Prehistoric Japanese Goblin Shark

This exciting video shows how the shark extends its jaw forward to capture prey. So many videos like this have nothing in the background to show scale but here there is a person (who is brave enough to offer their arm for the demonstration) in view.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Every good composition is above all a work of abstraction. All good painters know this. But the painter cannot dispense with subjects altogether without his work suffering impoverishment."
— Diego Rivera

Tuesday Tooth Report

Today I had a double-elastic explosion! When the elastics wear out (about every 4 hours), they break and snap open against my gums. It can actually be painful. Well, today I was laughing a big, wide-mouth chuckle and whammo!, both elastics snapped at the same time — that's never happened before!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

A painter paints the appearance of things, not their objective correctness, in fact he creates new appearances of things."
— Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Tuesday Tooth Report

This set of elastics continues to be easy to wear. I'd guess that since we're fine-tuning my bite, there isn't grand movement and therefore no real discomfort. I could get used to this!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

You should keep on painting no matter how difficult it is, because this is all part of experience, and the more experience you have, the better it is... unless it kills you, and then you know you have gone too far."
— Alice Neel

Tuesday Tooth Report

This set of elastics is a breeze so far. Teeth are moving (4 are constantly loose and bring back memories of wiggly teeth from childhood) but there is no discomfort like there was with the last set. The Orthodontist said that if things progress as quickly as they are now, my braces could be off as early as July!

Researching Composting

In researching how to start a compost pile, I came across this interesting little Blog called Smell Like Dirt. For those of you unaware, this phrase is part of a famous quote by Margaret Atwood: "In the Spring, at the end of the day you should smell like dirt." I agree.

There are many videos on her blog and a wheel barrow load of advice. I really enjoyed her video on how to build a compost pile.

--Smell Like Dirt Blog

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

In Spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."
— Margaret Atwood

Tuesday Tooth Report

This week I had another Ortho appointment. They took a 360-degree x-ray of my head, replaced a bracket and added 2 hooks for elastics to two other brackets. I have to wear two new elastics; one on each side. Spanning 3 teeth on the top and 2 teeth on the bottom, the elastic should (at the end of 8 weeks) give my small molars a perfectly aligned bite. The bonus about the visit was that the wire had to come off to put the new bracket/hooks on so I got to do a real flossing!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
— Lewis Carroll

IEBGreen Challenge: Today's Triumph

November 18/08 — Every time I leave the living room (even if it's momentarily to get a snack) I turn the T.V. off.

Tuesday Tooth Report

I think under the pressure of the elastics, a bracket popped on Friday. I called my Orthodontist and the receptionist says that the elastics can still be worn and that the bracket doesn't urgently need to be fixed. It can wait until my regular appointment that's just a week away.

IEBGreen Challenge: Today's Triumph

November 17/08 — Made very tasty salmon cakes that are more than 50% veggies!

Salmon Cakes Heavy on the Veggie
Grate or finely chop 1 scallion or green onion, 1/2 carrot, and a handful of spinach. Add 1/4 cup drained tinned salmon (or leftover cooked). Add 1-1/4 cups leftover mashed potatoes. Sprinkle liberally with pepper and mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 6 then make each pile into a palm-sized patty. Heat a non-stick frying pan to level 4 on your stove. There is no need to butter the pan unless you'd like to add that flavour to the patties. Place the patties (cakes) in the pan with a little space between each so that it's easier to flip them later. Set the timer for 4 minutes. To flip them, quickly scoop them up with a flat spatula. If you hesitate they might break and fall apart so be brave! Cook another 4 minutes. Serve with steamed vegetable, coleslaw or a salad. Congratulations! You just added a whole lot of veggie and some fish to your diet.

Check my complete list of "Green things done to date" in the right-hand column.

IEBGreen Challenge: Today's Triumph

November 16/08 — Made a wonderful tuna salad that is more than 50% vegetable! (inspired by my big sis)

Tuna Salad that's Heavy on the Veggie
Grate or chop 1 small onion, 3 carrots, 1 parsnip, 3 lettuce leaves or a handful of spinach, and a handful of any other veggies that you have (cabbage, red onion, parsley, green pepper, etc.). Add a drained tin of tuna. Sprinkle liberally with pepper and mix with mayonaise to taste.

Check my complete list of "Green things done to date" in the right-hand column.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself."
— Leonardo da Vinci

Tuesday Tooth Report

My tongue and bite are much more comfortable this week. I'm grinding less so they must feel better!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery."
— Francis Bacon

Seller big enough to dictate shipping boxes

Amazon's "Frustration-Free" packaging is more than consumer- and shipping-friendly. It's environmentally-friendly. Kudos to Amazon for doing the right thing.

Tuesday Tooth Report

Wow. Who could have known that one of the most painful stages would be this set of elastics?! It seems even worse than the actual application of the braces. Teeth feel like they are about to pop out of their sockets! But they continue to straighten so I have to trust my Orthodontist.