Santa Letters

 

We are all probably guilty of writing letters to fictitious characters; I wrote so many letters to the tooth fairy indicating the appraisal value of the tooth I just lost. However, no one gets more letters than Santa Claus. I have a niece, and her entire school wrote letters to Santa Claus and the city newspaper printed them. This blog posting will contain some of the more amusing letters and things I learned from reading the letters.


After reading the letters there were several things that I became more aware of:

• There are a lot of toys that kids want these days that I have no ideas what they are (i.e. doggy doo game, beyblades)....and this makes me feel old and unhip.
• In the letters, kids are really concerned about Santa's reindeers and how they are doing.
• Approximately 90% of kids want at least one electronic device.
• Children still want Easy Bake Ovens and Furbies.
• Kids of all ages want pogo sticks.
• Many kids promise to barter milk and cookies for gifts.
• Children of all ages cannot spell correctly even if their Christmas gifts depended on it.
• Most common misspelled words: trampoline, want, horse, Claus, Christmas, and reindeer.

Below are some of the more amusing letters that were printed. Bill Cosby was a genius when he had the show "Kids Say the Darnest Things" but kids also write the darnest things. Disclaimer: spelling and grammar have not been correct for the reason that it is funnier that way :)

• I wan't a furby from you on Christmas morning. That is all I wan't from you. Thank you very much. P.S. Have a wonderful Christmas and tell your elves, raindeer, and your wife I said Merry Christmas to.
• Hi, I've been good this year. There is something I really want. An airsoft gun. I want one sooo bad, but my dad or my mom won't get me one. So, can I PLEASE have an airsoft gun? All I will do with it is target practice. So, please?
• All I want for Christmas is a DS and a new clothes and I want a quilt that has my name on it and I want it hand made by Mrs. Claus and I want a pony and Just lev it outside in the back of the fince and lock it. I also want a new little pupy for Christmas. That is all I want for Christmas.
• Can I please get a ninja turtles truck and a bunch of stuff anmils, and a cell phone, and a tramplen. A zipline to my bustop. Please a hudge class room and a Christmas tree. Please can I have a elf and a quilt. And a PSP. And some games for a PSP. And my own pool.
• I know I'v haven't been good this year. But I still love you so please fill my stocking up. But most of all I love you and Mrs. Clus. First, I want a new dog. Well I think you know why? Then, I want a camera. Next, I want a quilt from Mrs. Clus with my name on it. Please and thank you.
• For Christmas I want a go cart. And I would really want it charged and some gas in it. I also want some lego's, really big lego sets that come with some lego minifigures. I also want a ipod with 100 songs on it. And thats all I want.
• What I want for Christmas is a new game for my 3DS. Do you think you could help me try to remember what game I wanted? Can you also make sure you get all the nursing homes and orfans. Don't forget the infants! I also want a wii and mabey my own cozy blanket.
• I just wanted to say thank you for my presents from last year! And if your going to bring me presents this year. Oh and I love your red cheeks! But I don't really like your beerd! But I would really like a new wii. My old wii broke. Oh and I would also like a new magic kit oh P.S. I have been very good this year! Please and thank you!
• Thank you for the presents. You are the best Santa in the hole wide world. Can I please have a bar?
• How are you? Are you ready for your long journy? Has Mrs. Claus making cookies Thank you for my bike last year. I've been ridig it a lot. I would like a new wii game. Have a safe trip.
• How are you? I want a Dora dancing doll. My dog chewed up my last one. I would also like a new Hello Kitty microphone. I will leave yo milk and cookies. Your elves are working hard. I wish I could give them a present. I would also like a piggy bank to save up all my money.
• Are you ready for a long trip? Do your elves do all of your work? Do thay make toys for you? If thay do, I want a four wheeler. I want a Bumblebee Transformer. See you on Christmas.
• My mom and I are making cookies for this year. Can you get me a cudlupit please santa pritte please. You are the best if it wasn't for you there would be no Christmas.
• I'm 7 years old looking good Santa. Thank you Santa for the presents last year. I like how your belly shakes when you laugh. And I like your beard. Please get me a remote control 4 wiler, a axe set, a foot ball with a kick set on it.
• I wunt for Chris is a reel puppy and a jeeps or frind.
• I want an alive kitten.
• I know it's close to Christmas and I can hardly wait until snows. How are Rudolph and you and your wife doing? I was wondering if you can give me a few things that I want? Ive been trying to be good but my brother and sisters just get me so mad. I know you are busy but I really want a Bean Bag, American doll make up set, and please my own puppy.
• How are you and Rudolph doing? I hope you guys are doing good. Here are 4 things I want for Christmas. A ds game called puppys, sea monkeys, monster high high school playset and last I want a pink collar for my cat. I'm still trying to earn these thigns. And hopefully I don't get coal.
• For Christmas I want three brothers and three sisters so wen they grow up I can hav som wun to play with and dad to de hoom and as pack scoter so I can a ackeire for my dad wen we roest marshmelow and picture of Rudolph.

Dummies

Okay, before you get to laugh at me, allow me to explain myself....and then feel free to judge and laugh away. I just finished reading my first book in the well-known self-help book series "For Dummies." I compare the "For Dummies" series as the adult version of Sparknotes on "How to do something better". And believe me, I have read my share of Sparknotes, so I asked myself why not try the "For Dummies" series. Now here's my backstory:

• My father just recently acquired Windows 8 for his computer. He is retired now and has very little knowledge about computers (he can turn on the computer and he knows how to double-click the Skype icon, and then that's about it). Therefore, he thought why not have my daughter teach me how to use this program.
• One problem with that thought, I am strictly an Apple products individual. I have my own little Apple family (MacBook, iPod touch, iPod nano, iPad 2, and iPhone 4S). Therefore, my knowledge of PCs is extremely limited as well.
• Therefore, I wanted to be able to help my dad and so I began looking for the best resource.
• So my dad and I go to Barnes and Noble during my Thanksgiving break and we found Windows 8 for Seniors, and EUREKA! It has large-print which also helps out my dad with his vision deficits. However, this book didn't have color pictures, which my dad really needed. I mean who wouldn't like to have a picture book over detailed step-by-step descriptions.....
• We decided on another book series (Maran illustrated) that had copious amounts of colored pictures but wasn't in large print, which was unfortunate.
• However, it was then that I realized I never actually perused the "For Dummies" books until now, and was wondering if there was something I could further my knowledge in.

And then I saw it....iPad for Dummies. I began contemplating, how much do I truly know about my iPad 2? I never read any handbook, just kind of taught myself (which I think is how a lot of people become knowledgeable). So I knew I didn't want to purchase the book; therefore, I got it from the Seattle Library. And I gotta say, I actually learned a few new and positively awesome things/shortcuts from the book. Yes, there were complete chapters I could easily skip, but then I would have missed the subtle humor that the authors threw in. Overall, it definitely was worth the time and the four mile walk to the library.

I wish my thirst of knowledge would end there, but then I was curious...what are some other "For Dummies" books? So I visited dummies.com and this is what I found out.

• Topics included: Business & Careers, Computers & Software, Consumer Electronics (my iPad book), Crafts & Hobbies, Education & Languages, Food & Drink, Games, Health & Fitness, Home & Garden, Internet, Music & Creative Arts, Personal Finance, Pets, Photography & Video, Relationships & Family, Religion & Spirituality, and Sports & Outdoors.
• Surprising subtopics: Reunions, eBay, Casino, Crosswords & Other Puzzles, Cryptograms, Role Playing, Canning & Preserving, Special Diets, Homeschooling, Holidays & Observances, and Coin Collecting.
• Topics/subtopics I would be interested in reading about: 
• All of the Religion & Spirituality (I am not a religious person, but I enjoy learning about what others believe in and why)
• Etiquette (I am sure I will find out quickly that I have zero manners)
• Digital Photography (as long as I do not have to buy any additional equipment/accessories)
• Dogs (I just want to read a book telling me that yes Beagles are superior to all other dogs)
• Home Buying & Selling (I am currently looking to become a homeowner and would like to not look like an idiot or have buyer's remorse)
• Blogging & Social Networking (same interest I had in reading the iPad book, just wondering what else I could be doing)
• Home Organization (any excuse to live at The Container Store)
• Crosswords & Other Puzzles (I have never completed a crossword puzzle in my life)
• Cooking & Recipes (who doesn't want their own Food Network show)

Seattle Bucket List Progress

On a July 28th posting, I came up with a bucket list of things that I wanted to complete before I left Seattle (which I thought was going to be in March 2013). But now that I am staying in the Emerald City, I no longer have to meet a deadline to accomplish everything.  However, I was curious on my progress in 4.5 months, and so I thought I would take another gander at my initial Seattle Bucket List. Those in red are the things I have accomplished. I accomplished 29/78 things so far.

• Chihuly Garden and Glass
• Kerry Park
• Museum of Flight
• Pike Place Market
• Safeco Field
• Washington State Ferries
• Green Lake Park
• Hiram M. Chittenden Locke
• Seattle Public Library
• Columbia Center Sky View
• Giant Wheel
• University of Washington (Suzzalo Library)
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations Visitor Center
• Volunteer Park Conservatory
• Theo Chocolate
• Woodland Park Zoo
• Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
• Seattle Art Museum (SAM)
• CenturyLink Field
• Kubota Garden
• Washington Park Arboretum
• Alki Beach
• Space Needle
• Burke-Gilman Trail
• Gas Works Park
• Golden Gardens Park
• Waterfall Garden Park
• Smith Tower
• Japanese Tea Garden
• Fremont Troll
• Lake Washington
• EMP Museum
• Fry Art Museum
• Olympic Sculpture Park
• Victoria Clipper
• Lake Union
• Seattle Aquarium
• Seattle Center Monorail
• The Center of Wooden Boats
• Blake Island State Park
• Original Starbucks
• Pacific Science Center
• Taproot Theater
• Seattle Asian Art Museum
• 5^th Avenue Theater
• The Gum Wall
• Myrtle Edwards Park
• Seward Park
• Chinatown International District
• Tillicum Village
• Sand Point Magnuson Park
• Key Arena
• Occidental Park
• Edmonds Underwater Park
• Mount Rainier
• Museum of Glass
• Argosy Cruises
• Belvedere Viewpoint
• Chateau Ste. Michelle
• Underground Tour
• Jimmy Hendrix Statue
• Snoqualmie Waterfall
• NW African American Museum
• St. Ignatius Chapel
• Fishermans Terminal
• Lenin, statue of Vladimir
• Otter Falls
• Fauntleroy Park
• Golden Gardens Park
• Kinnear Park
• Lopez Island Vineyards
• Madison Park Beach
• Parsons Gardens
• Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
• Ride the Ducks
• San Juan Safaris
• Seattle by Foot
• Tacoma Art Museum

Nisqually Wildlife Refuge

The first and last time I went bird-watching was back in undergraduate for my field biology class. Our professor had us out there to "see" birds at 4am. Trust me at 4am, I didn't see anything. Plus I was no happy ducky because I was sans coffee.

However, round two was absolutely awesome! I went to Nisqually Wildlife Refuge and got to see Bald Eagles,  River Otters, and a slew of other birds (aren't I just so knowledgable about birds; that field biology class really paid off).

I haven't used my digital camera in over 6 months; I rely on my iPhone solely to capture memories for me. Although I couldn't zoom in and invade the bird's privacy I was able to look through my friend's camera; which captured amazing pictures.

I don't know if Washington has the ability to make everything fun (i.e. bird-watching) or it was other factors but Nisqually is tucked away and is simply serene. Below are some of the scenic pictures from the visit.

This is the pathway that you take onto the water. Disclaimer: it is really slippery when it rains.

At the end of the path. There's a little bit farther that you can go when it isn't hunting season. 

It started raining a little harder...hence the less fluffy hair look.

The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

I just finished reading my second Mary Roach book, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. It's definitely one of those books that you probably will only read once; however, Roach illustrates how compelling the human body can be postmortem. As a past and present science geek/nerd, I have seen my share of cadavers (a statement my mother tells me is nothing to gloat nor talk about), but it was engrossing to go through Roach's forensic investigations in this book. Roach still has the talent to take a subject that would make readers cringe one moment and then laughing in the next.

Below are some excerpts from the book:

• The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back. The brain has shut down. The flesh begins to soften. Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected of you.
• Death. It doesn't have to be boring.
• Cadavers are our superheroes: They brave fire without flinching, withstand falls from tall buildings and head-on car crashes into walls. Their heads can be removed with no deleterious effect. They can be in six places at once.

Here are some anatomy jokes to go along with the humor premise (these were not in the book):

Q: Why is anatomy so hard?

A: Because the professor is really sternum.

Q: Why is the eye like the moon?

A: They're both in orbit.

Q: What are the epic poems about the pelvic region?

A: The Illiac and the Oddysey

Q: What punctuation mark can be found in the body?

A: The colon.

Q: What part of the digestive tract was named after a famous psychologist in the 1800s?

A: Sigmoid Freud.

Q: What is the main act in an anatomical circus?

A: The man on the flying trapezius.

Q: Why was the endocrine student so upset?

A: He failed a teste.

Q: Which arteries have gender?

A: The male and femoral arteries.

Q: What is anatomists favorite musical instrument?

A: The organ.

Jokes are from: http://boomsblog.blogspot.com/2006/09/anatomy-jokes-final-cut.html

Baking My First Pie

My grandmother was a pro at baking. She made all of her pie crusts from scratch, and she hardly ever followed a recipe when baking, and her things always came out delicious. I am definitely not a baker. The only baking utensils I possess are a scone baking pan (used once), a muffin pan (used once for cupcakes and a few times for muffins), cookie sheets (that have never been used to make cookies) and mixing bowls (that I use to marinate meats). Another reason I don't bake is that I live by myself and I usually just want a bite or slice of something and NOT to eat the entire thing. Therefore, I have developed a habit of a grabbing a cupcake from a bakery (best one is Yellow Leaf in Seattle) and the sugar craving dissipates.

However, my niece absolutely loves to bake, and of course I make baking educational (since I am the fun aunt). She works on her reading and math through the recipes....I view it as edible chemistry experiments. And that is exactly what they are...experiments. Most of the times when we make something it is the first time for me as well. Thanksgiving was no exception; we made our first pie. Unlike my grandmother, we diligently followed a recipe.

Below is our edible experiment and I gotta say it was all kinds of yumminess! We made a Mixed Berry Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• pinch of salt
• 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 cups frozen mixed berries (we used raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cranberries)
• 3 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup butter, salt, cinnamon and lemon juice with a fork. Mix until they are pea-sized. Quickly stir in the cold water and combine until a dough forms.
• Form the dough into two round disks. Chill at least 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk into a large circle. Place one in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the berries and toss to combine. Sprinkle in some lemon juice and combine well.
• Spoon the berry mixture into the pie crust and sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over the top. 
• Slice strips in the other dough and place across the top of the pie, weaving them one over the other.
• Brush the top crust with melter butter.
• Bake for 45-60 minutes.

Well it sure does look like a pie.

Evidence that we made a pie

Flour Aftermath!

No fire and it tastes like a pie= SUCCESS