's going to end up. And yet, here I sit composing.It's spring, and as much as I love

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-12126460726246609042009-04-12T18:52:00.005-05:002009-04-12T20:39:36.691-05:00

Most of my readers are family members or close friends that I also know in real life, so I don't feel quite as selfishly indulgent when I share children stories as I might if I merited a more diverse readership. (not that my friends and family aren't diverse. You are! You're diverse and wonderful!!!!) You are just unified in your acceptance of my selfish indulgences. And I love you for it!All

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-80531202126056084352009-04-01T19:33:00.009-05:002009-04-01T20:01:13.342-05:00

Today was the birth day of my eldest...who is now a teenager. Teenagers love chocolate. They also love to be goofy.See? Goofy.Yep. Like I said. (Trying to get to his new ipod).Another couple of Wii remotes so we can all play at the same time(his idea, actually, isn't that sweet?!)Razors. I am finally admitting that it is not dirt that resides above his lip. A big hit of a present from mom&dad #2

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-82955965860841508262009-03-28T08:04:00.001-05:002009-03-28T08:05:56.318-05:00

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-44393689835078026782009-03-26T15:05:00.015-05:002009-03-26T18:22:51.687-05:00

This is exactly what I was concerned about in my last blog post about the AIG bonuses and why I thought our collective rage was not going to suit us well. In our haste to punish somebody for the inequities we all despise (including myself), we are not thinking and as a result are punishing the wrong people. The link is to a letter from an AIG exec to Liddy, and it is his resignation (it was

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-62742501825462508422009-03-20T19:36:00.005-05:002009-03-20T20:31:13.319-05:00

This current blowup over AIG - I'm having a hard time getting het up about it. Seems as if I'm one of the few that aren't jumping on the popular righteous anger bandwagon.First off.The amount of these bonuses relative to the bailout money received by AIG is ($165,000,000/$180,000,000,000) = .0009166. Speaking in percentage terms, this is .09166%, less than 1/10 of 1 percent. Let's round up to one

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-53319234502040874922009-03-19T17:44:00.005-05:002009-03-19T22:19:06.856-05:00

Yesterday was a lovely day. We've had a week of cold rain, and yesterday was bright and sunny and in the 70s. Yesterday, I took the day off from work to get my hair colored and cut, and to finally get to the doctor for my annual physical. It was a slow day, and spring was in the air. Yesterday was a lovely day. Yesterday, my colleague and friend took the day off from work to kill herself.She was

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-36212234288990026262009-03-18T18:56:00.002-05:002009-03-18T19:00:09.811-05:00

What do the following have in common?Edamame (both fresh and frozen)Fresh blackberriesGoat's milkFontina cheeseTuscan breadApricot preservesCabernetThese are all impulse buys that I found in my shopping cart when I stopped by Trader Joe's today to buy veggies and something for dinner (TJs cheese enchiladas). I swear, my eyes popped out of my head as I unloaded the shopping bags.Oh, and fresh cut

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-20214058971563844792009-03-07T14:17:00.002-05:002009-03-07T15:00:45.441-05:00

Wow. I am such bitch. Seriously. And I am so glad I didn't have me for a mother.Q was asked to be in both the 7th grade and the 8th grade bands this year. He's a good little clarinet player; he's 1st chair in the 7th grade band and plays 1st part in the 8th grade one. The 8th graders had a competition today (identical to the UIL competitions I went to in Texas). They prepared 3 pieces for their

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-78975991334124175862009-03-06T19:28:00.005-05:002009-03-06T21:20:04.893-05:00

Here are some random thoughts/things I've had or heard over the last few weeks that have either tickled me or touched me, or both.My son Q made the baseball team at his middle school. Despite the HEAVY load for practices (every single school day until 6 pm and also on Saturdays for the love of Pete), I am simply ecstatic for him. He is ultra shy and reserved - and more than a bit of a geek. I

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-70288639687604064602009-02-21T20:00:00.007-05:002009-02-22T02:06:21.106-05:00

">edited: Anyone know who said these quotes? They're all from the same person...Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep seated need to believeWe live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.The

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-11373757543170187462009-02-13T08:39:00.004-05:002009-02-13T08:57:49.010-05:00

My mom asked me why I don't write in my blog anymore. I can only blame it on facebook, which allows me to think and communicate in one-sentence snippets rather than spending the time and thought required to construct meaningful and informative (or at least entertaining) essays.I've had plenty of ideas for blog posts. For example, the public distrust of science and scientists continues to astound

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-18033668317833254632009-01-31T13:32:00.009-05:002009-01-31T18:26:23.671-05:00

By the time we've reached middle age, we usually have a pretty good idea of who it is that we "ARE." I don't mean to imply that I think we should have ourselves completely figured out. Half the fun in life, after all, is constantly discovering new things about ourselves. But we should certainly have a good idea of what our "core definition" is (I just made that term up). For instance, in my case,

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-65877229661414531942009-01-22T19:36:00.004-05:002009-01-22T20:19:00.054-05:00

You may recall that in my last post, I wrote that I am, at the core, a solitary person and I enjoy quiet and being alone. So you can maybe imagine my discomfort on Monday given the following:There were more people there than I have ever been around in my life. At one point, we couldn't move very well for about 30 minutes, as we were in the middle of a large sardine crush. I was wondering how soon

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-36339333250870549522009-01-11T09:30:00.004-05:002009-01-11T10:29:57.135-05:00

Rain. The sound and sense of soft, steady, cold rain while I'm in my bed or cozied up on the couch with a book makes me feel warm and drowsy. The idea that I am cocooned in a safe place, in my personal harbor against the rest of the world, gives me a sense of gentle power over my own destiny. It doesn't matter that in reality, any power I have is an illusion - it's the feeling of the moment that

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-31575204443943402122009-01-10T09:08:00.002-05:002009-01-10T09:21:02.525-05:00

I've always been in awe of the natural responses of our bodies - evolution is a beautiful thing. The pumping of adrenaline at times of crisis, vomiting at the ingestion of poison, sneezing...So why is it that at the times when you most need to be fully aware and filled with boundless energy that my body reacts with insomnia? It's going to be a long, long next few weeks.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-56840161071864243352009-01-01T09:12:00.004-05:002009-01-01T09:42:20.284-05:00

It's much TOO quiet this New Year's Day morning.Last night around 11 pm, Q's friend called from his house next door and asked if Q could just stay there and sleep over. Before I could answer I could hear E and her friend asking if E could sleep over too. I asked to speak to their dad, and suggested that the girls come over here and the boys stay there, but he said they wanted their kids to stay

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-64422250107590233992008-12-31T18:23:00.004-05:002008-12-31T18:29:23.934-05:00

Tonight, as I was working on the buffalo chicken to take over to our neighbor's house for their New Year's Eve party, Mare called me. She wanted to let me know that the two of us have tickets to the swearing in of Barack Obama as president of the United States of America on January 20, 2009.(pause)GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! happy happy happy dance dance dance fist pump fist pump Whoot whoot

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-35852811554013324452008-12-29T18:21:00.010-05:002008-12-29T21:15:41.934-05:00

Being a self-professed and totally-accepting-of-myself type-A anal extraordinaire, there should be no surprise from anyone who knows me that my favorite holiday is New Year's. What's not to love about the ending of an old chapter, and then the beginning of a new one? ...about neatly tying up loose ends and packaging the old year into the box labeled "the past?" ...about a pure, clean, unblemished

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-26913892362634186952008-12-29T09:40:00.006-05:002008-12-29T09:50:21.397-05:00

Me, my mom and dad, and sisters with my grandmother on her 100th birthday.Watching Stephen Colbert's Christmas special DVD on Christmas morning.Son Q with his granny and pawpaw.E with grannyE with her grandfather (pawpaw).

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-86368107807737228302008-12-13T09:53:00.003-05:002008-12-13T10:01:21.227-05:00

I know!! I'm doing a perfectly lousy job on keeping up with a steady supply of interesting and entertaining posts here. I'm the proverbial mom on the hamster wheel these days, running my little feet so fast that I tumble head over heels and crash into a heap into the wood shavings. (Speaking of which, we found E's hamster in the linen closet Thursday, after she pulled out all the bristles from

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-49893497579048863062008-12-06T17:27:00.019-05:002008-12-06T18:13:38.818-05:00

Today ended up being the offical start to the winter holiday season for my family. Although we do not consider ourselves christian, we embrace the spirit of this holiday season wholeheartedly. I love the warmth and the focus on family and togetherness and tradition. In the words of Martha, "It's a good thing." Indeed.We started the day out by helping friends with their llamas in our local holiday

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-34241252245619619012008-12-02T06:44:00.005-05:002008-12-02T06:58:01.035-05:00

E reminded me last night around 8 pm that I'd promised her I'd send cupcakes into school today for her class. And I pulled it off. Moms Rock.Happy birthday, my sweet girl!!

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-20520554993614725002008-11-29T15:20:00.009-05:002008-11-29T20:46:44.622-05:00

I suppose I've never written the obligatory post outlining the things that I am thankful for this year, have I? It's really a bit difficult since I've been solidly in a "find the cloud attached to the silver lining" mode for the last month or so.It's a dreary day outside...Here goes.I am thankful to those who refuse to remain silent in the face of racism, homophobia, religious discrimination and

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-43541749921615870042008-11-29T14:56:00.002-05:002008-11-29T15:07:11.440-05:00

Here are the two cousinsAnd here is my sister with Roxy. I double checked that Roxy was still in the house after we took them to the airport for their departure. I was a little worried Tracy was going to sneak her back to Texas in her luggage.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-28286700682646855802008-11-25T06:07:00.005-05:002008-11-25T07:07:11.850-05:00

I woke up smiling this morning.... My little sister and my niece will arrive tonight! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and I especially love having a big group over to my house for a nice dinner. This will be the first dinner I've had where I've been able to have a family member here....Not that having friends over is a less than ideal thing in and of itself. I wouldn't change a thing

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-2686393619479203682008-11-23T08:53:00.004-05:002008-11-23T09:11:38.286-05:00

We certainly did our part yesterday to continue the flow of good and services in this country. I finally couldn't stand it anymore that we had no seating (other than one papasan chair) in our sunroom, so DH and I ended up going shopping. We now have a new couch (courtesy of a local shop), and a new bookcase capable of handling the mountains of books daughter E collects (also courtesy of a local

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-12744261130366141712008-11-19T06:41:00.005-05:002008-11-19T06:55:29.162-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long. It's Mare's fault for getting me to join facebook so blame her.We're all doing well, and it's looking to be a very nice holiday season, with visits from friends and family in abundance. The first order of business is Thanksgiving, in which my littlest sister and her daughter (E's age) will come visit us. No matter how old and responsible she is, she will

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-81658961312640405222008-11-11T20:11:00.008-05:002008-11-11T21:11:39.416-05:00

Hoo boy. I managed to make it through my daughter's 4th grade Veteran's Day program without crying, but only barely.Here's E saying her part.(Hello! Can you GET any more all-American then a 4th grade class putting on a Veteran's Day program in a school gym decorated red white and blue in front of a painting of the Statue of Liberty?)I was able to hold back the tears (barely) when Mr. O, our

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-6576400411035481522008-11-07T15:11:00.013-05:002008-11-07T18:38:30.716-05:00

I spent the afternoon walking by myself at the state park just down from my house. East coast autumns. (sigh)"If you're walking down the right path, and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress"(Barack Obama)Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify. (Henry David Thoreau)"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."(Claude Monet)

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-64008984999965378852008-11-07T12:22:00.002-05:002008-11-07T12:31:43.808-05:00

My son is laying on the couch under the influence of muscle relaxers and zithromax, and my jaw is aching from the repair of my broken tooth. We're falling to pieces.(But still riding the wave of optimism. Mostly)

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-76647129873541663872008-11-05T00:53:00.003-05:002008-11-05T17:38:27.067-05:00

OH YEAH!!!!Thank you, America.I am freakin' proud.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-22782371858714922992008-11-04T07:17:00.002-05:002008-11-04T07:56:27.531-05:00

This is the traditional Tibetan prayer flag sent to me several weeks ago from my dear friend Kath. The colors represent the "five pure lights," or elements. Blue (sky/space), White (air/wind), Red (fire), Green (water), Yellow (earth). Each flag has a picture of a "Ta" (a strong horse) which is a symbol of speed and the transformation of bad fortune into good fortune. Traditional mantras are

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-59587432833223030482008-10-30T19:43:00.004-05:002008-10-30T21:25:06.810-05:00

I received a call from E's 4th grade teacher while I was at work today. Those are lovely calls to get, aren't they? "Hello! This is Mrs. L. Is this a good time for you to talk? I need to talk to you about an incident with E today."I should point out that I'm good friends with E's teacher. She didn't sound overly upset or anything, so I didn't freak and simply said yes, this was a good time and

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-85227046071413390202008-10-29T18:05:00.004-05:002008-10-29T18:29:38.925-05:00

My husband made me cry tonight. He did. (and I will continue to remind him of that).He came home and told me to watch a couple of youtube videos. Remember the WHASSUP!!!?? commercials from (OMG) 8 years ago??OK. Now watch this one:I believe they're the same actors.This totally took me by surprise and I burst into tears, somewhat stunning poor DH.Sixteen years ago, I was very young. I was single

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-28757400576425293982008-10-29T14:45:00.003-05:002008-10-29T15:14:20.883-05:00

Four years ago, I was on tenterhooks over the 2004 presidential election and the chance to stop George W from having a second term. I wasn't raving over John Kerry, but I certainly liked him, and he was orders of magnitude better than the alternative. So one evening during the long, long, long election season, I found myself in front of the computer drinking a bottle of wine and watching snippets

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-80869140062087547092008-10-26T19:22:00.005-05:002008-10-26T19:45:37.275-05:00

Systematic disassembling of the pumpkins begins.(I ADORE the color of baked pumpkins)The seeds are currently soaking in salt water overnight in preparation for toasting.Puree:and then creamy pumpkin soup with cinnamon (YUM):There's still lots of puree left, and I'm not running out of ideas for what to use it for - I'm only running out of time.In other pumpkin news this weekend:A good time was had

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-59089356827204594382008-10-24T06:17:00.003-05:002008-10-24T06:21:05.431-05:00

Here's a site someone showed me yesterday, that has more information on polling and statistics and projections than you could possibly need to know.I swear I'll try to stop with the negative political posts now. It's just so hard to stop when there is so much material showing up daily.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-13649114570900151872008-10-22T19:39:00.002-05:002008-10-22T19:49:47.691-05:00

But wait!!! More hypocrisy!!!Another popular RNC smear of Obama: "That one" is associated with ACORN, that evil no-good group associated with the most massive perp of voter fraud E.V.E.R. No politician worth anything would associate with them would they?? Since Senator Obama represented them in their attempt to carry out the motor-voter law in Michigan, that proves that he's BAD BAD BAD. Right?

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-41416792411790419302008-10-22T19:12:00.006-05:002008-10-22T19:53:19.485-05:00

How is it that my 12 year old son so clearly sees the hypocrisy of John McCain and that 40-something percent of Americans don't (or won't) see it?Let's look at his latest charge. Barack Obama is a (gasp) socialist because he wants the wealthiest what - 5%?- of Americans to pay a little more tax. Socialist!!! Socialist!!!Senator McCain. How about this - before you start with the pre-programmed

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-81315644619136960312008-10-21T14:54:00.007-05:002008-10-21T17:11:13.337-05:00

My political posts these last few months have focused almost exclusively on the travesty that is otherwise known as Sarah Palin. I figured enough was enough, and I've tried to lay off. But I cannot stand it anymore. You may (or may not) remember something I posted last month about Governor Palin's answer to a question posed at a stop for cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. The question dealt with

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-50640950904152208902008-10-21T06:19:00.009-05:002008-10-21T06:41:00.216-05:00

I made my kids come with me to the pumpkin patch after school yesterday. They complained about having to leave the house...but I didn't hear any complaints when we were there.Trying not to have fun on the hayride. It was us and a bunch of 1-2 year olds and their parents. You can see how miserable they are.Careful selection.Handsome son.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-55077422379576618212008-10-19T15:24:00.006-05:002008-10-19T15:57:55.475-05:00

Look what I did:Applesauce! ...made from the apples I brought home from the Apple Festival last weekend. I also made an apple crisp (which, apparently, only Q and I like, and like it we do, especially with a dollop of vanilla ice cream melting on the top). I made apple pancakes this morning, and I'll be making a butternut squash/apple soup this evening. There will still be some left over, but I

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-68793776065927097192008-10-17T07:13:00.003-05:002008-10-17T07:29:57.058-05:00

Yes, it's true. I'm mean and petty and emotional.So.The Red Sox were down 3 games to 1 in the best-of-7 ACLS playoffs. The game started at 8 pm last night. I opened the Zweigelt. I made the chicken wings. (Odd combination, I know, but it seems to work its mojo). I put on my Red Sox tank top. (It has to be the tank top - not even my Mikey Lowell jersey - but the tank top). I was good to go. But no

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-7904812015112424592008-10-16T05:27:00.003-05:002008-10-16T05:29:50.639-05:00

Dear Everyone,There is somebody in my life that is expecting me to do something for them tonight. I can't remember who you are or what it is that I am to do, but I clearly remembering thinking through my week and focusing on Thursday, with a response to you of something like "Thursday should be fine. I have nothing scheduled, so Yes. I can."Your face and the deed have totally escaped my memory.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-87237887151567248882008-10-13T21:21:00.004-05:002008-10-13T21:47:24.817-05:00

At work, we're undergoing a radical transformation to our computer support. I won't go into a huge amount of detail, so suffice it to say that we're transitioning to a grossly inefficient, inept, costly program called "ODIN" (outsourcing desktop initiative something-or-another). Rather than it be the responsibility of each researcher to determine when he or she requires updated computers and/or

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-28017495919147902002008-10-12T19:26:00.010-05:002008-10-12T20:25:32.866-05:00

Our trip to the Graves Mountain Apple Festival marks the beginning of autumn for my family each year. We drove up there today with some friends.It was pretty warm and the colors weren't all that spectacular, but it was a beautiful day and we had so much fun hanging out with our friends. Here's a photo of the kids eating candied apples while playing in the stream. They spent most of the day

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-79822309301663315912008-10-11T15:01:00.009-05:002008-10-11T20:35:18.416-05:00

Bluntly put, I'm tired of being dissed.I'm nice enough that apparently, people believe they can sweep me under the rug at their convenience and I'll be OK with it. "That Jen, she'll understand."Bah.The problem is, that it's happening to me too much lately, and I'm getting a complex. Worse, I'm getting pissed.I don't think I'm being paranoid.As just one example, I called the local Barack Obama

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-74690679632113913282008-10-11T11:55:00.003-05:002008-10-11T12:03:00.363-05:00

re: the Red Sox win last night in the first game of the ALCS versus the Tampa Bay Devi... er, the Tampa Bay [silence] Rays, and in the series versus the Angels last week1) Austrian wine (Zweigelt)2) Hot chicken wings3) I wear my Red Sox tank top, DH wears his jersey4) I drift in and out of sleep in the 9th inning (This is not something I PLAN to do or want to do, but I just can't stay up!We'll

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-57189285773370571282008-10-09T06:15:00.001-05:002008-10-09T06:17:25.320-05:00

I love Halloween night in my neighborhood. I love watching the little ghosts and frogs and cheerleaders skittering down the road with their pumplins full of candy and treats. I love the goblins and the monsters. And this year, I've met the cutest little monster ever, named Trockle. Here he is:Trockle is the creation of Holly Jahangiri (author) and Jordan M. Vinyard (illustrator), and can be

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-7039493353680926782008-10-08T07:01:00.003-05:002008-10-08T07:10:07.119-05:00

This is Trockle, the cute little one-eyed monster with pointy green fingernails that is the subject of the book called "Trockle."Trockle will be visiting this blog tomorrow as part of his virtual Trick or Treat book tour. Be sure to stop by! Don't be afraid. He's really not all that scary. Just ask Stephen.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-47200629695874558452008-10-01T12:21:00.010-05:002008-10-01T13:16:06.441-05:00

(this drawing is from Plognark)"It's time that normal Joe six-pack American is finally represented in the position of vice presidency..."Governor Sarah Palin in radio interview with Hugh Hewitt.Let's play a word-association game. What or who comes to your mind when I say"JOE SIX-PACK?"Here are some of my answers:Bubba.Redneck.The guy down the street with a beer belly who walks around showing his

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-49407219849802034872008-09-30T20:33:00.010-05:002008-10-01T05:45:40.677-05:00

My plan for putting up a photo every day is falling way short, don't you think? However, I still want to attempt to post more often, so you'll have to live with another kid story for now. (BTW, it's not that there's nothing beautiful here - it's just that the juxtaposition of seeing beauty and having my camera with me doesn't occur that often).Those of you who have young children or have had

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-78973034015936751492008-09-29T21:20:00.002-05:002008-09-29T21:23:45.976-05:00

Cell phone conversation between me and Q today as I started my drive home:Me: So things were good at school today? Did you get much homework?Q: It was good. I don't have very much homework.(silence)Q: Mom? I did kind of get into a marker fight on the bus.Me: Kind of? And a WHAT fight?Q: Markers. I didn't get anything on my clothes - it's just on my skin, but some others did. And it was so funny.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-82391030800936748212008-09-28T17:07:00.004-05:002008-09-28T18:08:02.019-05:00

The more I think and read, the more the nomination of Sarah Palin scares the CRAP out of me.The simple fact of her nomination is an indication of how deep US politics has sunk into to the quagmire of dumbed-down political games and all that is wrong in politics. She is perhaps the WORST candidate ever put forward for command of this country.Here are a handful of some of the reasons that I think

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-66752698160504777982008-09-28T16:17:00.008-05:002008-09-28T16:55:58.094-05:00

I have always loved to write. I wrote a story about global warming when I was 12 (I LOVE that I did this). I wrote for our junior high newsletter. I kept diaries and journals through junior and senior high school. I spent virtually every single weekend of my high school years with BF Mare where we would eat pizza and applesauce and write stories to read to each other until dawn. (No WAY will I

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-72228764555553810792008-09-25T17:59:00.002-05:002008-09-25T18:10:15.901-05:00

A few days late, but we're in the playoffs!!!!1) My boyfriend, the injured man in white in the middle, is being doused by champaign. Mikey, you are my superhero boyfriend (tm: J). I can't wait to see you and your torn whatchamacallit hip in the playoffs. If you pull any more superhero antics, I might just come kidnap you, or faint. One or the other.2) Petey - little man on the ground...jeez. I

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-53862272432966657632008-09-25T15:14:00.006-05:002008-09-25T16:36:09.135-05:00

J tagged me.The rules:1) Link to the person who tagged you.2) Post the rules on the blog.3) Write six random things about yourself.At this point, I'm gonna be a rebel and NOT tag the requisite six people.I hope this isn't like a chain letter. If I don't pass it along, what? - the climate will start to irreversibly change, bringing out mass extinctions and putting unmanageable stress on the

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-4267035143549240632008-09-23T20:44:00.003-05:002008-09-23T20:49:22.027-05:00

Amidst the dry leaves and dirt and dead plants that are what make up the terminally neglected, sad "garden" on one side of our patio, I found this little rose. Did you see Wall-E, when the robots discover the one tiny little plant that finally blooms on the abandoned and lifeless planet Earth? That's what I thought of. I thought this picture would inspire hope and make me glad, but I find it

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-3810023895622414142008-09-22T05:58:00.003-05:002008-09-22T06:13:47.591-05:00

Today is the first day of autumn!! This is one my most anticipated days every year. I have waxed philosophic and danced with fluffy words in so many past blog entries as the autumn returns that I won't do it again here. At least, I won't do so today. I have been especially looking forward to autumn this year, as I have dedicated this (school) year to myself. I'm no longer PTA president. I have no

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-19617668444666328972008-09-21T11:23:00.002-05:002008-09-21T11:25:30.147-05:00

My pretty girl. You can't see it, but her tail is thumping rhythmically on the floor because she never ever stops wagging it.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-83866610634706563202008-09-20T18:50:00.003-05:002008-09-20T19:02:57.164-05:00

I'm nabbing the experiment that this blogger is doing, and am going to try to post at least a photo every day.It's sleepover night. I took three 9 year old girls for pedicures, then picked up a pizza. They're in the sunroom now, chomping on pizza and root beer and gossiping. It's going to be a long night...

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-26891469420993671862008-09-16T19:40:00.005-05:002008-09-17T05:40:50.487-05:00

edit: I came in this morning with the intent of taking this post off since it's so awfully fluffy, but Mare had already commented on it so I'm leaving it. Take this as it is - written after a few glasses of wine and after seeing a lovely rainbow. In hindsight, I suppose it is really no surprise that I ended up as a scientist.There is one incident from second grade that I clearly remember, and it

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-19469126453501659782008-09-14T19:37:00.003-05:002008-09-15T05:11:14.552-05:00

First, thank you to all who have asked about my family in Texas. They are all well, per a couple of quick cell phone calls this afternoon. None of them have electricity at the moment, and I've heard rumors that it could be as much as 3 to 4 weeks before power is restored to all of the greater Houston area. Mom and Dad are well stocked up on peanut butter and diet root beer and have an ongoing

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-10459685416457635682008-09-09T21:08:00.011-05:002008-09-12T05:54:57.456-05:00

So how long did you really think it would be before I put up a post on Governor/VP candidate Sarah Palin? I have a whole host of thoughts and comments about the current situation. Rather than spew them all out at once, though, I'll make an effort to do it piecemeal.First, an observation. There is One Thing about her nomination makes me very happy. The press seems to be going on and on about HOW

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-2792353530569728072008-09-07T09:36:00.003-05:002008-09-07T18:48:29.224-05:00

I uploaded a few more pictures from our New England vacation to Flickr. If you click on my "Random Sights" link to the right it'll take to you my account. Once there, click on the New England vacation set, (or go to my photostream and click on the set from there).They're not in any particular order.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-87188454677951606772008-09-06T08:05:00.005-05:002008-09-06T08:08:45.066-05:00

This is what happens to your camera when you leave your climate-controlled air conditioned house and walk outside in an attempt to take pictures to capture a tropical storm as it begins to move through your area. (Hint: tropical storms generally carry tropical air with them, which is most usually very warm and humid)

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-84518266724410754552008-09-02T20:25:00.004-05:002008-09-02T21:11:08.735-05:00

First day of school. Ahhh. (that's a good sigh)It was a nice day today. I took off from work so I could help herd the new kindergarteners into the school without losing any, and then I helped open milk cartons and mustard packets for them at lunch. I cannot stress how lucky I feel to be able to prioritize my life like this. That flexibility is wonderful. Seriously. I know how lucky I am.Anyway,

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-89042148128097074762008-08-30T15:53:00.005-05:002008-08-31T06:45:42.899-05:00

I sometimes feel bad that my kids don't get the full "summer vacation" experience that I remember. We had to wake them up early 3 days a week to take them to their babysitter so I could work, and it seems most of the other days we were tightly planned and we were constantly on the go. We really didn't have a lot of slow-moving summertime days. It's that slowness that I remember when I think back

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-4620411000637123622008-08-21T07:26:00.007-05:002008-08-22T12:47:54.791-05:00

I'd be surprised if there were anyone out there who had not heard the news story about the orphaned baby humpback whale found abandoned in a harbor near Sydney, Australia. It's been on the news for several days. Before I continue, I will openly admit that this damned story had me in a puddle of tears. We were just out on the Gulf of Maine on a whale watching trip, and saw several humpbacks. The

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-70542451979498460932008-08-17T19:14:00.016-05:002008-08-17T19:58:26.782-05:00

The whale-watching trip we took into the Gulf of Maine was fantastic. We sited several humpbacks, a couple of finbacks, a shark and several porpoises.As we were heading back, the marine biologist on our boat mentioned that we might enjoy stopping by the Whale Museum in Bar Harbor. I assumed it was a plug for the gift shop there in some sort of consumerist-based agreement with the whale watching

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-61226117731206190032008-08-17T16:46:00.009-05:002008-08-17T20:05:20.805-05:00

When you really pay attention, it's amazing to discover how few people are really good at the art of listening. There have been a number of instances over these last few months where it seems as if I'm whispering into the wind when I try to engage in conversations. It's really quite disheartening to feel invisible, especially as I noticed it was happening in all walks of my life. Fortunately,

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-49699079658020715372008-08-13T20:17:00.010-05:002008-08-14T07:17:49.645-05:00

Beach volleyball phenom or democratic strategist?Singing sensation tot "not cute enough for prime-time" or "16-year old" gymnast still with missing baby teeth?

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-5196415271554407612008-08-10T16:09:00.006-05:002008-08-10T16:27:09.067-05:00

at the beach near J's home...Acadia National Park on a wonderfully foggy morning.I'll post more about the trip later. Suffice it to say that J and Asli and their families were the most wonderful hosts ever. Maine/Acadia was as wonderful as I remember. Even with all that vacation wonderfulness, I have to say that it's also very very good to be home.

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-71243311536848226932008-07-28T20:35:00.003-05:002008-07-28T20:42:26.600-05:00

The alarm is set to 4 am. Suitcases are packed. Roxy has been banished to solitary confinement for the duration at the local vet. I've asked DH about 20 times whether the Red Sox tickets are in his bag. (I'm well beyond merely annoying him.) We're off for Beantown in the morning.I've got my fabulous new camera and DH's laptop so I'll post photos along the way. In the meantime, look for us in the

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-90386569637864775122008-07-26T16:18:00.003-05:002008-07-26T16:23:46.785-05:00

I hereby officially apologize to Adam Levine of Maroon 5 for the low expectations I had going into the concert last night. He/they were something like a hundred million times better than I had expected. His voice was truly awesome - something I never expected to say. Actually, Maroon 5 blew me away.Counting Crows were also amazing, but I knew they would be so wasn't surprised. Adam Duritz was

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-4721981582612378202008-07-23T15:17:00.010-05:002008-07-23T16:03:00.560-05:00

Coming up on Friday night (two more days):and then this take on it:(skip over to time 2:20 if you don't want to listen to him talk beforehand)I've heard him do the whole song like the beginning of this version - very slow and introspective with the accordian. Next time I heard them, it was like the released recording.This is why I love the Counting Crows. You never know what version Adam is going

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-35046633030079725792008-07-12T16:58:00.011-05:002008-07-12T18:45:40.020-05:00

I'm home from Alberta. It was an interesting trip - I'm glad I went.On the work side of things: it was successful. The goal was to sample boreal fire plumes and we got them. (Holy moly! There are a lot of stories about this mission out there on the internet! I knew Jim and Daniel seemed to be called away for a lot of interviews, but jeez. Funny side-story on that note. Daniel is a Hvd professor

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14166063.post-81330589413962810402008-07-02T18:41:00.007-05:002008-07-03T11:52:33.771-05:00

What a nice week I've had!The kids' babysitter is on vacation so I stayed home all week. I leave for Cold Lake tomorrow, so the extra play-time with them was well enjoyed.It's been simply me and Q and E cocooning all week. We did Water Country together, went to the movies, went out for lunch several times, spent an afternoon at the Air and Space museum, and topped it off with a carousel ride and

Kanga Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251832877719706249noreply@blogger.com5