Speaking of Novels

I have discovered a valuable resource that was previously considered only waste.
spam. Yes, the hated junk-mail that collects in your e-mail's junk/bulk/spam folder hawking vljagra and p n!s en!arg m e n t has value.
Don't open these mails. Simply review the names of the senders and take the ones you like for your own Great American Novel. How many hours have would-be novelists agonized over inventing the perfect names for their characters; perhaps giving up in frustration?
Here are a few of the beauties that have shown up in my box in the past few days:
Quinlan Percival
Cobus Veitch
Inger Turner
Gandalf Hubbell
Katya Stickles
Destinee Kucera
Ulric Teets
Goliath Linnell
Aviv Reinwald
Juventas Dove

Who is the genius coming up with these? If these are simply generated by algorithm, I'd say it is a sign that the singularity is upon us.These names are laden with character. If you don't already have a story in mind these names could help you form one.

The Wayward Bus

I found a first-edition John Steinbeck book for less than a dollar. It's not in great shape, it's dusty and worn. But it is in one piece. Here is a picture:

The Answer

At the risk of disappointing those who haven't had a chance to guess, here are the answers to the questions posed in the previous post:
Year: 1957
Publication: Signs of The Times

Signs of the Times is a magazine produced by the Seventh Day Adventist church.

Admittedly, the contest wasn't entirely fair, since the perspective of Signs of the Times might not have ever been 'mainstream'.

But anyway, since Mimi was the closest, she wins. And the prize, as determined by our pseudo-Rogue-style judging panel, is:
*
(32 gold pieces )
(You have achieved the level of 'Hero')

Rebellion

Can anyone guess in what year this girl epitomized rebellion? How about the publication?

Four Kittens

Our only surviving adult cat, Flower, gave birth to 4 kittens over the weekend. There is an orange striped one, two calico and one black with white toes. They are small, but I still don't know how she had all four of them inside her. She's not very big either.

Hottest I can remember

107 degrees at 2:57 today. Hottest I can remember in W. Washington.
Inside my office it is a cool 79, with no AC. 28 degree differential, with no AC! I'm loving it.

Too busy to turn around

Much less publish blog entries.
I feel bad when I get my hitcount update and see that there are approximately 4 die-hards out there that keep checking up on me even when I'm silent.

I installed a rain-drip watering system yesterday for the portion of the garden that is out of easy reach of our other irrigation. It is actually extremely easy and I would recommend it to anyone trying to grow plants. Other techniques I've used include sprinkler and manual watering. One's wasteful, the other time-consuming. Rain-drip is neither.

Last night, I saw a doe devouring the heads off a patch of fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) growing by the house. Before that, when I was watering the garden, a 3-point buck bounded past me close enough I could have squirted him with water if I set the nozzle to Jet. I set the nozzle to Jet, actually, because I was a little nervous at the speed, size and the 3-points all in such proximity to my relatively tender little body. I was prepared to defend myself with a water hose if he decided to get aggressive with me.

Jamey at Gymnastics

 

Inspirational Craft Project

nail_cross
Originally uploaded by King Cnut.

Celebrate the long and dynamic history of nails with this "Inspirational" project.

If you are inspired, you can order this project from the Oriental Trading Company.