Read this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7513571.stm

I want this album!

I've an open invite for two spots I've booked already for Restaurant Week:

TWO people for lunch August 12th:
Eastern Standard 11:30AM

THREE people for dinner August 21st:
Cafe Fleuri 6:30PM


Cafe Fleuri is a difficult reservation to get for dinner, so I'm really hoping some folks will take advantage of that.
Eastern Standard is very innovative and has some cool stuff to eat -- it's one I've been wanting to try for quite a while. Please let me know ASAP if you'd like one of these reservations!

I'm back from Korea and relatively sane -- and now, I want to see a movie! I'm thinking of seeing either Iron Man or Hancock this weekend -- anyone up for it?

It's official: I loooooove Korea! Here is my hanbok!

Seriously folks, I've had an amazing two weeks here. I love to have my mind changed, and in all honesty, it has. I am so glad. Now let's hope I make it back on the plane okay...you know how much I hate flying! I have one more journal entry to go, but it's going to take me some time to get it all together -- I'll wait until I've recovered some and write then, various deities willing.

It's almost time for me to come back to the States. I am set to return on WEDNESDAY, JULY 9Th, at 3:26PM on DELTA Flight 7157 from Atlanta. Is there anyone who can pick me up? I'd be appreciative of that.

Thanks! I'm exhausted right now, but am having a great time. I've been climbing a few too many mountains this weekend (yay Asian tourism!) but I'll have a good log on Korean "religion" once I get back to Seoul. I'm in Gyeongju in the southern part of the Korean peninsula. It's a big tourist and archaeological area, so I'm being very teacher-y and taking lots of notes. And pictures.

What I probably need most is Advil after all the hiking up to Buddhist temples...

I still don't have my plane tickets for Korea -- the workshop coordinator says they're being mailed out tomorrow. Many of us have early morning flights on Wednesday the 25th -- that's likely me given Korean Air doesn't fly out of Boston.

I don't know exactly when I am leaving, but is there anyone out there willing to take me to the airport...? I'll bring you something cool from Korea in exchange...?

*sigh* I don't even want to go to Korea. I'm not excited about this trip. At all. Maybe it's end-of-the-year blues.

I've gotten to some serious thinking over the past few weeks.

I think everyone knows I'm on a bizarre quest for compassion despite being hardwired against it. I think it is working on a lot of levels, but I'm starting to think I may need to make more physical changes to help facilitate this, or rather, environmental ones. I've already over the past few years given up most fast food, I eat far less red meat than I did, I'm more into second hand clothes, NOT into TV, and have started looking into more natural solutions to everything from house cleaners to feminine hygiene products. There's this whole world out there that's gentler to the environment as well as to me. This makes sense to me.

I'm considering as my next move to give up shampoo. I've been reading about "no-poo" movements that suggest all kinds of ways to give up shampoo, which may actually be bad for human hair. I'm curious: has anyone given up on shampoo? I wash my hair daily, so I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this?

What other ways have you changed how you approach the environment?

Werewolves. I love dogs of all kinds.

You are in a mall when the zombies attack. You have:

1. one weapon.
2. one song blasting on the speakers.
3. one famous person to fight alongside you.

Weapon can be real or fictional, you may assume endless ammo if applicable. Person can be real or fictional.

You?

My choices:

1) A phaser set on "incinerate."
2) Something from Hildegard von Bingen so I can kill in slow-mo with religious fervor.
3) Yuen Biao with a Buddhist holy sword.

1) Do I really need to justify the use of a phaser for any reason?
2) Have you ever heard Hildegard von Bingen's music? You would understand if you had.
3) I *heart* Yuen Biao! He's done well against hopping vampires -- he can handle zombies easy.

Hi,

I was wondering if any of you have some baby gates lying around that I could borrow for a couple of weeks in June/July. dchenes is considering taking care of Sonja while I'm in Korea (a HUGE help!) and she'd like to use baby gates to separate her from her cat Lily. She was considering buying them, but I thought I would ask if any of you had them so neither of us have to go through the waste of purchasing them. If you have some spare baby gates, please bump my journal, and I'll arrange to get them ASAP.

Thanks so much in advance!

I've got to put up a website this week for my freshmen history class, and .Mac is giving me fits. I supposedly can do personal web sharing on a Apache-powered serever, but I still need to put the files somewhere on the Internet, right?

I need a quick and dirty website host for a week. Help?

I need to house my dogs somewhere for two and a half weeks starting June 24th to July 10th. Boarding is going to be very expensive for me, though I can do it if I absolutely must. I was wondering if any of you would be willing to accept a stipend for caring for Sonja? Enkidu I'd send to someone else who has a big yard and is accustomed to dealing with active dogs.

If you could also ask your dog-inclined friends out there, I'd really appreciate it.

Hee....

Pentax K10D. It's got everything I want, and every pic I've seen taken with this thing I love. :)

Now let's see if I can find a good price.

It too you HOW LONG TO FIGURE THIS OUT?
And THIS TOO???
Apparently, tonight is my night to rant.

Now that I know I am heading to Korea, I need to either fix my Fuji S7000, get a new camera, or buy one used. I've wanted a digital SLR for a long time now, and in some way I see this as good reason to get the camera I really want -- I haven't been 100-percent thrilled with my Fuji anyway. What should I do?

Poll #1170207 Repair, New, or Used?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Should I repair my current camera, buy a new one, or a used one?

Also, if you think I should buy a different camera, do you have suggestions on a good DSLR? Please leave your answers in the Comments section.