wanna get paid money for a clinical trial to sit on your ass and help NASA in the process?

So, check it out.

Out of work? Always dreamed of lying around all day and night watching DVD's, playing nintendo, reading? And get paid for it?

HAHAHAHA. Seriously, folks, this is a real clinical trial. $5,000. Hmm...wonder if non-blogging husband could still get his unemployment and the money for this trial...hahahaha...

Posted by jennj at 12:27 PM | Comments (1)

this just sickens me

This really pisses me off when I read stories like this. I hope they catch whoever did it. Disgusting.

Posted by jennj at 09:24 AM | Comments (1)

the food is gonna be good next week

Chris's cousin from Alaska arrived at mom's yesterday with an entire ice chest of frozen halibut and salmon that she caught the other day in the river. OH YEAH.

Posted by jennj at 09:52 AM | Comments (0)

non-blogging husband rocks

After leaving work at 7p.m., talking to family and friends on the hands-free on the drive home, shopping for some aquatic shoes (found some! yay!) and then finally getting home around 8:30, nbh had a surprise for me. He placed a dancing gir in the lower corner of my screen that plays random gir quotes when I click on it. Yay! It's so cute! The stress has melted away.

We've been watching the Celebrity Poker on Bravo. There's a part of me that feels like I'm actually learning some finesse about the game. I think I am. But I know that once I actually play a real game I'm going to blow it. First of all, in every area of my life I do not hide my feelings well. At all. I'm a walking tell. I know that in reality it just will NOT go right. So, when we're at the beach I'm gonna try this out!

Posted by jennj at 08:52 AM | Comments (7)

less than a week...

We'll be on vacation in less than a week. This time next week I'll be chillin' on the OTX. Things to bring with me: Continue reading hillary's book, bring bill's book, a richard laymon horror novel, beyond fear by Bruce Schneier (a book given to me from Hal when I was in Seattlle over mem day weekend), and the first two volumes of the baroque cycle. Thank goodness for ebooks, only two of the books mentioned above are not on my palm.

We'll be taking some DVD's with us (more Sex and The City off our netflix queue), games, beach stuff, etc. And, of course, the iPod. Yay.

I wanna see Fahrenheit 9/11 before we go, but I don't know if that'll happen. We did make sure we have tickets for an afternoon matinee of Spiderman 2 on Thursday, tho....*that* cannot wait until I come back! :-)

Posted by jennj at 08:56 AM | Comments (9)

book report

I really enjoyed Linked. It is about the mathematics behind and discovery of scale-free networks and how everything (biologicial, computer, business, etc.) really works on a scale-free network basis. Microsoft is a node that carries the signature of a Bose-Einstein condensate (for you physics geeks out there). He talks about the scale-free network known as Al Qaeda and how taking Osama Bin Laden down won't topple the network, as in a scale-free network, you must have a cascading effect on the *nodes* in order to bring them down. And even then, they won't completely go away. Using this idea as a way to fight AIDS and cancer is also talked about in the book. Recommended.

Posted by jennj at 04:11 AM | Comments (0)

oh and....

Jon Stewart with the Daily Show staff is coming out with a book late summer. You can pre-order on Amazon.

Posted by jennj at 02:39 AM | Comments (0)

ramblings on a saturday afternoon

Am I the only person to think that she shouldn't be on suicide watch and if she wants to go ahead and kill herself, by all means, do? She killed her two daughters fer crying out loud. I just can't feel bad for her. I feel bad for them and the life they didn't get to lead.

In the meantime, who cares? If the DVD's aren't going to be the unaltered version, I don't think I want 'em. Yes, I'm a Star Wars fan who hates that Greedo is shown firing first on Han. I admit it. I still have the original VHS of the unaltered version. I still have a VHS machine. Hm. I am a hypocrite, tho, because Star Wars is one of those movies that I can be surfing the channels and see it and then just stop and watch for the rest of the movie, which, of course is the '97 altered versions. Heh. Damn. "We want watching this DVD collection to be as memorable as seeing the movies for the first time." uh, not really.

Btw, don't ever put "DVD" into the search criteria on amazon.com. Doesn't help whatsoever. Heh. I hate when I'm thinking of one thing and then type in another......

Posted by jennj at 02:10 AM | Comments (0)

i love jon stewart

Larry King is annoying and Jon Stewart just blew him away. An hour of Jon Stewart was just not enough. He was so funny and smart. Looks like I didn't lose my sense of humor after all. I kept it on the TiVo cause I couldn't bear to delete it.

Posted by jennj at 10:19 AM | Comments (2)

fun moment for today

We're TiVo'ing Larry King Live right now (9-10p.m. EST) because Jon Stewart is on it! Go TiVo this now!

Posted by jennj at 09:19 AM | Comments (0)

i've lost my sense of humor

Have you seen it?

I feel like this entire week has just gone by without any real human interaction. Which is not true, since I interact with people all day long and have seen friends this week too. But when I get into these too stressed at work and too busy to think about "work-life balance" modes, I don't feel connected to anyone. I barely notice people around me. I know I've talked to people, but everything funny that has happened is too inside joke/work kind of things regarding people at work that nobody outside of work would find amusing. If Brooke had been in today, at least I could have shared with her my little story about how I soooo did not endear myself to a co-worker today. Heh. She would have understood.

Bah. And now I don't want to spend any time with people this weekend because I just want to curl up with a book and myself and my non-blogging husband and the cats and chill.

Posted by jennj at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)

i love my mom

I sent my mom a copy of an article about the Puget Sound Mycological Society (mushroom fans...no, not THOSE kind of mushrooms). My mother does natural dyeing and likes to find all sorts of plant life to dye with and see what colors she gets. So, when we do nature walks, she's always looking at the ground for plant life, trees or bushes or what have you....it's amusing.

Anyway, I told you that because I want to share with you her response to my sending her the article.

"Yup, the local TX mushroom hunters were very like this! When I asked to go along on a hunt so I could find 'rooms to dye with, I was stared at like I'd requested one of their children for boiling. In fact, I'd probably have had more luck with that idea! *g*"

She cracks me up.
(the parents lived in TX for awhile..)

Posted by jennj at 08:54 AM | Comments (0)

can't blog. busy.

Number of days til Outer Banks, N.C. beach house vacation with family: 9

Posted by jennj at 05:02 AM | Comments (3)

if it ain't broke, don't air brush it

While purchasing a bottled water at the news stand in South Station on the way home this evening, my little eye spied the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Before you could say, "I heart John Taylor", the adolescent girl in me paid for it and found a seat on the train. Why? The cover has Christian Bale on it.

After closer examination of the cover (this was a local train, not an express so I had plenty of time), it appears that they freakin' air brushed him. I know this isn't a new thing that magazine covers do But, guys, you don't NEED to air brush CHRISTIAN BALE. F*in' revisionists.

In the meantime, spurred by the thought of reducing costs and excited about some of the cool TiVo series II features (snowboardgirl and head pigeons showed us last night), nbh went out and got us one today and hooked it up to our wireless network. We had gone to using our cell phones as our only phone about two years ago, but had to keep the analog line for the TiVo (not desiring to hack the box). I just used the "show photos" feature on the TiVo and displayed photos from my powerbook. Damn that's cool. I wish we could use the "play music" feature, alas it doesn't read aac format. Maybe some day. Yay. It is faster. It stores more. I'm happy. If only it weren't re-run season and I had something to TiVo. Hmm....

Posted by jennj at 06:28 AM | Comments (0)

gaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

Man those sangrias were goood last night. Man was it hard to get up this morning. Thanks snowboard girl and headpigeons for an awesome dinner and time last night.

And, we have our first civilian astronaut! This isn't their first of two flights to try to win the xprize. Just a public practice run. You know, tho, when did Mike Melvill really become the first civilian astronaut? The first time he flew up in it after FAA certification? Or, this first, public viewing? Hmm..seems to me, it would be the first time after FAA certification....

Posted by jennj at 01:05 AM | Comments (1)

band of brothers

"War is hell." - General "Tecumsah" Sherman

I bought the non-blogging husband the DVD set of Band of Brothers for his birthday. I'm not normally a war movie/tv series/book kind of gal, but I decided to watch this with him (he's already seen it once). It's good. It's really good. And, once again, I'm impressed by what our military personnel do for our country.

Posted by jennj at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)

attention Mass-hole drivers

The space I put between me and the car in front of me is not for you. It is called braking distance. You may think you have reflex skills on par with a fighter pilot or a race car driver, but you don't. Get over it.

Thank you.

Posted by jennj at 10:09 AM | Comments (3)

i can talk about it

No, it's not as exciting as I probably made it out to be....

Donna and Bob got engaged! Finally. Congrats, you crazy keedz.

See, the thing is, when it comes to good news, I'm the JBS. Jennifer Broadcasting System. I love to talk about good stuff like this...but it's not my news to tell. So, I had to keep my mouth shut until I knew that everyone had been notified. Whew. Long week. Hahaha.

Posted by jennj at 06:04 AM | Comments (0)

mrph gmrph

Can't. Spread. Good. News. Just. Yet.

Posted by jennj at 09:04 AM | Comments (2)

too much going on

They're starting a new policy on the MBTA trains and subway. I can now be approached by a policeman to ask to search my bags. All in the name of "security". So, airport checks, road checks and now train/subway checks. Next: I won't be able to enter my home unless my backpack is checked.

I've been seriously busy at work this week. It's been very stressful. I've had major things coincide at the same time and was asked to contribute on another project at the last minute - one which I couldn't say no to because if I had it would have been detrimental to my department and the efforts we've been doing for the past few years. I've already started counting down the days to the outer banks, n.c. family beach trip July 4th week. The good news is that the majority of these items will be done before vaca, so the end is nigh.

Today we're heading out to the Cape for a bbq/party at my bosses cape cod house. Tomorrow we've got a friend/co-worker of mine from the Amsterdam office coming over to the house for dinner. She's in town for one of the projects that is eating my time up at work. So, busy weekend too. AIYEE.

Posted by jennj at 10:34 AM | Comments (3)

update on the xprize - june 21st

Mark your calendars. If all goes well, on June 21st, SpaceShipOne will become the first private manned vehicle to reach space. This will be the first of two trips to attempt to win the xprize. According to xprize rules, the second trip will need to occur within 2 weeks after this launch. yay.

Posted by jennj at 09:47 AM | Comments (5)

riding on the metro...

Number of women on train who started going into labor: 1

Shortly after getting on the train this morning, a woman with the help of her friends walked off the train to the ambulance to get to the hospital to give birth. Man. As she walked past, I've never seen someone in that much pain. Yikes. Anyway, I hope she and the baby are OK.

Posted by jennj at 06:35 AM | Comments (0)

should i be upset about these ads?

So, apparently there are some magazine ads for SlimFast seen here.

I don't know how to feel about these. On the one hand, it sickens me that we prey, yet again, on women's insecurities. Weddings are supposed to be fun. A bride already feels pressure about her weight and the dress months before the ceremony. It's not like they need any help feeling bad about those few extra pounds. On the other hand, why don't I just ignore it? Maybe I'm just too sensitive to things right now because of all of those plastic surgery reality shows, etc. I was standing in line at the CVS the other day and on the cover of People magazine, was a before and after picture of the Swan beauty contest winner. You know, she looked okay before, not a model, but nothing that I feel she needed plastic surgery for. No cleft palette, lazy eye, hump on her back. She looked okay. Nothing a change in clothing or nice haircut couldn't fix.

In the meantime, I was reading the Sunday paper and came across a quote from the parents of the teenage boy in Florida who wrote in his journal that his career goal was to be a serial killer. His parents didn't know what he had written in his journal until he was arrested for killing a classmate. Comment from the parents? "There was never a profane word out of his mouth, " his father said, "He was never, ever disrespectful to us or anyone else." What a stupid thing to say. Uh, yeah, cause swearing is a sign of a sociopath. Damn.

Posted by jennj at 10:52 AM | Comments (10)

hahahaha...quote from a blog i just read....

"Why is it that I keep forgetting that the only difference between men and women is a few thousand words?"

Posted by jennj at 03:17 AM | Comments (0)

girlie girl trauma at the nail salon

Aw, man. I walked into the nail salon this morning to find out that they are out of business today. They told their employees on Wednesday. I gave my manicurist my information to let me know where she ends up, but man, this sucks. I hate those "Nail 2000" kind of places in the strip malls. I like going to what I feel is a real salon. Soo...either she'll end up some place cool soon or I've gotta shop around.

The Kohrt's are comin' over tonight for a barbecue. nbh is making ribs. Mmm....

Posted by jennj at 02:57 AM | Comments (0)

against all enemies

I finished reading Richard Clarke's book, Against All Enemies, and I enjoyed it. It's an interesting view of the war on terrorism from someone who was a dedicated civil servant and worked on counterterrorism efforts for three presidents. While it's his story, and subject to any sort of memory lapses or just plain opinions of what he thought, it is very telling. It definitely has solidified my belief that Tenet is a scapegoat for the Bush Administration.

Posted by jennj at 06:24 AM | Comments (2)

solving my geek grrl power adapter problem - sorta

Non-blogging husband found this universal adapter. While it can handle my Palm and cell phone (which is dying on me...thank god I am eligible for a $100 off on a new phone as of June 3), it still won't work for my digital camera and iPod. Hmm. And best buy has it on sale for $12.99.....

In the meantime, when I got on the logan express bus to take from the airport to framingham for nbh to come get me, the driver had "easy listening" on. Gag. At midnight, who the hell listens to easy listening when they are *driving*?? Thank god for the iPod, so it could drown out "The Pina Colada" song....

Posted by jennj at 11:22 AM | Comments (2)