Monday, February 29, 2016

Fairy Houses

Halloween, Forest, Mushroom House  Do you remember as a kid, when you'd spot a small place off under a bush.  One that looked a bit like something lived there and your mom simply said "Its a fairy house."

You'd smile, looking for little flying creatures similar to Tinkerbell from Captain Hook.  You'd stare and think maybe you just saw one fly from the place.  Your mom would tell you not to get to close because you didn't want to scare them.

Did you know that a man was given permission to create gnome houses at Little Buffalo State Park in Pennsylvania near Harrisburg.  The artist created around 40 whimsical houses in tree roots, hollow logs, and on stumps that lined the trails people hiked.

Each house had its own saying attached to it making it more of something to believe in.   Kids loved the gnome houses spread out around the park.  Think of the game you could play with your little ones as you walked through the park.  It makes it more fun and you see more than you might otherwise.  Unfortunately, the artist was told to remove the houses because the park was afraid that the increased human traffic would cause additional compaction of the soils and increase human litter which could affect wildlife habitat.

The good news is that two nearby towns are willing to accept these houses as part of their park systems.  The artist who created these houses built them to get kids out of the house and away from their electronics.  He feels he reached his goal.  Once it is decided where the gnome houses will go, the artist will adjust the houses to fit the new places because they'd been customized for the original locations.

I understand the park trying to balance human impact with maintaining a proper wildlife habitat but don't they also want more people to use the parks?  Don't they want people to know all the cool things they have to offer?  I enjoy going through state and national parks because when I go in, I'm helping to support something that was started over 100 years ago to preserve so many wonders.

I am glad other places stepped in to help out the builder and artist.  I'm glad that his work was recognized and respected.  Above all, I'm happy this whimsical fantasy will continue to entertain both children and adults.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Green Mowing in Oregon.

Cabrita, Kid, Goat, Breeding, Newborn    Most people I know hate mowing their lawns.  They hate getting up Saturday morning to battle their healthy grass that keeps stretching towards the sky.  Some folk like to be up before dawn to attack their lawns while ignoring the muttered complaints from neighbors who hate to be woken up by the noise.

Some people prefer spending money to buy a riding mower so they can play as they attack the weekly growth while others like to use a push mower because its cheaper and leaves a smaller carbon footprint because it does not use gas.

The state of Oregon decided to go green rather than use mowers and people to take care of a 9 acre park near the capital in Salem.  They hired a herd of goats to wander the property, eating to their hearts content while keeping the grass and invasive plants under control.   Unfortunately, they forgot one thing about live animals.  When an animal eats plants, it is going to produce poop.  So if you hire a herd of 75 goats, they are going to provide quite an amount of poop that might be more than needed to fertilize the park.

This resulted in the city hiring people to clean up the extra poop from the park.  In addition, the goats did not know they were only supposed to eat only the invasive plants.  My experience with goats is they love to eat what ever they can.  I'm not sure they know one plant from another unless its something that does not taste good.

So the city ended up firing the goats for three main reasons.
1.  They indiscriminately ate the plants rather than just the invasive plants.  The goats ate hazelnut and maple trees, blackberry leaves but not the thornes in addition to Armenian blackberry, English Ivy and other invasive plants that were choking out native plants.
2.  The goats cost 5 times the amount of human landscapers.  The goats cost a bit over $25,000 while a human with a prison work force only cost about 4000 in a 6 week period.
3.  They left stinky poop scattered around the park.  Many people detested the smell.

Friends who have used animals to keep their lawns "mowed", and maintained, set up a movable fence system so they could keep the animals within a certain space and moved the fence around before the animals could over eat the area or drop too much poop.  Perhaps the issue was the goats could wonder around the 9 acre property at will?

The state of Oregon did say they would consider using the goats again for special projects but did not specify what constitutes a special project.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Beautiful Aromas

Orchid
Over the past few decades, science has done so much.  They've created vaccinations to eradicate a variety of diseases, found ways to help athletes run faster and perform better naturally, discovered and created new materials along with so many other earth shaking changes.

Unfortunately, there is one thing that science has been unable to do.  They have been unable to replicate the bracing scent of the wind blowing off a salty see, the delicate scent of fresh flowers, or the light scent of a desert wind.  They even have trouble with the aroma of freshly mowed hay or the mouth watering scent of a freshly picked apple.

Over time, society has developed a need to scent our sheets, our clothing, our rooms, even us.  It seems that the desire to sell commercial cents has created a whole industry where stores are filled with scented soaps, bath gels, whose scents are at war with each other.

I hate going to malls that have the stores whose products are heavily scented.  I find it hard to walk in  malls near certain stores because their cacophony of smells roll out into the walkways, choking anyone within 10 feet of the store front.

Historically, perfumes and scents were used to mask bodily odors because most people seldom washed more than once a month maybe.  They also used spices to mask meats that were going rancid.  In certain parts of the Mediterranean, people would dry their clothing on lavender plants to make them smell nice.  People would scatter sweet smelling herbs over the dirt or wooden floor to counter the naturally occurring stench from the decaying rushes on the floor.

 Unfortunately, over the years, artificial scents have taken over to the point that even at work there is always someone who sprays themselves with enough cologne or perfume to advertise their presence from 10 feet away.  The scent is so overwhelming, it sends an innocent bystander into an asthma attack.

I seldom use artificially scented materials around my house because I'd rather fill my house with freshly cut flowers that emit their wonderfully delicate scents. Years ago, I made a decision to live with as few artificial scents as possible so I could still appreciate the delicate natural scents that tease us or fill us with wonderful memories of childhood when that first batch of chocolate chip cookies comes out of the oven.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Top 11 Weird Flavors of Chewing Gum

Chewing Gum, Sweetness, Dental Care  Most people I know who chew gum, chew the usual flavors.  The mints, the fruity, the sour, and the sweet. So it came as quite a surprise to discover there are some really interesting flavors of gum on the market.

1. TV dinner gum with three different flavors. You have beef (the main dish), corn (vegetable), and apple cobbler (desert).  Imagine with three pieces of gum, you've gotten to experience a full dinner.

2.  Meatball chewing gum.  You read that right, it's a meatball flavored gum but it does not come with spaghetti or tomato sauce.  Just the meatballs.  I wonder if you could chew this to cut down on your appetite?

3.  Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream chewing gum.  Wow, meatball chewing gum followed by having this for dessert. What is cool about this gum is that it is sugar free.

4. Thanksgiving gumballs which have three different flavored gums.  There are turkey, cranberry, and pumpkin pie flavors. Just think, with this you could have thanksgiving dinner every day of the year.

5. Fois Gras bubble gum.  Imagine the taste of duck liver in a piece of gum.  Great way to start your thanksgiving meal.

6.  Motitas Banana gum.  This particular gum is often found as part of the treats in pinatas.

7. Pepperfruits gum.  This gum is a combination of regular black pepper and sweet fruit.

8.  Black Black gum.  This gum has like 3 times the normal amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee.  Just think, you wouldn't need your wake up cup of coffee if you chewed this instead.

9.  Pickle gumballs which have 22 different dill pickle flavors.  Wow, 22 different flavors?  You could have a fun time with this.

10.  Cocktail Wiener gumballs.  I'm sorry, I just can't picture this at all.  Can you see someone like Scrooge serving these at a dinner party.

11.  My favorite weird flavor - Cat Hairball gum.  Can you believe that???? I have no idea what it might taste like and I do not want to find out.

Personally, I"m not particularly interested in any of these.  I seldom chew gum and if I do, I still prefer spearmint as my choice of gums.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

I Admit It! I Am A _________!

Pc, Computer, Images, Internet Page    I am willing to admit to the world that I am an information junkie.  I've always been one.  I love collecting information and knowledge.  I love learning.

The greatest advance of this century is the internet filled with free courses, free books, free information on any and all topics.  I absolutely enjoy surfing the internet  looking up all sorts of topics.

Yes, some of the sites are filled with junk such as those sites that prove there is a man in the moon or its made of cheese.  There are all sorts of sites that "prove" their product is the absolute best and the research they show is not real research, just opinion papers slanted to sell their product. 

I love the fact that several reputable sights offer all sorts of free classes like coding, physics, English and so many different foreign languages.  I plan to start taking coding through code.org as soon as I can work it into my schedule. I also want to add time to work my way through a class designed to learn Finnish because I hope to visit Finland next August.

Then check out the interactive books on iBooks!  I've found free ones on almost any topics and I love playing with the science ones.  I collect math ones and I'm still trying to finish one that I started because I wanted to write one.  On a couple other sites including project Gutenberg, there are free ebooks to your hearts desire.  Yes,  many are older ones and classics but if you are a reader, they are free and you can whip through them.  I had a great time downloading many of the science fiction classics.

If you are interested in electronics such as raspberry pi or arduino, there are several sights one can get free information and videos to learn.  That is one area I plan to explore in more detail over the summer.  I want to try some wearable art with some blinky clothing just to play with it. 

Sorry if I'm geeking out but there are places where you can find information on visiting places like Easter Island.  Do you want to know where the remotest places on earth are found, just do a quick search.  Do you want to know where to stay in Dublin, just do a search. Do you want to buy a house in Costa Rica, just do a search.

There are even places on the web you can find movies and music but not all those places  are legal.  I can however learn about music styles, composers, singers, dancers, movie starts, genre of movies or genre of music.  Its all there to explore.

The information filled internet is fantastic with tons of free information available for anyone who wants to explore the galaxy of learning.


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

10 Great Things I Learned Over The Past Three Days.

Airplane, Plane, Field, Landing Field  I sit in an almost deserted airport as I write this.  I'm always early because you never know if security is going to go quickly or allow me to pass through rapidly.  Today due to a pre-check stamp, it was so quick.  I didn't even have to take all my electronic devices out of my bag!  It was cool.

The conference is over and I learned so much.  I am pumped up ready to head home and implement all the things I learned (Well, try but it will take a while).

1.  I learned that companies who make things like cell phones and such have  something proprietary in there that allows them to find out all types of things about you but must have a back door in case police need in.  That back door can allow people in to take your information, take control or any other thing.

2.  So many things have chips in them that most anything is now computerized and many of those such as pacemakers or the devices to give you directions can be hacked or taken over by others.

3.  I learned more about google plus so I can use all its parts to become a better blogger and organize my self in private life.

4.  I learned about creating origami animals that move and light up.

5. I learned about the google cardboard VR (Virtual Reality) viewer to use with your mobile smart type phone.  You can also find apps to create the VR to use on the viewers.  I need to figure out if it will work with my itouch!

6.  I learned about some awesome coding sites I can explore in my free time so I can learn more about programming.  I am a life time learner and I love to learn.

7.  I didn't know how much Star Wars technology has become reality.  I wonder about Star Trek and other types of science fiction.  How much of that technology has become real?  Didn't someone once talk about if we can imagine it, we can build it?

8.  I learned that there is more to the law and social media than I ever realized.

9.  I learned about a widget program that can be used only for assessment rather than putting in an interactive iBook.

10.  I learned enough about paper circuits to get some great ideas and to make me want to play.  Yeah!!!!!

I am already looking forward to my next technology conference.  I come out knowing so much and I want to know more and more and more and with I had time to do all the learning I want.

Have a good day.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Why Would You Do It There???????

Film, Cinema, Video, Camera, Film Camera I am at a technology in education with workshops and presentations that cover any and all topics you can think of.

I went to a talk on student perception of the would of information and the presenter claims that although students are masters of recreation and remixing, they are not programmers.

This means that technology has gotten to the point of being able to create movies using just a couple pieces of equipment such as a camera and a tablet.  Of course there is You Tube where these budding film makers can post their creations.

So the other day,  I walked into a scene that could have been seen in a reality show.  It was almost like finding yourself in an episode of twilight zone. Due to the compactness of technology, anywhere becomes the set for a video.  Anywhere.  You don't need permits, you don't need a sound stage, you can just do it in public.

I went into the ladies rest room and discovered it had been turned into a movie set but I didn't know it yet.  Over to the side, by the row of sinks, two women were talking.  One was standing there stretched out holding her cell phone while the other held her cell phone up looking at the light muttering something about long shots.  I didn't think too much about it at that point.

As I headed off to take care of business, echos of when to close the door, medium shots and voice overs followed me. A few minutes later,  another lady wondered in, paused and asked if they were creating a selfie movie.  The only response she got was a bunch of  giggles from the two ladies.

It was interesting listening to them as they discussed the next shot, I finished my business and wandered into a verbal check list.  I asked if they were doing some sort of scavenger hunt.  The question prompted a more giggles.  I shrugged and walked out.

Shortly after, I ran into a coworker who was working with someone on some sort of medium shot.  I stopped and chatted. Turns out a bunch of people were taking a workshop and this was part of the class.  They'd been sent out with cell phones to create some sort of video which included a variety of shots.

That explained the next scene that I became part of the background as I walked to the elevators heading for another presentation.  I passed another group who were filming in the lobby area by the conversation area.  I  was walking the opposite direction to the main character as she strode towards the camera.

When I next see my friend I'll ask her more questions of the activity and see how her video came out. I'm off to learn about wearable art.




Monday, February 22, 2016

Fantasy Is Now Reality.

Sabre, Laser, Green, Star WarsTalk about Star Wars.  I’m at a technology conference.  Yes I’m so very, very happy to be here because I”m learning so much.  One presentation in particular captured my interest.  It looked at the technology in Star Wars that has made its way from the imagination to reality.

It turns this particular presentation came out of a school project of a high school student.  I was impressed at the amount of work she went through and the great information she had included.  There was more reality than I would have predicted.

1.  The light saber - when used as a tool to cut through metal is reality.  A modern version has been created by the military called the Tec Torch.  It has a plug in termite cartridge that provides the power to this tool.  It produces heat at about 5000 and can cut through just about any metal.  The video on it was fantastic.

2. Clones - like from the Clone Wars.  Cloning has been successfully carried out with sheep and a few other animals.  The most famous clone is Dolly who is a cloned sheep.

3. Droids, etc - we have some that are actually in use today. There is the little robot who vacuums the floors, and a host of others.  I honestly had so much fun with the presentation, I forgot to write down all the uses of droids.  There are also drones that people are playing with as they fly them around, collecting information.

4. Hovercraft - remember in the original movie, Luke was speeding across the desert floor on a speeder that used air to travel.  Then in this movie, we saw a couple other versions of these speeders.  In real life someone has developed a hover bike that goes slowly across the desert floor.  It looks a bit unstable but it was kind of cool  It was two circular hoover elements with a bridge kind of like the top of the bike connecting the two.

5.  Lasers - the Navy has worked on developing lasers that can destroy a moving target.  It used a targeting system that showed the item being targeting and when it was perfectly in the frame, the operator punched the button engaging the laser.  Next thing you saw, smoke rolled off the nit target.  It was cool

6. Robotic limbs - In the movies both Luke and his father lost their hands.  They’d have hands that looked so real but were robotic.  Apparently a company has developed a robotic arm that feels because its hooked into the nervous system so data is shipped to the brain.

7. Holograms - Many airports have implemented the airport virtual assistant or AVA who can help travelers get around the airport and answer different questions.  It is cool.

She spoke on a few other things but I was engaged and forgot to write everything down.  I was impressed with the amount of information she shared and the depth she went when researching the topic was fantastic.

Just in case you wonder, yes I enjoy Star Wars.  It is one of those movies that pull me in and make me want to be the heroine.  I’m a dreamer and always will be.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Last Night, I Saw It.

Star Wars, Storm Trooper, Film, Space    Last night, I went out on a date with a man who is tall, dark, and handsome.  He took me to the newest Star Wars movie. It wasn't the regular showing but the 3-D one.  I'll be honest, I have never been to a 3D movie before so it was a totally new experience. 

It was a small theater with only 49 seats but each seat was a lazy boy type chair where you could lay back and relax.  My date almost fell asleep because they were so comfortable. 

The movie itself in 3-D was absolutely breathtaking from the barren worlds to the beautiful green jungle to the snow covered rock.  The way the ships popped off the screen to stream across the theater, making everyone jump.  There were times, I ducked because the explosion was so vibrant, you felt it.

SPOILER ALERT:  If you have not seen the movie, I'm talking about parts of it.

First of all, let me say that I loved this movie.  I feel as if the stories have returned to their origins and are back on the path the others should have been on.  I loved it.  I saw similarities to the original movies that warmed my heart.  I hated the other three, the ones with Jar Jar Binks.  They made no sense.

It was cool seeing the original star wars characters but I hated seeing the cowboy die or at least be hurt.  My date's friend think's Hans will be back.  I don't know.  I see how his son is afraid of the light side and is willing to be seduced to the dark side.  I loved the young heroine's abilities to use the force without training.  I loved every minute of the movie and plan to get it when its released.

Now for the downside.  I discovered I do not do well with 3D.  I had a great dinner so I was stuffed and I spent the movie in varying stages of queasyness.  I did not throw up but I had to shut my eyes several times to calm my stomach down.  I'm not sure I'll ever go again but I did see some previews for upcoming movies that made me want to see them.  If I go again, I won't eat much and I'll take a sea sick med so I don't get queasy.

If you haven't seen it, go out and enjoy it before it leaves the theater.


Saturday, February 20, 2016

Air Travel

Aeroplane, Aircraft, Airplane, Flight  After yesterday's trip, I've decided that paradise is going to be having air flights on time with few if any weather issues.  I realize that many of you only suffer flight delays due to winter storms but out in the bush of Alaska, we have regular issues with weather.

Yesterday, I traveled into Anchorage, starting at a small airport in the middle of nowhere.  My 9:30 AM flight didn't show up until 1:45 PM due to either weather or mechanical.  No one was particularly sure. The agent said he didn't know for sure.  When I heard the flight was delayed, I called in to move my second leg to the last flight of the day and I got the last seat on the evening flight.  So I got to sit in the airport for 6 hours with no internet.

The lady I traveled with missed her flight and got put on standby for the other airline but they were so full, she didn't make it.  When they said she wouldn't make it because it was full, she came over to my airline and tried to go standby there.  I don't think she made it.   I spoke with someone from work, she barely got out of town after waiting at the airport for 2 hours and only got here because they held the connecting flight.

The airport in my town is nothing more than a gravel runway with no terminals.  You ended up standing my the building with all the snow removal equipment.  If its windy, you hug the side of the building opposite the wind and hope you don't have to wait long.  Then if your 12 minutes out turns into 2 hours because they will be here any minute, you mutter under your breath and hope you don't freeze to death or get frost bite.

I finally got to town around 10:00 PM but I made it in time.  I'm happy to be here because when things get cancelled you might not be able to get out for a while.  I'm off.  Have fun.

Friday, February 19, 2016

10 Weirdest foods

Goldfish, Fish, Koi, Carp, Cartoon Fish I am getting ready to step on a plane later this morning.  As usual, I went over my list of things I needed to make sure were packed, including my lunch as I have a long layover and I wondered what foods are considered the weirdest. 

I realize that much of it depends on the perspective of who made the list because of what is their normal.  For me, I do have a couple things like asparagus ice cream or raw liver but I did a search and here is the list as follows.

Warning:  The list might make you shiver so proceed with care.

1.  Fugu  from Japan.  Its the fish that if not prepared correctly can kill the eater.  I'm told that when prepared correctly, it gives a tingly feeling to ones mouth.

2. Fried spiders from Cambodia.  Ok that does sound a bit weird.  The spiders used are usually from the Tarantula family and are fried in garlic oil till crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

3. Prairie Oysters are the Canadian version of Rocky Mountain Oysters and can be purchased at a restaurant in Calgary during the summer months.

4. Balut from the Philippines.  These are duck eggs that have begun developing and are then cooked and eaten.

5.  Haggis from Scotland which is made of a variety of hearts, lungs, etc, spices and oatmeal simmered in a sheep's stomach.  Since I am of Scottish decent it doesn't sound weird at all.  Its often eaten on Robert Burns birthday.

6. Sannakji  from Korea.  It is a live octopus that is eaten with a bit of sesame oil on it.  It is still squirming when served.

7.  Escamole from Mexico.  This is a wonderful dish  made of ant larvae.  Its also known as insect caviar.

8. Hakarl from Iceland is a decayed and fermented shark.  This shark must be prepared this way because it is poisonous in its fresh form.  Apparently, the smell is not appealing and its recommended that this meal be eaten with lots of alcohol.

9. Fried pig brains sandwiches from Ohio Valley.  It can still be found on the menu at many restaurants.

10.  Cazu Marzu from Italy is a wonderful sheeps milk cheese with live maggots.

I don't know about you but I am not interested in trying them.  Have a good day.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Pixar

Disney, Magic Kingdom, Buzz Lightyear I'm sure the name Pixar rings a bell.  You may not know exactly who they are but you've seen lots of their work especially if you have kids you take to the movies a lot.

These are the folks who made Brave, Monsters University, Up, Wall*E and tons of other animated films.  They have gotten together with Khan Academy to offer Pixar in a Box.  No, its not the company packaged in a gift wrapped box under the Christmas tree.  Its a free online course that was created by Pixar for Khan Academy.

Currently, the course is a work in progress but they have 6 topics up and ready to go.  Each topic has two lessons, the first is the general introduction to the topic while the second lesson is math specific and geared for grades 7 to 12.  Over time, more topics will be introduced.

Another thing is that each lesson is planned to take less than an hour so a student can work through but I'd say each part will take 30 to 50 min depending on how well someone processes information.

I like that each lesson has several topics with a video to explain the material, followed by an activity.  Just glancing over the material, I learned things and I want to spend time exploring this in more detail and even taking the class.  I want to create my own animated movie after checking this out. 

The material covered by the first lesson is geared for everyone but after viewing it, I think it would really be good for grades 5 and above.  Just think, if you need something for your kids to do this summer, they could work with this.   If you are home schooling, this provides a strong link to real life math.

Have a great time exploring.


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Wow, That Was Nasty!

Blizzard, Snow Flurry, Snowflakes  Yesterday, I woke up to a beautiful day with just a bit of wind.  It was easy to walk to work or as easy as it is when you have about 15 extra pounds in shoes, jacket and snow pants.  By the time I slipped home for work, it had gotten foggy and the wind was beginning to howl.

An hour later, the wind was blowing even harder and visibility had dropped to the point anyone walking towards me looked like a mirage until I got about three feet away.  I worked another two hours before finally looking out the window on the porch to check the weather.

I couldn't see out my window because the wind had caked the snow on it, interfering with visibility.  I could barely see the light on the shed halfway to my house.  The light sporadically shown through the blowing sheets of snow but it was extremely difficult to see.  One of the guys gave me a lift home so I didn't have to fight my way home.

Once home, I grabbed a nice hot cup of chai tea because its really cold on the back of a snow machine when the wind is between 50 and 60 knots.  I struggled to get up the stairs to my apartment.  The only reason I didn't get blown off the stairs is the hand rail kept me from ending up in the snow.  I ended up doing a push away from railing, start the step, end up in the rail, pull myself the step and repeat.

The night didn't get any better with the wind getting stronger and stronger.  Things hit the building with great regularity.  Thunk.......Thunk.Thunk Thunk.............Thunk.  I gave up after three different power failures between 9 and 10 PM and went to bed because it was too hard to knit with the lights out.

All night long, the wind blew odds and ends into  walls as the building shook. This morning, I could hear the wind roaring just as loudly as when I went to bed.  I got up and dressed enough I could check my front door.  It required several pushes (It opens outward) just to get it open to the point I could slip through with the shovel and shovel the porch off.  I shoveled the snow off the porch.  The wind was roaring, the snow was not blowing and the temperature had warmed up.

I even got to work in time to field calls on if work was cancelled.  I answered that as far as I knew work was not cancelled, please come in.  Today, it cleared up, warmed up and the wind went away.  I was happy with the way it turned out.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

10 Of The Most Remote Places on Earth

China, Changbai Mountain, Winter  I spent three years living on a small remote island about a mile from the international dateline and 2.5 miles from a Russian possession.  The only real way to get to the island was to take a once a week helicopter if it was running and if the weather was good.  You could take a boat but that wasn't the usual way especially once it got cold and ice began forming.

Once the ocean between the two islands (one belonged to Russia and the other to the US) froze to about 2 feet deep, we got regular flights most days, weather permitting.  When the plane landed, you deplaned and walked about 1/2 a mile with luggage to the village.

I started wondering about some of the remotest places on earth.  They had to be harder to get to and might be accessible certain times of the year.  So I went looking and found some interesting places.

1.  Tristan De Cunha - Its about halfway between South America and Africa with a population of around 300 people.  It takes a 7 day boat ride to get there.

2.  Motuo Tibet - This place is the last place accessible by a road. shortly after the road was built, it couldn't be used due to mudslides, rock slides, etc.  People who want to visit must hike for four days to get there.

3. Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland is on the eastern coast of Greenland and can only be gotten to by helicopter from the airport.  This is a booming town of about 450 people with one grocery store.

4. McMurdo Station, Antarctica.  The only way to get to this place is by a military transport and you have to employed there.

5.  Easter Island is part of Chile and to get there you must travel from Chile by plane.

6. Kerguelen Islands are also known as the Desolation Islands and are found in the Indian Ocean.  These islands host 50 to 100 scientists but no other residence.  A ship stops through every 4 months.

7. Pitcairn Islands is a territory of the United Kingdom and has only 50 regular inhabitants.

8.  La Rinconada, Peru is the highest city in the world.  The only way to get to it is via treacherous winding roads and often takes many days to get there.

9.  Alert, Nunavut, Canada is a thriving city of 5 year round inhabitants.  It is located on the northern most part of the Nunavut territory.  It does have an airport but weather is such that it is hard to get in and out of.

10. Cape York Peninsula, Australia which can be reached by road as long as the road is not flooded or grown over.  There are still parts of the peninsula that have been surveyed by helicopter and are not inhabited.

Wow.  Some of these places are quite remote and hard to get to.  Think about how hard it would be to get to these places if there was a medical emergency.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Daylight Saving Time and 8 Things You May Not Know About It.

Time, Time Indicating, Agreement, Date It will soon be that time of year  when most people in the United States will have to set their clocks ahead one hour .  I checked the internet.  This year its  scheduled to happen on  March 13, 2016.

Although the idea has been around for many years, it was not actually implemented in the United States until 1918.   Woodrow Wilson signed it into law to help the war effort.  Robert Garland from Pittsburgh brought the idea over from Britain and proposed it.  The idea was by changing the clocks its supposed to save energy.

The law was repealed seven months later but several large cities such as New York, continued using it until 1942 when it was implemented nation wide.  It was used year round due to World War II.  It started in February of 1942 and lasted till 1945 when Japan surrendered.

Between 1945 and 1966, there was a lot of confusion because places were able to choose if they would use daylight saving time.  In 1966, the federal government passed the universal daylight saving time act so it was was used  from the last Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October.  In 1973 with the oil shortage, daylight savings time was used for longer periods till things returned to normal in 1976.

After some playing with the schedule, the government finally settled on the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday in November.  Even to this day, Hawaii, Arizona and a couple other places do not participate in this.

8 things you may not know about it.
1. It is actually Daylight Saving Time.  It is not plural.

2. Benjamin Franklin did not propose daylight saving time, he only proposed people change their sleeping hours.

3. William Willett, a British citizen, organized the first campaign to implement daylight saving time. He figured people could enjoy more sunlight this way.

4.  Germany was the first country to actually implement daylight saving time in 1916.

5. Daylight saving time was not put into effect to benefit the farmers. I know some farmers who tell me that cows cannot tell time and still need to be milked at the same time regardless of the clock time.

6.  For decades, there were no rules to determine the patchwork of places using daylight saving time.  For example in Iowa alone, there were 23 different start and stop times.  That is just one state.  Imagine trying to travel cross country and keep track of all the different times along the route.

7. Hawaii and Arizona along with Guam and other American Territories do not participate in it.

8.  There is no conclusive evidence that going onto Daylight Saving time actually saves energy.

I live in Alaska and it is a pain to change back and forth because of the wide swings on length of daylight, it isn't worth doing but we do.   Enjoy reading this and don't forget to mark your calendars.


Sunday, February 14, 2016

Happy Valentines Day

Valentine'S Day, Love, The Feast Of The

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentines Day.  This picture is perfect for me because I woke up to blowing snow and really cold weather. I hope the picture warms your heart.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

History of The Valentine Cards

Tomorrow is Valentines day.  The day we exchange cards and other gifts with friends and loved ones.  We buy packs and packs of themed valentine cards for our children to share with others at school. 

Have you ever wondered how and when exchanging  valentine cards began?  Is it a modern creation or has it been around for a while?

Heart, Card, Pastels, FigureOriginally, valentine greetings were sang or recited starting back in the middle ages.  It wasn't until the 1400's that written valentines began appearing.  The oldest existing valentine from the 1400 can be viewed in the British Museum. 

By the 1700's valentines started appearing in the United States, brought in from Europe. The first valentines in the United States were actually booklets of verses and sayings that could be copied onto fancy paper and shared.  In fact, one of the booklets contained verses for men to write for their lady and responses for ladies to send back.  It wasn't until the Civil War that valentine cards became popular in America.

By the early 1800's, valentines were made in factories where t he factory workers actually colored simple black and white pictures but by the mid 1800's fancy valentines were made of real lace and ribbons.  Soon valentines included bows and arrows, cupids, and other romantic symbols.  There are examples created by lonely sailors who included shells and other exotic items from their travels.  Just to give you an idea how popular valentines were.  In 1835, 60,000 valentines were sent in the UK even though  it cost  was expensive.

What helped the valentine card market was when the United States Post Office started charging 1 penny to send something across the country. Prior to that, private carriers had to be paid a large amount to deliver these missives.  These penny cards were saved in albums and shared with each other at parties and gatherings. 

Around 1850, several artists produced fancy custom valentines.  Other companies soon followed.  
By the 1900's commercial valentines became popular and evolved into what we have today.  Often these early cards were hand tinted by women to create colored cards before the commercial colored printing was used.

Today, exchanging valentines is a multi million dollar industry.  It includes the idea fostered by the diamond industry since 1980 that any diamond jewelry shows your love.  It includes chocolate, flowers and other candies along with the cards.

I hope all of you have a wonderful valentines day tomorrow.


Friday, February 12, 2016

8 Interesting Facts about Hair Care and A word about Conditioners.

Barber, Man, Profession, Customer  Most women and some men need to add some conditioner to hair so its manageable. I use it to keep my hair so I can get a brush through it.  My mother uses it to add volume and my sister uses it to keep her scalp softer.  I know men who use it because otherwise their hair tangles way too much.

I figured that hair conditioner must have been created about the same time as liquid shampoo so people could add back in moisture after using shampoo.  It turns out I was half right.

Prior to around 1900, people used a variety of oils to condition hair but unfortunately the oils were quite greasy and often times left your hair in need of washing.  In fact, during Victorian times,men used Macassar oil.  Unfortunately it was so messy, people had to pin small clothes over their furniture to protect them from the greasy oil.

The modern hair condition made its debut at the 1900 Exposition Universelle (Worlds Fair) in Paris France.  Edourd Pinaud, its creator,  did not make it for women.  He created it to soften mens hair, especially their beards and mustaches.  He called it Brillintine which is french for brilliant.

The history of hair conditioners is kind of vague.  As far as I can tell, it really didn't become popular till the late 70's or 80's for women when Christine Brinkley advertised it as part of her regular regime.  There is actually more on male products for hair than women's.

Now on the the 8 facts.
1. Prior to the 1900's women did not wash their hair very often.

2.  The soaps used on hair prior to the 1930's were lye based and harmed the hair.

3.  If you had adornments, wigs, extensions, etc, it indicated you had money.

4.  Natural hair care remedies have always been popular.

5.  Conditioner came about due to needing to soften hair.

6.  The Greek introduced barbershops to the world.

7.  Hair dyes that we are used to using are a modern invention.

8.  At one time, they recommended washing hair with dried lizards.

That last one made me go yuck.  Have a nice day.




Thursday, February 11, 2016

11 Weird Lip Gloss Flavors

Lips, Woman, Face, Girl, Female, Makeup  I was thinking about lip gloss today because I couldn't find mine right away. (It dropped out of my pocket and rolled under the couch.)  I tend to go for things like mango, peppermint, or possibly even pomegranate flavored.  We all have our favorite flavors.

I wondered if there were any "weird" flavors out there.  I didn't think I'd find anything but yes there are some interesting ones out there.

The list is in no particular order.

1.  Dill Pickle Lip Balm.   It is said to smell like those wonderfully crunchy dill pickles we all love to eat with our hamburgers.

2. Wasabi Lip Balm.  Its the green horse radish flavor you find served with your sushi.  I had a friend who would eat it straight so his eyes would water rather than try to remember where he put his eye drops.

3. Unicorn Fart Lip Balm.  I don't know what a unicorn fart smells like but the creators decided its a mix of cotton candy and mint.

4. Siracha Lip Balm for those who love using the hot sauce in every thing.  Now you can even have it on your lips.

5.  Cheetos Lip Balm for those who love, love, love, the flavor of regular Cheetos

6.  Spam Lip Balm for the Spam lovers in the world.  I had a friend who ate Spam with almost every meal.  I've seen Spam flavored macadamia nuts so why not lip balm.

7.  Bacon Lip Balm.  I guess its for those who love bacon but without the calories or cholesterol.

8.  French Fry Lip Balm.  I wonder if there is a ketchup flavored lip balm to go with this.

9.  Buttered Pop Corn Lip Balm.  Hmmm, I think I'd prefer it kettle corn flavored.

10.  Nachos Lip Balm.  I don't know if this includes the flavors of salsa and beef with the cheese.

11.  Pizza Lip Balm.  I have no idea if its pepperoni, sausage, or vegetarian.

Some of these flavors actually sound decent but others just don't appeal to me. What about you?

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Its less than 100 years old.

Hairdresser, Shampoo, Massage, Foam  I listened to a short blurb on Madame C.J. Walker this morning and something they said tweaked my curiosity.  According to the piece, she was the first one who created liquid shampoo.  Yes!  She created liquid shampoo.

I wondered about that so I did a quick search on the history of shampoo.  Although shampoo has been around for a few centuries, it was not turned into a liquid until the 1900's.

Supposedly, shampoo originated in India where they mixed soapberries with herbs and flowers for this purpose.  The idea spread to Europe but shampoo was still not a mass produced item.  In fact, up until the 1900's, shampoo was actually sold in bar form, much like a bar of soap!  The thing is, most people did not wash their hair more than once a month!

I agree. I cringed when I read that but then I realized they did not have indoor plumbing for most of that time.  They had to heat the water and wash it in a small bowl or container.  It can be done but it takes a special technique.  It is not easy and I'm not sure how clean your hair is when you're finished.

Back to shampoo.  I've seem where three different people have been attributed with inventing liquid shampoo.

1.  Madame C.J Walker.  She is said to have invented liquid shampoo but I've found more information on her hair straighteners, combs and other products. She created an empire and became a millionaire.

2.  Hans Schwarzkopf - a German who created a brand of shampoo in 1927 after having invented a water soluble shampoo powder.  I gather the powder made a good shampoo but it still left the hair lack luster.

3.  Dr. Breck is reputed to have created the first PH balanced shampoo in the 1930's and he created his own version of a liquid shampoo to market in the United States.  He felt that using bar shampoo lead to thinning hair.

Over the years people have improved the shampoos until we have some great ones to use today.  I found this whole thing really interesting.

The first modern liquid shampoo was produced by Proctor and Gamble back in the 1930's using synthetic ingredients.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Can You Beleive It?

Cheerleader, Girl, Purple, Sport, Woman  Many years ago, I was living on a very remote island that was accessible most of the year only by helicopter. There was a very small school with something like 50 students K to 12. A couple parents organized a middle/high school cheer leading squad to compete at the district championships.

Unfortunately, things happened so the parents could not complete the training and I got to step in.  Understand, I attended a high school that didn't have cheerleaders.  It was only as a senior, I transferred to a school that had all the normal sports and cheerleaders.

I think I got the job because I was the only one with any dance background (I had it in college) and I could actually put together something that passed for a dance routine.  I had no idea what cheers I could come up with (thank goodness for Youtube), what type of routines you needed for non-dancers (thank goodness for aerobics and basic dance instruction).

I found a nice peppy tune about a princess who had to rescue her prince, paired the moves down to basics such as side-together -side tap or step, step, turn.  I threw in the V step and mamba steps from aerobics and a couple others I borrowed from other places. By the time the competition began, they had something beginning with a dance routine, transitioning into cheers and ending with a wobbly pyramid.

It turns out, I was not the only substitute coach.  In fact, there were at least three others who ended up as coaches and who had no experience in the sport.  One of the gals who was the sub for the sub for the sub for the original coach spent her high school years razzing the cheerleaders.  She told me the original coach got a gig judging Miss America in Idaho, her sub got sick, the subs sub had to go to the hospital in labor and she was it.

My girls got some cheering instruction while waiting for the competition to begin.  They learned things like the pyramids with standing people, rolling and coming up and all sorts of other things.  They came back knowing more than when they left.

No they didn't place first but they weren't last.  They ended up sort of in the middle which was terrific.  They came back thrilled and so happy.  I learned that I can fake it pretty well and actually choreograph a routine without knowing all the rules.

I have never repeated the experience but it memories of it will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Monday, February 8, 2016

You're Kidding!

Robot, Metal, Toy, Figure, Arms, Eyes  I just read about this weird place in Japan.  Its the hotel called Henn-na Hotel in southern Nagasaki in the Huis Ten Bosh a 380 acre waterfront theme park celebrating Dutch Culture.

This hotel stands out in multiple ways.

First,  Henn-na means weird and the hotel is using as many robots as possible to cut costs. There are no more than 10 live people on the premises at any time.

Second the reception is manned by two different robots depending on the language.  The English speaking robot is actually a ferocious-looking dinosaur while the Japanese speaking robot is a female humanoid who blinks her eyes at you.

Third, the standard rooms are much smaller than standard American rooms at 226 square feet vs 325 square feet.  The hotel also offers a superior room at 306 square feet  and deluxe rooms at 355 square feet.

Fourth, although the rooms come with a hair dryer, electric kettle, cups, mugs and Wi-Fi, there are not refrigerators or Televisions (you are expected to use a tablet for watching shows).

As far as I can tell, the live humans are there to make the beds because robots are not able to do that particular job.  The price of a room is listed at about $320 per night according to the website but reports have put the room as low as $80 per night.  You would have to check things out to see which is correct.

I don't know how I feel about a mostly run robotic hotel.  I have enough trouble with phone calls that are answered by voice recognition software.  Usually I never get the software to recognize the terms I use so I end up falling back on anything that will get me connected to a real person.  Sometimes, I resort to pushing the zero button in hopes it will connect me.

I have seen those machines that allow you to use a credit card to order a drink and the machine mixes it so it pours out into the glass.  I've never used one because I like the personal touch of a real person.  So if you are interested in something like this, you know where to stay.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Gone Fishing

Due to extremely long work days and a nasty internet,  I decided to go fishing till Monday.  Have a good weekend.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Original Rules for Basketball

Basketball, Sports, Basketball Hoop  I've been watching a basketball tournament this week at the local school.  I wondered what the original rules were when basketball was created.  This is the only sport that originated in the United States.  Back in 1891, someone decided they wanted a good invigorating indoor game.  They did not change or adopt the rules of another game, they started from scratch.

Its interesting that it was called Basket Ball originally but over time has evolved into Basketball.

The YMCA training school in Springfield, MA was responsible for the first ever basketball team.  Originally they used a soccer ball, had 9 players on each team who adhered to 13 basic rules.  These 13 rules were published in the school newspaper.

1.  The ball can be thrown in any direction with one or two hands.

2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or two hands but never with the fist.

3.  A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he tries to stop.

4.  The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body must not be used for holding it.

5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of this rule by any player shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or, if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed.

6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of Rules 3, 4, and such as described in Rule 5.

7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the mean time making a foul.

8.  A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.

9.  When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds; if he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on that side.

10.  The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have power to disqualify men according to Rule 5.

11. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made, and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.

12.  The time shall be two 15-minute halves, with five minutes’ rest between.

13.  The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal is made.

During the first game only one person scored a basket.  And Yes!!!  the first basket was a wooden basket nailed to a balcony but the fact they had to retrieve the ball every time a basket was made slowed down the game.  Within a year, they started using wire baskets with no bottom.

Originally, the rules did not allow for any substitutes, nor did the rules set a number of players on each side. The only reason he started with 9 on each side was because 18 students showed up for the PE class.

I always wondered how basketball came about. 

 



Thursday, February 4, 2016

Lizards, Lizards, everywhere.

Lizard, Scale, Madagascar Day Gecko  Imagine if you will, you've gone shopping at Whole Foods for your weekly supplies.  You buy your vegetables, your fruits, everything you need and when you get home, you put everything away.

Then it comes time to fix a meal.  You pull out everything you need and in your Tatsoi, you find a small green lizard hidden among the leaves.  This is what happened to someone in New Jersey

A three inch Anole lizard was found limp after being refrigerated for several days.  So they warmed the lizard who soon showed signs of life.  The five year old child took the lizard in to show her classmates and after a bunch of oooohs and ahhhs, the class decided to adopt the animal.  The children chose to name it Green Fruit Loop.

Their teacher is happy because the children are currently studying DNA in their science class and the addition of the lizard  is wonderful because the Anole lizard's DNA has fully been sequenced.  I'm not sure how detailed they get in kindergarten science but the teacher can at least show the picture of the DNA.

The lizard is normally found in the south eastern states from Texas to North Carolina.  Apparently, the creature ended up hiding in the Asian greens grown in  Florida.  Since the food is organic, people know sometimes there will be worms or bugs in there. 

The Anole is also known as the American Chameleon.  It can changes from green to brown  so it can blend in with its surroundings.

This is so cool because the students have already received a lesson about reptiles.  A reptile is cold blooded  animal so their body temperature goes up in warm weather and down in cooler weather. So the lizard's metabolism slowed down to put it in a suspended state without killing it.   When the lizard met the warmer air temperatures outside the fridge, the animal came alive and began moving around.

This is such a cool science lesson for this youngsters.  Neat is all I'll say.




Wednesday, February 3, 2016

12 Strange Flavors of Donuts.

Donut, Doughnuts, Sweet, Sweets, Hand  I used to love donuts.  I could eat them all the time.  I loved discussing the merits of cream filled vs a cake doughnut but when my parents bought a doughnut shop everything changed. The more time I I was around them, the less I liked them. Even today I still don't like them.

I occasionally have one but they still don't inspire me the way they used too. The other day, I stumbled across  some interesting flavors  only the adventurous types might love.

1.  The Cherp Derp is a lovely chocolate doughnut covered with bacon, bacon-cheddar crickets finished off with a chocolate drizzle.  This delicacy is found in San Jose, California.

2. The Worm Hole also from the same shop in San Jose is a jalapeno and tequila creation topped with a salted lime icing, a key lime drizzle and a spiced moth larvae.

3.  The Devils Death Dance has three types of hot peppers (jalapeno, serrano, and habanaro) and  an icing of ghost peppers (the hottest in the world) and a sprinkle of cayenne.  This doughnut is made in Dallas.

4. A Fois Gras and Jam filled doughnut comes from Brooklyn.  Goose liver with jam is quite a combination.

5. The Boss Hog doughnut topped with pulled pork, potato salad and completed with a honey barbecue sauce.  This specialty hails from Austin, Texas.

6. The Grilled Cheese doughnut from Lansing Michigan.  The bakery offers nine different versions of this grilled cheese doughnut.

7.  The Porkey's doughnut hails from Austin Texas.  It is a doughnut covered with cream cheese, Canadian bacon and topped with jalapeno jelly.

8.  The Cheesy Poof doughnut which is flavored with cheddar cheese, corn, and jalapeno. If you want this doughnut, you'll have to go to New York City.

9.  The Chorizo Chedder Doughnut from Los Angeles California.

10.  The Purple Pig which is made up of maple, bacon and purple potatoes.

11.  There is a dried pork and seaweed doughnut found in Asia.

12.  The Kai Young doughnut from Thailand uses a glazed doughnut and tops it with dried shredded chicken and Thai chili paste.

I'm used to thinking of donuts as something sweet filled with sugar and topped with more sugar but based on the above list, it sounds like donuts are developing into savory treats.  It appears there has been a shift in focus so they appeal to a wider variety of patrons.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

They Really Did That?????

Sea, Beach, Water, Budva, Montenegro  In a small country right by Kosovo, the government of Montenegro did something that created an uproar and talk of it spread across the internet.  This small country created a furor growing due to a decision they made.

It is not just any furor, it is one that pits history against the economy. 

In World War II, while under the control of the Italians, a concentration camp was built on the small 200 square meter uninhabited island of Mamula located in the Adriatic sea.

The camp housed 2,300 prisoners of whom 130 were killed or starved to death.  It served the same purpose as many other concentration camps of the time.  Once the war was over, concentration camps disappeared from the minds of people but over time they were protected to remind people of what humanity is capable of doing while demanding we not let it happen again.


The country of Montenegro had two choices.  The first was leave it alone and let it fall into ruin or lease it out to someone so it could be repaired and be used productively.  The government chose to grant a 49 year lease to a developer who is going to renovate it as a luxury resort with swimming pool, spa, shops, dance floor, restaurant, VIP rooms, etc.

It was the idea of using a building where the blood of those who were forceably imprisoned is hard for some people to accept.  The opposition contends this move shows a lack of respect for history and the concentration camp should be renovated and left as a museum.   What is interesting to me is that the World War II veterans groups backed the project.  The government contents it will have a museum to honor those imprisoned and killed there and it will bring money to the economy.

If the country needs the money, this is a way to bring it in but I can also see the point of view of those whose fathers, brothers, and uncles resided or perished in that place.  Was the country right to chose this path?  I don't know.  I do know that most of those who survived World War II are now dead or quite old.  Soon the stories of these people will be lost in the annals of time and few will remember what happened there.  Is that good?  Who knows.  It's a fact of time.


Monday, February 1, 2016

The Knitting Book

Bears, Art Stone, Cute, Knitting Sweater
I knit or at least I try to find a few minutes here and there to knit.  I do not knit anything big, I usually do either socks, mittens, and once in a while, I knit hats with ear flaps.  I am not a speedy knitter.  It usually takes a couple months to finish one pair of socks just because I tend to get distracted.

Every so often, I swing through Amazon, looking for knitting books I don't have, but might want to keep around for when I have time to knit. In other words, for when I retire......LOL.  I suspect I'll still be a slow knitter. I could speed up if I made time everyday to knit 10 or 15 minutes.

I've found books on knitted bears and clothing, weekend projects, sweaters, socks, scarves, lace, and even men's sweaters.  So many cool things to make once I have or make the time to knit.  I've thought about getting books on knitting for service men in World War I (written by the Red Cross) or books on cuffs, etc from the 1800's.  Just general interest books.

The other day when I was surfing the site and I found THE book on knitting.  The one that made me laugh and love the title.  No, I didn't buy it, nor did I read it.  I just enjoyed the title, "How to Knit a Husband in Five Easy Steps."  Its actually a short story by Lattice Stockinette.

Can you imagine being able to knit a husband just like you could knit a stuffed teddy bear.  You could choose the hair color, the eye color, decide how tall he'd be, even how well built!  I'm not sure how you'd incorporate the personality so he'd help in the kitchen, choose to watch your favorite show, or even have him run with you in the marathon.

You could even knit your offspring so they'd be good scholars, stay out of trouble, be respectful, and do everything you want them to do.  You could even knit the perfect friends!

Just think how boring that would get if everyone was designed to be perfect.  There would be no excitement, no making up after those fights, no sitting snuggled up to him to watch the game he wants to see before he sits with you through the film you've wanted to watch forever.

I don't know how you'd knit the thoughtfulness, the love, the teasing, the joy into the finished product.  It would eliminate the exploration we all go through as we get to know our spouses, our friends, our children.  It would eliminate all that is life.