Beautiful Red Tree

// September 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // art, china, inspiration, life the universe and everything, professional

This is not mine.  It came through the “recommended” section of my GoogleReader.  It is beautiful

First Day of Sixth Grade

// September 1st, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Medea, NIHF:STEM, Ohio, family, life the universe and everything, news, personal

Middle school at the NIHF:STEM school. 

STEM School Dedication – Sept 2, 2010

// August 31st, 2010 // No Comments » // Medea, NIHF:STEM, family, inspiration, personal

????

National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM School

The National Inventors Hall of Fame® School … Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning will hold a special dedication celebration on Thursday, September 2, at 12:30 p.m. Students, staff and community members are invited to attend the official dedication ceremony of the brand-new, state-of-the-art facility. The program features student presentations and special remarks from school partners.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame® School … Center for STEM Learning is located at 199 S. Broadway. No parking is available at the NIHF .. STEM school. Event parking is available at the Broadway deck (enter on S. Broadway or E. Mill), the Akron-Summit County Public Library (enter on S. High) and the Akron Health Department deck at 177 S. Broadway (enter on S. Broadway).

For more information, contact Alison White at 330.761.3195.

How to Save Spaghetti Squash Seeds

// August 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, PlantSwap, Tiny House Projects, china, personal

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash, which can be eaten in a variety of ways, is simple to grow in the garden, provided you have the space for the long vines that the plant produces. Saving the seed from spaghetti squash for growing the next year is a simple process. If you plan to keep seeds from the current harvest, you should plant the squash in an area away from other varieties of squashes to prevent cross-pollination.

Things You’ll Need:

• Sharp knife
• Heavy spoon
• Wire mesh colander
• Paper towels
• Newspaper
• Envelope
• Glass jar with lid

How to Collect Seeds

1. Make sure to select a healthy squash to ensure the seed will produce healthy plants.
2. Use a sharp knife to cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the mesh colander in the sink or on your workspace.
3. Pick up one of the squash halves and hold it over the colander. Use a big spoon to scoop out the seeds from the center of the squash, allowing them to fall into the colander.
4. Layer paper towels or newspaper on the counter near your sink. Run the seeds under cool water to separate the seeds from the fibrous ribbons holding them together in big gobs.
5. Place the clean seeds on the paper towels or newspaper in a single layer. Use a paper towel to pat, pat, pat the top of the seeds dry.
6. Transfer the seeds to dry paper towels or newspaper and place the seeds in a dry, cool area to finish drying. The seeds should be dry in approximately a week.
7. Place the dried seeds into an envelope, label and seal. Store the seeds in a closed jar or in the refrigerator until planting time.

Other Information

Spaghetti squash can be baked and served plain as a side dish, or you can fork the strands of the squash out and serve with pasta sauce.

Niagara

// August 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // Medea, china, family, life the universe and everything, personal

On August 4th I took my kid and my mom to Niagara Falls for the weekend.  We left after work on a Thursday and came back the following Sunday.  Sometimes, traveling with family is…ahem…challenging.  But this trip worked out.  We all worked together and got over our own issues and considered what others wanted to do.  It was amazing.  But that’s another point entirely.

Niagara.

I haven’t been to Niagara Falls, Canada since I was a kid.  I enjoyed it back then, I did.  But I appreciated it much more this time.  And yes, we did all the schmarmy tourist things you are supposed to do while at the falls.  Here are some pictures to prove it:

You can see a BUNCH more images, including many from the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not oddatorium here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinagrrrl/sets/72157624716245838/

I did something that was a long time coming…

// August 10th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, china, family, life the universe and everything, magick, narcissism, personal, sad, spirit, warriors of the light, wisdom

I deleted bookmarks, rss feeds, alerts and any other half-arsed way of keeping tabs on someone who is no good.

Notice I didn’t say “no good for me” or something like that.  I said “no good.” And it takes me a lot to get to that point.  I think just about everyone in this world is a lost spark of Divinity trying to find its way back home.  I think almost everyone is redeemable.  I have never believed that anyone could truly be reprobate.

But this one changed my mind on that.  I know this person is no good for me.  I have months and months of evidence to support that theory.  But now, I’ve seen their history and their current actions and realize that this person has no substance save for the illusion and lies they spin to get good-natured people to support their lives.

Still, every so often something would pop up and I’d learn a little tid bit of what they were up to.  Inside I held in reserve an irrational hope that they would some day be bonked on the head by an enlightenment that would bind their consciousness to their action and they would become good- natured as well.

…and maybe that will happen.

But not on my watch.  I have currently set marques out their to make sure that this person can in no way interfere with me or my families serenity, peace, ambition or dedication to service.  Let them be.  Pray that they will be revealed in quick turn so they cannot siphon off resources and hard-earned efforts of other compassionate people.

But it’s in the Universes hands now.

And in the two weeks since I’ve thrown up the “denial-of-service” to all the negative BS in my life I have to say it’s been quite peaceful.

And joyous.

And it was a good move.

AS IT IS…SO BE IT

First, alligators in Summit Lake, now Piranahs in Portage Lakes?

// August 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, china, life the universe and everything, personal

it’s a crazy, crazy world.  Twice in the past years, alligators have been found in NE Ohio’s Summit Lake.  Now, in our Portage Lakes a cousin to the piranha has been found:

Deadliest catch? Not really. But girl gets bragging rights

Exotic fish related to piranha caught in Portage Lakes by 9-year-old

By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published on Tuesday, Aug 03, 2010

NEW FRANKLIN: This is one fish tale that has some real teeth.

Nine-year-old Mackenzie Dalton tossed a line with a bobber and a big fat worm into the muddy brown water in the Portage Lakes on Saturday and pulled out a frightening catch: a red bellied pacu, a fish that is a cousin to a piranha.

”I was like freaking out,” the little girl from Mayfield Village said Monday.

The catch happened on the dock at Baine’s Pier 619 Pontoon Rentals on Stutz Avenue.

The dock is on the Turkeyfoot Channel between West Reservoir and Turkeyfoot Lake in New Franklin.

The girl had been fishing with her grandparents and some cousins for a few hours and had caught nothing while out on a pontoon boat.

But when she threw her line in off the dock, she pulled in a foot-long, one-pound fish.

”The fish started jumping at me,” said the fourth-grader at Center Elementary in Mayfield Village.

The catch offers an interesting twist to a long-standing joke started by Roy Baine, 60, owner of the pontoon rental place.

A few years ago, he put up a sign and a dispenser to sell fish food for a quarter. The sign on the dispenser offers visitors the chance to ”Feed the Portage Lakes Piranha.”

Visitors toss the food into the lake and blue
gills typically pop up to feed.

Baine said he never guessed something more exotic was swimming below.

”I have never seen anything like it,” said Baine, who for many years ran an old-time photo studio called Magic Lantern at Quaker Square.

Matt Wolfe, fisheries biologist for the Portage Lakes office of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, said the fish was probably tossed into one of the lakes by someone who no longer wanted to keep feeding it in a home aquarium as it got bigger and bigger.

”More often than not,” he said, fish like the one Mackenzie caught ”get so big in people’s aquariums and they eat so much they just dump them into the lake.”

One time, he said, during a routine survey of fish in the Portage Lakes, a 3-foot koi was discovered.

”Most of your aquarium trade fish die off in the wintertime,” he said.

Piranhas and pacus cannot survive cold Ohio winters, he said.

Pacus are vegetarians and even though they have sharp teeth and look intimidating, Wolfe said, ”all they do is shred vegetation.”

The fish reportedly can reach a maximum of 42 inches long and live up to 15 years.

Baine said he took a look at the mouthful of teeth on Mackenzie’s fish, which he is keeping in a plastic tub at his dock, and it looked like he was staring into a human’s mouth.

”It’s teeth look like perfect human dentures,” he said.

Baine is not sure what to do with the fish. He would like it to find a new home with a fish collector who has a big enough aquarium to keep it.

Mackenzie’s mother, Kerri Setlock, said she thought her daughter was ”pulling [her] leg” when she told her she caught the fish.

Mackenzie said she fishes a lot and this is the most impressive fish she has ever caught. And now she has the fish story of a lifetime to tell.

”When I grow up, I will tell my kids and my kids will tell their kids and it will go on for generations,” she said.

---

Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.

Roy Baine holds a Red Belly Pacu caught outside his Boat Rentalplace Pier 619 on Turkeyfoot Lake on Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, of Akron, Ohio. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

View larger version>>

NEW FRANKLIN: This is one fish tale that has some real teeth.

Nine-year-old Mackenzie Dalton tossed a line with a bobber and a big fat worm into the muddy brown water in the Portage Lakes on Saturday and pulled out a frightening catch: a red bellied pacu, a fish that is a cousin to a piranha.

”I was like freaking out,” the little girl from Mayfield Village said Monday.

The catch happened on the dock at Baine’s Pier 619 Pontoon Rentals on Stutz Avenue.

The dock is on the Turkeyfoot Channel between West Reservoir and Turkeyfoot Lake in New Franklin.

The girl had been fishing with her grandparents and some cousins for a few hours and had caught nothing while out on a pontoon boat.

But when she threw her line in off the dock, she pulled in a foot-long, one-pound fish.

”The fish started jumping at me,” said the fourth-grader at Center Elementary in Mayfield Village.

The catch offers an interesting twist to a long-standing joke started by Roy Baine, 60, owner of the pontoon rental place.

A few years ago, he put up a sign and a dispenser to sell fish food for a quarter. The sign on the dispenser offers visitors the chance to ”Feed the Portage Lakes Piranha.”

Visitors toss the food into the lake and blue
gills typically pop up to feed.

Baine said he never guessed something more exotic was swimming below.

”I have never seen anything like it,” said Baine, who for many years ran an old-time photo studio called Magic Lantern at Quaker Square.

Matt Wolfe, fisheries biologist for the Portage Lakes office of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, said the fish was probably tossed into one of the lakes by someone who no longer wanted to keep feeding it in a home aquarium as it got bigger and bigger.

”More often than not,” he said, fish like the one Mackenzie caught ”get so big in people’s aquariums and they eat so much they just dump them into the lake.”

One time, he said, during a routine survey of fish in the Portage Lakes, a 3-foot koi was discovered.

”Most of your aquarium trade fish die off in the wintertime,” he said.

Piranhas and pacus cannot survive cold Ohio winters, he said.

Pacus are vegetarians and even though they have sharp teeth and look intimidating, Wolfe said, ”all they do is shred vegetation.”

The fish reportedly can reach a maximum of 42 inches long and live up to 15 years.

Baine said he took a look at the mouthful of teeth on Mackenzie’s fish, which he is keeping in a plastic tub at his dock, and it looked like he was staring into a human’s mouth.

”It’s teeth look like perfect human dentures,” he said.

Baine is not sure what to do with the fish. He would like it to find a new home with a fish collector who has a big enough aquarium to keep it.

Mackenzie’s mother, Kerri Setlock, said she thought her daughter was ”pulling [her] leg” when she told her she caught the fish.

Mackenzie said she fishes a lot and this is the most impressive fish she has ever caught. And now she has the fish story of a lifetime to tell.

”When I grow up, I will tell my kids and my kids will tell their kids and it will go on for generations,” she said.

---

Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.

Sekhmet Amulet

// August 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // PAS, china, magick, spirit

Froyo update for Droid hits this week

// August 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // china, professional

How to update that trusty ole’ Motorola Droid phone:

Mandatory System Update: DROID by Motorola

To help you with the mandatory system update for your DROID by Motorola, this page contains the following information:

1. Reserving Power for System Update
2. System Update Instructions
3. System Update while You Are Roaming

1. The “Install now” and “Restart & install” options will not be available if your device does not have enough power availability. The system update requires 40% or more power availability if not connected to an external power source and 20% power availability if connected to a power source.

   

1. You will be notified that a system update is available on your device. Press “Install now” and your device will power off and back on and the installation process will begin.

   Note: If you choose “Install later” this will delay installation and you will be taken back to the home screen. The system update message will appear every 30 minutes until you install the update.

   

2. If you press “More Info…” you will receive more information regarding the system update on your device.

   

3. After you’ve received first notification of the system update, you can manually initiate by going to “Home” > “Menu” > “Settings” > “About phone” > “System updates“. Press “Restart & install“. Your device will power off and back on and the installation process will begin.

   

4. The update has begun once your device powers off and back on and you see the following screen:

   

1. If you are roaming, you will not receive a system update notice. You will need to enable Wi-Fi and wait for the update notice to appear or as mentioned above you can manually update by selecting “Home” > “Menu” > “Settings” > “About phone” > “System updates“.
2. To enable Wi-Fi, go to “Settings” > “Wireless & networks“. Press “Wi-Fi” to enable.

   

3. To connect to an available Wi-Fi network, select “Wi-Fi settings” and select an available an Wi-Fi network or manually add a Wi-Fi network that has had security settings established.

   

   If the system update fails to install you will get the following error screen. However, this only means the software did not install properly. Remove and re-insert the battery and power the device back on. The device will power back on with original software and will prompt you once again to install the system update.

   

   If the update fails again please contact Verizon Wireless Customer Care at (800) 922-0204.

The Chickens Are On The Patio Set Again

// July 29th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, Tiny House Projects, china, family, funny-bone, humor, life the universe and everything

Every morning.  There they are. Four on the table. Two seated in the comfy padded chairs.  Coffee Klatch at the House-of-Chaos.

Brave the Darkness

// July 29th, 2010 // No Comments » // china, inspiration, life the universe and everything, magick, spirit, wisdom

panos-tsagaris-bravethedarkness2.0

Originally uploaded by chinagrrrl

This is my new favorite artist/mage; Monsiure Panos Tsagaris.

He has inspired me in ways words cannot describe in both worlds; mundane and magick.

I know I can brave the darkness. I know I can obtain the light.
Now, I share that sentiment with you.

Hard choices. Eyes down. One foot in front of the other. Left foot. Right food. Breathe. That is how we get where we are going.

Sometimes there are humans next to us. Sometimes there are not. But we. are. never. never. never alone.

Never ever.
93 | LVX

::: panos-tsagaris-bravethedarkness2.0 :::

Conjure One (extraordinary way)

// July 21st, 2010 // No Comments » // china, inspiration, wisdom

What I have is nothing to my name
No property to speak of
And no trophy for my game
Intangible and worthless
My assets on the page
My coffers are empty
Any offer of safety has faded away
But what I have
What I have is

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this

That makes me lucky
God, I’m lucky, so much luckier than I ever thought I’d be
‘Cause what I have (what I have)
Means so very little to this world
A promise that I kept and a bridge that I saved before it burned
The sacrifice that I made
Brought me to my knees
A choice that cost me everything and set somebody else free
But what I have
Is the value that you see in these things

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this

That makes me lucky
God I’m lucky, so much luckier than I ever thought I’d be
‘Cause what I have
Is the value that you see in these things

And everytime I forget those things you bring them right back to me

With your patience
When I’m blinding mad
And your passion
When I’m really, really bad
And your eyes
Taking in everything I am
And your body and soul and the way that you know
How I treasure you

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this

That makes me lucky
God I’m so lucky
So much luckier than I ever thought I’d be

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this…

Humingbird Moth

// July 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, PlantSwap, Tiny House Projects, china, life the universe and everything, personal

I saw this fair creature lapping up it’s nectar dinner on a butterfly bush.  I knew it was a moth, but I didn’t know what kind.  Apparently it is a “hummingbird moth” (Hemaris thysbe):

“The Hemaris thysbe, or Hummingbird clearwing, is a moth of the Sphingidae family. It lives from Alaska and the Northwest Territories south through British Columbia to Oregon; east through the Great Plains and the Great Lakes area to Maine and Newfoundland; south to Florida and Texas. Adults are frequently mistaken for hummingbirds or bees because of their fast-moving wings and coloration. They have a two inch wingspan. The caterpillars eat viburnum, hawthorn, honeysuckle, and a few types of fruit trees.”

from Wikipedia

It reminded me of a flying crawdad!

Look how beautiful the clear wings are!

I always forget that Ohio has rattlesnakes until I see this…

// July 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, china, family, life the universe and everything, personal

Why hello there Mister Snakey!

Yeah….this is always a good thing to come across when you are traipsing across the wetlands. The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake. Five rattles baby…. And while I don’t mind snakes in general please don’t even ask me to get closer to take more photos.

Follow Chinagrrrl on Twitter

// July 19th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, china, life the universe and everything, personal, professional, twitter

Follow: twitter.com/chinagrrrl

Asiatic Lily – “BlackOut”

// July 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, PlantSwap, Tiny House Projects, china

Asiatic Lily – “BlackOut”

Originally uploaded by chinagrrrl

Remember those Asiatic lilies called “Black Out” that I told you about last year? Here they are!

*poof* just like that

// July 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // life the universe and everything, personal, sad, spirit

Sometimes…it’s the little things.

But in truth, they’re never little.  We just tell ourselves that to rationalize and justify doing what we want to do instead of what we know we should do.

In truth, it is those little things carefully packaged up and presented as free-will that may actually be those invisible lines in the sand.

If you choose to do this, then you can expect no protection in that.

that is how this free-will thing works.

Verily, it is good that there is some generous leeway built into the system, which benefits we arrogant talking monkeys.  We’re thick in the head sometimes, f’shizzle.  But there are things, usually painted with a myriad of invisible fluorescent colors and banners and signs and other blinking icons that say “abandon hope, all who enter past this point.  Make sure you are 48″ or taller (wearing shoes) and please keep your hands and other dangle-y extremities inside the car at all times. “

Mutant - xxeb.net

I call those “reprobate points“.  They are the points that if you cross, you don’t get to go back and pass Go or collect $200 or such things.  If you pass a reprobate point, you’re fucked.  God turns his back on you and no amount of pleading or praying or wailing and gnashing of teeth will ever get you back into anything resembling grace.  From then on, you are outside any protections, the training wheels are off and the stings of a thousand locust (or is it scorpions?) will forever follow you wherever you wander.

“You are one of God’s mistakes….”

Guess what…I think you just passed one.  Welcome to Hell.  I offer you no protection here.  Go get’em boys.

I’m utilizing the power of the Interwebz to find our Kittah!

// July 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, china, family, life the universe and everything, personal

A couple of days ago our orange tabby kitty, Lucifer, didn’t come home.  So we’re making lost posters to put up in the area.  I also am utilizing this here powerful interwebz mojo to extend my search.  So…if you see our kitty.  Call and I will bake you homemade chocolate chip cookies…and put a bow on the box and everything.

Sage Varieties: Toasted Brie and Sage Sandwich

// July 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects

Makes 1 sandwich

• 2 white bread slices
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 to 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh sage
• 1 to 2 ounces Brie, roughly sliced
• Fresh sage sprigs, for garnish

1. Spread one side of both bread slices of with butter. Sprinkle with sage.

2.  Arrange Brie slices on one buttered bread slice. Place remaining bread slice, buttered side down, on top of Brie,

3. Spread butter on both sides of sandwich. Cook sandwich in a preheated panini press 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Cut in half and serve immediately.

MarthaStewart: Chocolate Peanut Butter Shortbread Squares

// July 8th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, china, family, life the universe and everything, personal

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shortbread Squares The milk-chocolate topping of these cookies looks like the result of masterful piping, but it’s actually a cinch to make using a mold. Beneath the chocolate hides a layer of peanut butter on top of brown-sugar shortbread, all of them adding up to a treat that’s creamy and crumbly and rich throughout.
Ingredients Makes about 36 squares. Vegetable oil cooking spray 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar 12 ounces milk chocolate, melted 1 cup creamy peanut butter	Directions Coat a 9 1/2-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides, and coat parchment with spray. Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add sugar, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Press dough evenly into pan. Cover, and refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bake shortbread until golden brown and firm in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Let shortbread cool in pan on a wire rack. Place a basket-weave mat, trimmed to fit pan, on a rimmed baking sheet, and spread melted chocolate evenly on mat. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Use parchment to unmold shortbread from pan, and trim edges to create a square. Spread peanut butter evenly on shortbread. Carefully center chocolate, mat side up, on top of peanut butter, and gently peel off mat. Cut shortbread into 1 1/2-inch squares. Shortbread will keep, covered, for up to 3 days. First published

Copyright 2010 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Marth Steward BlueberryCorn Muffins

// July 8th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects, china, family, inspiration

Blueberry-Corn Muffins This batter can be baked in jumbo or oversize muffin tins. Frozen blueberries may substitute fresh.
Ingredients Makes 6 large muffins. 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling 3 tablespoons honey 2 large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup milk 1 cup blueberries	Directions Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place a Silpat (French nonstick baking mat) or parchment paper on a baking sheet; place six 2 3/4-by-2-inch pastry rings on it. Cut parchment paper into six 10-by-3-inch strips; use them to line molds (paper will extend above rims). Place softened butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and honey in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs; beat 1 minute more. Whisk flour, cornmeal, and baking powder together in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture in mixer bowl. Beat until combined. Slowly pour in milk, beating on low, until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Divide dough among molds (do not pack too firmly; each will take about 1 cup). Brush tops with cold water; sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over each. Bake until tops are browned, centers are set, and a cake tester inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Tie kitchen twine around muffins to hold parchment. Serve at once. First published

Copyright 2010 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Krys Dauchy – 1986 – Aggrorag

// July 8th, 2010 // No Comments » // BMX, china

Krys Dauchy – 1986 – Aggrorag

Originally uploaded by chinagrrrl

Jared Souney sent me this yesterday by email. He had dinner with Mike Daily and together they went through some of the legendary ‘zine “AggroRag“. It it was this little gem.

If my memory serves correctly this image was from my very first national contest ever, the NY AFA Masters. It was also my second contest ever. I’m thinking this was in 1986. I would have been 15. I rode a blue Haro Master (which I completely loved, BTW) and I also think that I remember Mat Hoffman riding in this contest too. Something tells me that may have been HIS first national too.

Ah…such innocent youngsters we were.

Purification by Fire

// July 7th, 2010 // No Comments » // china, life the universe and everything, personal, writing

Purification by Fire

Originally uploaded by lisa rene

Fire burns, it always does…burns away dross. Leaving what it left, as niffin. Fire angel. Fire demon.

My plans for this holiday weekend

// July 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Ohio, china, life the universe and everything, personal, professional

Please make a note of it.

Droid Does

// July 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // china, humor, life the universe and everything, personal, professional

Yes indeed…

PlantSwap: Bunny Tails (Lagurus ovatus)

// July 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, PlantSwap, Tiny House Projects, china, writing

Bunny Tails (Lagurus ovatus)

I have been doing a LOT of gardening experiments this year.  One of my criteria is that the Tiny House-of-Chaos is to use as much reclaimed, recycled or salvaged material as possible.  Dirt, rocks, plants…anything I can swap, barter or trade.  I did buy five yards of mulch this year and a few perennials at the nursery, but most of my plants I’ve grown from seed exchanged through PlantSwap.

Bunny Tails Blowing in the Wind

Some of those experiments have been wildly successful…others, not so much!  I’ve found that our chickens will find those tiny seeds and destroy the mini-greenhouses built to keep those seeds safe.  That’s what I get for training my chickens as ninja warriors.  Their stealth and cunning has outwitted farmer China.  I am no match for their powers.

One of the ornamental grasses that I started from seed is called “Bunny Tails”.  It’s proper name is Lagurus ovatus. Here is some information on this plant from PlantFiles:

PlantFiles: Hare’s Tail Grass, Bunny Tails

Lagurus ovatus

Family: Poaceae (poh-AY-see-ee)
Genus: Lagurus (lag-ur-uss)
Species: ovatus (oh-VAY-tus) (more…)

RIP: Bryan Stauffer (1970 – 2010)

// June 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Ohio, china, life the universe and everything, personal, sad, spirit, writing

Bryan Stauffer and Chinagrrl - 1993 tree festival - Akron OH

A friend of mine passed away this month.  From what I was told it was “last week” but no one knows an exact date.  Bryan and I used to “date” or whatever passed for it in the early 1990′s when we both attended the University of Akron.  From 1998 until about 2007 I heard from him only infrequently but I knew we both worked in Technology and had some interesting conversations regarding the nature of the IT Corporate Beast.

In the past few years, however, I heard from him much more often.  He’s even one of the few people that have visited the House-of-Chaos in its current incarnation.  He was doing some new music endeavors and he used me to bounce some of his newer tracks off and he picked my brain regarding some of the creative for the projects; costuming, lighting setups, interaction design of performer/audience.  He wanted me to become more involved with some of those ideas, but there were elements in Bryan’s current life that I was unable to surround myself.

“Furie” (Bryan Stauffer) by Chinagrrrl

We discussed some of those choices at length and one thing I told him, that I really wanted him to “get” was that “no rash decisions should be made in the aftereffects” of those things.  Forgive me for being like a sphinx here, but I’m journaling mostly for my own benefit here and it’s not my interest to disparage or exploit the dead.  Bryan was dabbling in things that I knew, from intimate personal firsthand experience, to be harmful and would pull him away from those relationships he most yearned for, and the things that gave him beauty and satisfaction in life.

I also knew that he wouldn’t stop those things until he was done with them.  Knowing the “backside” of those things I implored for him not to give much credit to the “oh my god, things are awful and I can’t handle it” feelings that come with such dabbling.

Learning of his demise I can only thing that maybe he didn’t believe me, or that maybe it wasn’t enough.

Anyways, he’s gone now from our manifest world and I can only hope that his spirit will find the peace it yearned for wherever it is now.  Hopefully his spirit finds itself in a Rotterdam goth club in 1992.  He would like that.

From: http://www.newcomerakron.com/obituary.asp?src=value&obitid=40992

Bryan Stauffer - RIP - June 2010

Bryan W. Stauffer
1970 - 2010

Visitation:

Friday, June 18, 2010 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Newcomer Funeral Home & Cremation Services
131 North Canton RD
Akron, OH  44305       330-784-3334

Directions & Map

Service:

Friday, June 18, 2010 7:00 PM
Newcomer Funeral Home & Cremation Services
131 North Canton RD
Akron, OH  44305       330-784-3334

Directions & Map

Bryan W. Stauffer, 40, of Akron, passed away in June 2010. He was a graduate of East High School and served in the U.S. Army during the Gulf War. He was also a member of MENSA. Bryan was a gifted musician and composer. He was the founding member of Set To Burn and loved performing for friends and his many loving fans. Bryan was a loyal and compassionate friend to many. He will always be remembered for his sense of humor and generosity. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph T. Stauffer III. He is survived by his mother, Madeline (Earl) Muster; sisters, Kylie, Geran, and Kirsten; one niece; and many other relatives and friends. Calling hours will be Friday from 5-7 followed by a 7 p.m. memorial service at NEWCOMER FUNERAL HOME, 131 N. Canton Rd. Inurnment will take place at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery at a later date.

HOC: Chickens

// June 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // House-of-Chaos, Ohio, Tiny House Projects, china, family, life the universe and everything

Assortments	Barred Plymouth Rocks	Black Austalorp	Black Jersey Giant
Black Star	Buckeyes	Buff Orpington	Buff Chanteclers
Columbian Wyandotte	Delawares	Dominiques	Golden Buff
Golden Laced Wyandotte	New Hampshire	Partridge Plymouth Rocks	Silver Laced Wyandotte
Rhode Island Red	Speckled Sussex	Turkin (Naked-Neck)	White Plymouth Rock

HAIL SEKHMET!

// June 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // china, magick

http://sites.google.com/site/netersekhmet/prayers

Mine is a heart of carnelian, crimson as murder on a holy day. Mine is a heart of corneal, the gnarled roots of a dogwood and the bursting of flowers. I am the broken wax seal on my lover’s letters. I am the phoenix, the fiery sun, consuming and resuming myself. I will what I will. Mine is a heart of carnelian, blood red as the crest of a phoenix.

SEKHMET!

Trust & Logic

// June 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // china, inspiration, professional, quote, wisdom

You rock it Danielle. F’shizzle.