Putting the X in Algebra

Look at the titles of these books.  Does it require any more explanation?

I feel like the answer is no, but I just can't help myself.

What In The Heck?!?!  I mean come on Hot X Algebra Exposed??  These are actually math books designed to look like Cosmo.  There are even sections on why guys like smart girls.  I just roll my eyes.  I know that there is a constant battle to get more girls interested in math and science but this is just pandering to them.  Not only that, but why does everything have to border on vulgar?  Or at the very least contain sex appeal?  Shouldn't we be trying to get students (male or female) interested in a field because of the possibilities it will open for them and the way it will help them in school and life instead of trying to somehow sensationalize it with sex?  It just kills me that we as a society have to stoop this low to get girls to study math.  I can't imagine why our country can't compete with other nations in education anymore.  Hmm...maybe they focus more on the subject and less on making a guy think about your "exposed X".

A Long and Arduous Project

 I have been away from my blogging lately.  The following pictures show you the reason.  I will have a before and after soon.  I have a brand new bedspread. I have some decorations to put before the final pictures.  It has been much work.  Josh has done Great!!

 This mess has caused me no end of anxiety.  Then all this stuff moved to the den when we did the second bedroom.  More anxiety.

 Lovely, no?

 Look at my hard-working-blood-donating-kneepad/bandage-wearing man.  I like him...a lot.

 Hooray!

The King's Speech

Over the weekend Josh and I rented The King’s Speech to watch.  It came out in 2010 but I am woefully behind on my movie watching.  When I was dating I saw every single movie that came to theater, but now I tell Josh “hey, let’s see that movie when it comes to DVD” and we forget.  Anyway, about this movie, there were no explosions, no passionate love scenes, no dastardly plots but it was still really good.  We got about five minutes in and Josh said he didn’t think he was going to like it but even he ended up enjoying it.

It’s based on the true story of King George VI of England and his stuttering problem.  It doesn’t seem like the most scintillating plot but the actors put SO much emotion into it.  It had Colin Firth (from the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice and Mama Mia) as the king and Helena Bonham Carter (from Harry Potter and Sweeny Todd) as his wife and a man I know from some other movie but I can’t place as the King’s speech therapist.  There was a really great dynamic between the main characters.  There was such depth of affection between Elizabeth and Georg.  It was really neat to see Carter in a role that was quite as…twisted as Bellatrix Lestrange or Mrs. Lovett.  I enjoyed seeing a different side of her acting ability.  Even in this more tender role she still conveys a backbone of steel in the way she deals with her husband.  If I were guessing I bet she really is a very strong lady in life.  The best part of it was, of course, the relationship between Logue, the speech therapist, and George.  Josh and I just kept looking at each other and saying (forgive the language) how ballsy he was.  I mean any man that insists on calling the king by a family nickname must have quite the pair of kahanas. 

I wanted to tell you all about this movie in case you missed it when it came out.  It’s easy to overlook because it is so different in pace and topic than most other movies.  If you haven’t seen it, go rent it.  Even though it isn’t fast paced you will still be tense listening to George trying to give a public address.  Well worth the $1.64 at Redbox.   

Hardwood!!

Look at this gorgeousness!  These are our new hardwoods that will go in the bedroom.  It will finally make the room complete (besides decorations).  It's in the kitchen currently because Josh loves it and wants to see how it would look throughout the whole house.  I think he may have told the floor it was beautiful more times in the course of the several hours we have owned it, than he has told me in the course of our marriage lol!  Not really, but close.  More pictures when it is appropriately installed.  Have a happy weekend!

I Am Lionness, Hear Me Roar

 So, do you remember me telling you how I have no shame?  Okay well here is another example of that.  I want pin curls.  My hair has a natural ability to curl. 

I look like The Cowardly Lion.  No kidding.  Mom is calling me Nala (Lion King).  Also, please forgive the crazy eyes, it was early and I was...honestly I don't even know what was going on!

This was what I was going for.  I don't know who this is, I found it when I searched for pin curls.  If it's you, you look great!  I love your curls!  How did you do it???  That is the question!  Does anyone know how to go from the first picture to the second.  I think maybe if I spritz them down when I take the pins out it will help with the frizz but that's all I've got.  Any advice you have is great!  I also accept laughter at The Lionness ;)

Why I Hate Valentine's Day

So...it's Valentine's Day.  I'm sure you didn't notice that.  It's not like every store isn't completely plastered with red and pink and hearts.  I hate Valentine's Day.  I know it's all about love, but I'm not feeling it.

Reasons I hate VDay:

1.  Over commercialization, I hate when things that should have some meaning get too over saturated with Stuff.  Christmas is like that too.  The holiday is supposed to be about love but it has become about what you get whether that's a big bouquet of roses or something sparkly.  Love isn't gifts.  Love is a verb.  Sure, I like gifts, but I don't measure how much Josh loves me by whether or not he brings home flowers or flowers AND a teddy bear.  Basically Hallmark has made a holiday and has convinced the nation we need to celebrate.

2.   Pressure, VDay is perhaps the most pressure filled holiday Ever!  It's pressure filled for guys because they have to come up with the best gift or most romantic evening.  Most guys aren't naturally romantic so this is a stretch.  They know that their girlfriend will be comparing the gifts and romance with everything their friends boyfriends did.  Girls feel all this pressure to have a boyfriend.  If you don't have a boyfriend then suddenly you are somehow "lesser".  But everybody have a really great day!  Eye roll.

3.  Forced love, this is part of the pressure thing but I hate that everyone has to tell their SO that they love them.  What if you aren't too that part of your relationship?  I'd rather have Josh tell me he loves me in August when it isn't "required" than Feb. 14th because society says he must tell me today.

4.  Sketchy history, there is not a reliable source of information when it comes to actually who St. Valentine was.  Basically we're celebrating a man who may or may not have written a love letter to his lady love from prison before he was killed as a martyr.  The reason for his martyrdom is debated.  The actuality of the lady love existing is uncertain.

5.  Bad past history, I may possibly over think things.  One of the most common things Josh says to me is "what are you over thinking now?" When I was a kid and you had to give Valentine's to everyone, I was basically a basketcase.  What did this Valentine say to this person about how I felt about them?  How do I really feel about this random schoolmate?  What if I don't get any cards in my box?  What does this Valentine I received mean?  I'm unfortunately serious.  It's even sadder since I was 7.  Then there was the form/from debacle of '97.  I wrote all my Valentine's that year saying Form:  Sierra.  F-o-r-m.  Now, in my mind, Mom fussed something fierce at me over my spelling error and basically said that all my classmates would call me an idiot.  My mother would Never have said such a thing, but this is how it went in my mind.  I was completely spazzing every year after that about spelling correctly. 

Basically VDay and I have bad blood.  I'm so glad tomorrow isn't a holiday!

God of the Natural World

So today at church the pastor made a comment about scientists/biologists.  It wasn't the first time I'd heard it, but I think it's the first time I've heard it since I've had a blog.  Now, I'd just like to say the rest of his sermon was good, it was just that this one thing that killed me. 

Now, I've heard this a lot.  I once saw a part of seminar on creation entitled Can A Biologist Be a Christian?  I am serious.  What I wanted to say was "hell yes!" but since it was a Presbyterian church and they are more conservative than Baptists I just nodded my head like a bobble doll during a car crash.  My neck pretty much came unhinged.

Here's the thing, I'm not a great singer.  If you saw me in the '07 production of VHS Seven Brides for Seven Brothers then you can attest to this.  I had a ton of fun, but I wasn't exactly stealing the show with my incredible voice.  I sing at church and it's praise and all, but only God appreciates it.  I don't play instruments well.  A lot of people worship that way and that's great.  I am a little jealous of people who really worship with their hands in the air and swaying to the music.  When I raise my hands in worship, I have this sudden fear that I'm going to be called on...by Jesus...and then what if I don't know the answer??  It's just not how I worship.

I worship and marvel at God's creation.  I read the original Watson and Crick paper that set out the structure of DNA.  Here's a confession:  I cried.  Like great big tears.  It was stunningly elegant.  I could just see God's fingerprints in the simplicity of the structure.  I worship through science.  I see evidence of God there.  Reading genetics papers is actually a form of worship for me. I cry, pray, the whole nine yards.

You can see now, that I would be offended to hear someone question whether you can be Christian and a biologist.  I have Never seen a passage that made these mutually exclusive.  You wouldn't question a businessman's faith even if behind the scene he is embezzling millions of dollars.  You wouldn't question a doctor's faith even though they stereotypically have a God complex.  It's frustrating.  So here it is:  I'm not a godless heathen.  I love Jesus.  I love science.  The natural world doesn't conflict with my beliefs, it supports them.  So grrr!