Author Archives: meanlouise

Dinosaurland



IMG_0538, originally uploaded by meanlouise.

Perfect weather and perfect company made for a perfect day at Dinosaurland.

Husband, Beth B and I piled into the car and journeyed to Winchester, Virginia for a day of eating, wandering, and gigantic fiberglass dinosaurs.

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We saw an Epic Battle.

Epic Battle

Beth and Husband were devoured by a giant prehistoric shark:

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We saw a giant octopus of doom.

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And, of course, we saw King Kong.

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After we left Dinosaurland, we took a quick trip through West Virginia on our way to Frederick, Maryland for coffee, more eating, a little thrifting, and the requisite wackiness that ensues when a pair of hot chicks such as Beth and I walk into a comic book shop.

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Then, we returned to Alexandria, Virginia, where we ate some more, since none of us had consumed any pork products in hours.

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I loaded the rest of the photos into a set on flickr, if you want to see more.

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef opens tomorrow at the Smithsonian

Starting tomorrow, Saturday, October 16, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History there will be a temporary exhibit depicting a coral reef and related eco-system. The reef is constructed of crocheted coral made of yarn, found objects, and recycled materials. The reef is installed in the Sant Ocean Hall, on the first floor of the museum.

The [Hyperbolic] Crochet Coral Reef resides at the intersection of mathematics, marine biology, handicraft and community art practice, and also responds to the environmental crisis of global warming and the escalating problem of oceanic plastic trash.”

The Smithsonian community reef is a satellite project that’s part of a larger project created by the Institute for Advanced Figuring, “an organization dedicated to the poetic and aesthetic dimensions of science, mathematics and the technical arts.”

Here’s IFF Co-Founder Margaret Wertheim’s TED Talk, “Margaret Wertheim on the beautiful math of coral.”

Other satellite reefs have been constructed in other places and there are more on the horizon, the Institute’s website has more information on that schedule.

I was pleased to be able to to contribute a number of pieces of coral that I made, which are now part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection.

I was able to some devote some time to the assemblage and curation process and I can tell you – with no bias at all – that the reef looks amazing!*

More information about the exhibit can be found here and there will be lots of family-oriented activities in the exhibit area tomorrow, starting at 11. The reef will be on display until April 24, 2011.

*Maybe a little bias, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true!

Scooby Doo: I’m in Love with an Ostrich

I do a lot of things for you, my loyal readers. Other times, I do things for fun, but I claim I’m doing it for you, just to boost your self-esteem. This is one of those times.

I’ve been watching a lot of Scooby Doo. In the 2nd season, the creators started inserting pop songs into every episode. It’s the nutty lack of relevance to anything happening on screen that makes these songs so hilarious.

In “Jeepers, it’s the Creeper” the gang runs from a big green dude called The Creeper while, for no reason at all, a song about being in love with an ostrich plays.

[youtube video: Scooby Doo, Daydreamin’ (I’m in Love with an Ostrich)]

[link updated 11/13/15]

A whim one evening to watch a few episodes of Scooby Doo turned into a typically ridiculous quest to determine the original chronology of the show and to watch every episode, in order.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me sometimes.

If you don’t find this idea as exciting as I do, go to the store and buy yourself a box of BooBerry or Count Chocula. Eat a bowl or two of cereal and this project will seem like The Best Idea Ever.