changes to blog

Like most bloggers, I've had quite a bit of comment spam lately, so I've changed my posting profile to require subscription to my humble blog and comment moderation. I like friends, so sign up if you like me :)

we caved...

...and bought a video game player -- we chose a PS3. For YEARS we have said we wouldn't. Neither of us grew up with video games (well, I did win a Nintendo - the grey box that played the original Super Mario Brothers - on Wheel of Fortune in 1991, but rarely used it).

Ingrid and Ilsa are having a blast playing "Super Rub-A-Dub". Leave it to me to find a game based upon rubber duckies. Chad is enjoying shooting at bad guys (too loud for me...I leave the room).

coupla neato blogs

Stumbled upon a great blog: Hist-Fic-Chick -- a blog lovingly devoted to historical fiction.

...and...

Enchanted Serenity of Period Films, probably one of the best blog titles I have ever read.

how the pentagon makes brownies

Read this.

friday fringe recap on saturday...

Wow. Just wow! J.J., you did yourself proud. The Fringe finale was spectacular! Peter came back of his own will, hidden feelings were finally revealed, Walter and Belly had a reunion, identities were switched, dirigibles are the mode of air travel in the alternate universe, and we learned that Sam Weiss (bowling alley owner) might be an ally or an enemy thanks to an anagram in Walternate and Belly's mothballed Harvard lab (as well as the glyphs which spelled out, "W E I S S"). We learned that William Bell was the one who removed part of Walter's brain (supposedly at Walter's request). Alternate Olivia's Mom is alive, but her sister died while giving birth. Still no clues regarding our Olivia's Dad. And Astrid bakes when she is nervous - pie.

One of my favorite things from Part II of the finale was the Map of the Alternate United States - there are 48 stars on the Alternate Flag, and there are major changes to the geography of the AUS...One of my favorite fansites, FringeTelevision has posted a high res map (I don't want to copy and paste the image as it belongs to them. Here's a link.) A chunk of California is gone. Washington State is "Southern British Columbia" (perhaps this is a nod to the fact that the show is filmed in Vancouver, BC); Seattle and Olympia, SBC appear to be quarantined, too - sorry alternate family of mine. North and South Dakota have merged into "Dakota". Texas has split into North and South Texas. Looks like the general Albuquerque-Los-Alamos, New Mexico area has been quarantined. So has Orlando, Florida...as one fan commented -- "no wonder they're so cranky in the alternate universe -- there's no Disneyworld." The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is gone (presumably part of Canada). There are other changes that are subtle.

A few of my pet predictions:

AlterCharlie is going to help our Olivia escape back into our reality. He seems quite disturbed by the direction his job in AlterFringe is taking - I think he could be sympathetic to our Olivia.

Peter is going to figure out very quickly that AlterOlivia is not "his" Olivia -- she's just too brash. Plus, she has that obvious tatoo on her neck. But, AlterOlivia is going to go down fighting and do some damage. Concurrently, OurOlivia's niece, Ella will figure it out quickly as well.

Olivia's cortexiphan is going to kick-in while she is in that awful sensory deprivation cell. Fear, after all, is how it kicked in last time -- havoc will ensue.

Peter's AlterMom might be sympathetic, as well, to Olivia's plight and could help her escape. Maybe she'll accompany her back to this side.

I have no theories about Sam Weiss. He's a wildcard. The weird guy in the typewriter shop is strange, too. He seemed perplexed when AlterOlivia asked to use the communication typewriter in back.

Strangely absent (other than the drawing given to Olivia): The Observers. Did they want Our Olivia to remain on that side? Perhaps she has to do something -- is she still The Gatekeeper?

I'm glad I'll be very occupied this summer with our move -- perhaps it will make time to the premiere fly by. At least I'm not locked in a sensory deprivation cell in an alternate universe while my double is infiltrating this side...now THAT would be a bummer.

fun google stuff

Open a Google search page, wait a minute, and you can play PacMan... (I'm sure this will only work on Friday 5/21).

Secondly, vote for kid-created special Google homepage logos divided by age. There are some mighty talented children out there...

spoilery fringe stuff

Watch if you dare... Season 2 Finale of Fringe is tonight!

credo vs. paedo-baptism

I'm gettin' all theological this Thursday morning. For the record, I'm a credo-baptist (believer's baptism, the side that MacArthur takes).

Recently on the Renewing Your Mind radio program, R. C. Sproul and John MacArthur debated the cases for infant and believer's baptism over a few broadcasts - and amazingly, they remain congenial friends even though they have a major theological difference. See Friends? It can be done!

something from nothing...

Interesting blog post by Gene E. Veith:

Scientifically, nothing should exist | Cranach: The Blog of Veith

what a way to start the day...

Mr. BikeMan got up earlier than usual this morning, around 5:00 am. He went in to check on the girls before his shower, because he had heard a suspicious "thump". Ingy was sound asleep in the top bunk, but Ilsa was GONE -- her bedsheets were messy. He came running back into our room, woke me up and said firmly, "Get your clothes on, Ilsa is not in her bed and I can't find her anywhere." Our home is only 1700 square feet, and there just aren't many places to hide. We know them all.

Panic mode. We start calling everywhere. No answer. I look under the bed, but don't see her. Garage. Backyard. No Ilsa.... we looked at least 5 minutes.

Finally, Ingrid calls out, "I hear her..." We hear this very muffled, "yes....." from deep, deep, deep under her bottom bunk. She's cuddled up in the farthest corner back behind a sleeping bag that is stuffed a stuff sack (she's in a tiny ball in the corner), using a flashlight trying to find something under the bed.

I just held her for 5 minutes once we coaxed her out.Oh, sweet Ilsa, NEVER do this again. My mind is racing, going places I don't want it to go. Parents tell you you'll laugh about this sort of thing later...it's going to be a long time before I laugh about this one, if ever.

We don't know why she wouldn't answer, and why she wouldn't come out. DH wasn't happy, but we were relieved. This is the second time she's done in this in 6 months, but we had forgotten about the first time (also under the bed). She got a firm, but loving lecture.

Good grief, what a start to the day.