Soapbox Central

2:01AM - First poll

I've found that my students stare at me with unblinking eyes when I try to reference 2001: A Space Odyssey. So, here goes my first try at a poll!

Poll #1212534 Are you a sci-fi fan, or even just a little bit culturally literate?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

From a review of the movie WALL*E: The film bristles with hidden jokes for science fiction fans, references to "2001," "Short Circuit" and "Star Wars" that enrich the experience without hijacking the story. Which have you seen?

1:26PM - Query

Anybody want to buy a house?

3:07AM - Conversation in the dark

Conversation before Peter fell asleep tonight:

Peter: (hick, hick, hick)

Dan: Peter, let's get rid of those hickups so you can sleep. Sit up, here's a glass of water.

P: (sip, sip)

D: There, did that stop your hickups?

P: Yes, hickups all (hick) gone!

D: Oops. Drink a some more water.

P: (sip, sip) There, hickups all g-(hick)-one! (laughs) No!

D: Uh-oh! Try again.

P: (sip, sip) Yes, hickup all (hick) gone! No! (laughs)

[Repeat 3 more times, much laughter]

D: Hmm, let's try something else. Did you know that startling someone can stop hickups? Should I startle you?

P: Yes!

D: Ok. When you startle someone you have to talk to them for a while until they don't know when it's going to happen and then when they don't expect it you have TALK REALLY LOUD!! (quickly grab Peter's leg)

P: (semi-betrayed look)

D: Did daddy scare you?

P: Yes!

D: That's how you get rid of hickups. (smile, look happy not scary) I tried to startle you so that your hickups would go away. It's ok. Are your hickups gone?

P: (uneasy smile) Yes!

[no more hickups]

:)

1:07AM - She really loves us!

We have a little cat [editted from "can"] we got from the Humane Society a year and a half ago to catch mice. Her name is Shelob (rawr!) and she caught the mouse. We like her. She's affectionate enough without being annoying and not snooty like some cats can be. She's an inside cat.

Well, yesterday morning I woke up and was in Peter's room (upstairs) when I heard a cat meowing sadly outside. It sounded like Shelob, but she's an inside cat and is never out. I thought maybe she was talking out the window at something tasty or mean (she "chirps" at birds and "growls" at other cats), but this sounded different. It was wierd so I came downstaris to see what was up.

She wasn't around in sight, so I whistled for her. There is a pause, and the she suddenly appears at the window ... outside. She leapt straight up from the ground and stuck right to the screen, like one of the suction-cup Garfields! It was hilarious. She must have gotten out the night before while I was installing a light by our back door. But she didn't run away and actually seemed thankful when I let her in.

Now, I grew up with a dog that bolted the instant a door was left open and didn't come back until we had chased him tired. I'm so happy the cat likes us enough to stick around.

12:54PM - Alcohol miraculous!

Light Drinking Cuts Risk for Death, Heart Attack

Cuts risk for death? Can it go below 100%?