13 Doctor Who Related Things

One of my more absurd Thursday Thirteen lists. But I got a bit motivated, and it turns out, there's a lot of Doctor Who stuff on the internet. I know, shocking.

My MetaDaddy has been a fan for years, and we now watch it together when MetaBaby's asleep. Never thought I'd see the day when I'd be watching Dr. Who instead of mocking him for doing so. *Le sigh*


Dalek Cake via Torchwood.org- Go on and make a cake...if you dare!








Cyberman 2006 Cookie Jar - Who can resist evil cookies?














5" Face Of Boe With Animated Mouth - Which as we all know is modeled by Captain Jack Harkness.










Doctor Who Dalek 3D Bath & Shower Gel - Um...ya...













Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver - A true Doctor Who fan is nothing without one, n'est pas?







The Master's Laser Screwdriver - Competely and utterly different from the Doctor's, obviously.













Remote Control Dalek - Tee hee...everything's better with a remote control.











The 4th Doctor - I have no idea who this guy is, but he looks hilarious.












Knitted Dalek via D3 - I'm so impressed, words just don't do it justice.








Doctor's Girls via Torchwood.org- I had no idea the Doctor had had so many girls!


Music Video - Set to Snow Patrol's "Run." A bit sappy, but if you like "Doctor Who" and this song, which I do, it's entertaining.



Doctor Who Spoof - It's a bit ridiculous, but then, I suppose that's the point when you get David Tennent in drag.



Bonus:
David Tennant and Catherine Tate Sketch...hilarious, but the accents are thick ;-)

13 Fun Gifts

1. A variation on the age old loose tea strainer. Nice design, and looks easy to use.
   
   
2. Nap Warden listed out some food gifts. After all, everyone eats. Besides, 'tis the season for tasty treats! But don't limit your food gifts for local family and friends. Dorie Greenspan's tips on shipping cakes and cookies help make sense of picking the right kind of cookie or cake and packing material (e.g., unbuttered popcorn).
   
   
3. Here are some cute toys for a gardener's delight.
   
   
4. Get someone a gift subscription to Netflix. A great gift for parents.
   
   
5. Looking for a pick me up, but not interested in instant coffee, over-priced coffee, or coffee that tastes like someone else's leftovers? How about a
   mini coffee press that you can use in most mugs? Insert, pour water, press, and put it back in its storage container. No stress. No mess.
   
   
6. Storing coffee in the fridge is a bad idea.

   "If you are wondering about the refrigerator, it is a no-no for coffee. Since the temperature is generally around 37 degrees, the water that is inside doesn't freeze. It is a cold mist that lingers on the coffee and there are even more scents and flavor molecules floating around. Liquid water is coffee's worst enemy during storage. Under no circumstance would I ever recommend using the refrigerator for storing coffee."

   How about some good coffee, a nice canister, and a reminder to store properly.
   
   
7. Plant a tree in their honor. The gift that lasts forever.
   
   
8. SmartShopper™ Grocery List Organizer - This is so overpriced, no one should buy it for herself. However, that makes it a fun gift...if you're willing to part with $150 ;-)
   
   
9. IntelliScanner - I like geeky stuff like this, obviously. But apparently, it's all pricey. That said, imagine how much scanning you could get done with this little baby!
   
   
10. Hola Ola - Easy open silicone storage containers sound ideal for the busy cook.
    
    
11. A list of cookbooks from NPR. I find cookbooks rather subjective, and while I like some of these, my list would be different. Get a feel for the recipient to see what his or her library needs.
    
    
12. Tengu by Mr. Jones - OK, this is just precious. Ridiculous, but precious.
    
    
13. Music!! Share some of the more unique flavors of your music collection. I love buying music on iTunes, but Amazon now sells music online, too.

13 Thoughts About the U.S. Dollar and the Economy

I'm no economist, but I read a few things here and there that catch my attention. With the writers' strike in effect, I look to the stumbling economy for entertainment. Here are 13 thoughts about the U.S. dollar, finance, and the economy.


DOLLAR VALUE

1. Tourists from Canada, South America, etc. are traveling to the U.S. for bargain basement deals, despite the travel hassles. I've never known the U.S. dollar to be at par with its Canadian counterpart, so this was a real testament to the current state of the economy.
   
   
2. Foreign tourists will no longer be able to pay the entrance fee at the Taj Mahal in dollars. Apparently, the 22% decline in the dollar impacted India's tourism revenue.
   
   
3. As the dollar decreases in value compared to the Euro (a/o today,$1.47 buys 1.00 Euro), dollar holders have less spending power because imports are more expensive. As Americans buy less, European exporters sales decrease, thereby impacting their economy.
   
   
4. In 2005, the Chinese Yuan was revalued so that it would no longer be tied to a fixed rate against the U.S. currency. As the Chinese economy gets stronger and the U.S. dollar weakens, I'm curious to know if this has impacted our Chinese imports. I haven't seen an analysis of it, though.
   
   
5. Oil is purchased in dollars. What does that mean?
   

   "Oil producers sell their products in dollars. These dollars are used to purchase other goods in international markets. As the dollar lost its value starting in 2002, oil producers could afford to buy less in international markets with their dollars. To compensate for this loss of buying power, they may have raised the dollar price for oil."

   MONEY & THE ECONOMY
   
   
6. Rapper Jay-Z and other celebs are touting the Euro, not the dollar. And just when I figured out what cheese is.
   
   
7. Another possible rate cut, brought to you by the Fed. Bernanke's feeling the strain on the economy caused by the housing and mortgage mess, higher gas prices, tighter credit conditions, and stock declines, which means he's open to another drop in the fed rate.
   
   
8. Banks Pay the Price for Risky Mortgage Bets - Financial institutions have been making a mint by employing a complex system where they bundle mortgages into one item and sell it to other major financial institutions. Some bundles are riskier than others. Back and forth, back and forth these bundles went until the real estate market started to soften. The backup plan on handling all high-risk loans was based on the theory that real estate goes up, not down; a borrower facing default could sell the property and pay off the loan. Once property values started dropping, selling the property was no longer viable. An obvious factor in the billions being written of at financial institutions this year. I'd like to know their profits on these transactions prior to this year, though.
   
   
9. Reading Pays- Especially When It Comes to Credit Card Updates - Here's an interesting tip that I didn't know about. In the tiny text of the mind-numbing amendments to your credit card agreement, you might find an option to reject changes such as APR increases by writing a letter. That's worth skimming it over a bit closer going forward, methinks.
   
   
10. Be Careful When Police and Firefighters Ask for Money - In general, I don't make donations to any organizations that contact me. I have a few organizations that I routinely donate to, and if I'm considering a donation outside of that circle, I research their efforts at Just Give.
    
    
11. Plonkee addresses the reasons why people don't donate to charities, and knocks them off one by one. My take on it is that if you have money to spend on gifts for others, then you have enough money to donate to those who need your help. 'Tis the season to give 'til it hurts, people ;-)
    
    
12. In the excitement of buying a home, first time home owners don't always think about the non-mortgage related costs, which can be significant. The biggest, for us, is property taxes, which in California increases about 1% annually. Other states property taxes are fixed to the market value of the property (see tips here for contesting property assessment), which seems to me as a frustrating liability. I like knowing what I owe and not having it tied to a vague estimate of market values.
    
    
13. Speaking of housing, it looks like prices are still falling, for a net 13% from this time last year. I can tell you that although the median sales price for a new home is now $217,800, it's closer to half a million in Los Angeles. Since this is the median, a substantial number of homes here are in the million dollar range, which means that for the past few years, first-time home buyers had the choice of opting for a questionable loan (e.g., no interest, zero money down), or continuing to rent

13 Gift Ideas for Kids

The number of toys that have been recalled for one reason or another is atrocious. It's really got me thinking that I don't want just anything for MetaBaby because you don't know the integrity of the item. This goes double if you haven't had the opportunity to vet the item in question. That said, what do you do when Christmas or birthdays come around? People want to give your son gifts because they care about you and him, and they want to see that little face light up (his, not yours). So it's hard to say "please don't give my child a gift." It's not fair to the giver or to the kid.

I'm also torn because of my aforementioned resistance to buying too many toys.

Well, there are always ways to compromise. There are good, safe toys that MetaBaby could benefit from, so I made a wishlist for him at Amazon. It includes items like books, music (that I wouldn't hate), and a few safe toys. Of course, there are always other things, but those would involve conversations. For example, MetaNana got MetaBaby one of the cutest little wooden trikes I've ever seen, and it was perfect because he didn't have one. He uses it all the time, and it allows him to express his dangerous side (i.e., standing on the seat!!).

That said, I figured I'd compile a list of 13 other gift ideas to give or be given that:

• don't break the bank
  
• are useful to parents and kids
  
• potentially good learning experiences
  
• are not plastic, over-packaged, blinking things made in China

This is just a start, so feel free to add on with more ideas :-)

1. Get something small to keep the little one happy, and make the real gift a deposit into a 529 account.
   
2. Homemade "coupon" for something fun with you, like a day at the zoo or museum.
   
3. Give homemade sweets (e.g., cookies, chocolates).
   
4. Take a cooking or baking class together. Or a "class" where you teach the little one how to cook or bake.
   
5. A few seeds and other relevant items to plant something (e.g., flowers, herbs, tomatoes).
   
6. Tickets to a favorite event.
   
7. A class or series of classes (e.g., dance, art, something at a local museum).
   
8. Pick a favorite non-profit organization to donate to (e.g., cute of Oxfam).
   
9. Perhaps the instructions, tools, and help in building something (e.g., soapbox car, or check out The Dangerous Book for Boys or The Daring Book for Girls from the library for more ideas).
   
   From New Dream:
   
10. The makings for hand puppets: Brown lunch bags, googly eyes, stray buttons, scissors, markers, etc.
    
11. Box of dress up clothes: Old dresses, high heel shoes, cowboy boots, collared shorts, and millions of other fun outfit ideas can all be found at thrift or second-hand stores have great selections.
    
    From Suite 101:
    
12. Gift certificates to a local movie theatre.
    
13. Art supplies (e.g., construction paper, paints, crayons) to replenish the back-to-school box.

Side Note: This is not a cheap gift, but it's an interesting one. Between November 12 and November 26 only, the One Laptop per Child program has made available their revolutionary XO computer.

For a donation of $399, one XO laptop will be sent to empower a child in a developing nation and one will be sent to the child in your life in recognition of your contribution. $200 of your donation is tax-deductible (your $399 donation minus the fair market value of the XO laptop you will be receiving).

Perhaps it sounds crazy to give a destructive toddler a computer, but consider the following per David Pogue, guru to the geeks:

• Spillproof
  
• Rainproof
  
• Dustproof
  
• Drop-proof
  
• Fanless
  
• Silent
  
• Powered by a solar panel (6 hours, or 24 if reading) (2,000 recharge cyles, 4 times more than the average laptop)
  
• Weighs 3.2 lbs.
  
• Built-in video camera, microphone, memory-card slot, graphics tablet, game-pad controllers and a screen that rotates into a tablet configuration.
  
• Runs on Linux (only geeks care about this one ;-)

13 Things MetaBaby's Learned

MetaBaby is growing up so fast. It's so exciting for us to watch his learn new things. He doesn't have any real words, though he does start to whine "mamamamamamama" if I don't pick him up from his nap in a timely manner. We've been signing with him, but the only sign he has a firm grasp of is "more"...probably because it gets him more food. That said, you can tell that he understands more than he's letting on.

For example:

1. When we ask "do you want some O's (i.e., Cheerios)," he grabs his bowl and walks to the cereal cupboard.
   
2. After I pour said O's, he runs to the living room because that's where he's allowed to eat them.
   
3. When we open the refrigerator, he runs over, pushes us out of the way and reaches in to grab the mustard.
   
4. When we ask "do you want some more water," he walks to the refrigerator and stares up at the water spout.
   
5. When we say "would you like some yogurt," he walks to the refrigerator and tries to open it.
   
6. When we open the refrigerator, he runs over, pushes us out of the way and reaches in to grab the metal tube of chile paste.
   
7. When we ask "where's your tummy," he pats his tummy.
   
8. When we ask "where's your ear," he pats his ear.
   
9. When we ask "where's your nose," he pats his ear.
   
10. When we ask "where's your daddy's nose," he honks MetaDaddy's nose.
    
11. When we say "are you hungry," he signs "more."
    
12. When we say "do you want more," he signs "more."
    
13. When we say "give me a hug," he runs towards us, arms extended!
    

13 Costumes...mostly cute

1. Many Mini Mouses
   
2. A rather impressive pirate (á la Pirates of the Carribean's Jack Sparrow).
   
3. A rather impressive female pirate...not á la Pirates of the Carribean's ;-)
   
4. A guy built like a football player in an evening gown.
   
5. A cute little ballerina.
   
6. A cute little pink bunny.
   
7. Several cute little monkeys.
   
8. Some cute little Elmos.
   
9. An e-mail and attachment
   
10. A little race car driver (looked like pajamas with several patches attached and she was riding a toy car).
    
11. A woman in psychedelic colors and a large, blonde afro. Note: she could have just been crazy as this is Los Angeles.
    
12. A pretty impressive renaissance era dress.
    
13. A chef :-)

Thirteen Silly Quotes

Ah, the silly things people have said over the years. Some true, all silly. Thanks for the inspiration What Works for Mom :-)
(Can you tell I find Sam Goldwyn hilarious?)

1. I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them their job.
   ~Samual Goldwyn
   
   
2. If I look confused it's because I'm thinking.
   ~Samual Goldwyn
   
   
3. I can give you a definite perhaps.
   ~Samual Goldwyn
   
   
4. This music won't do. There's not enough sarcasm in it.
   ~Samual Goldwyn
   
   
5. He hits from both sides of the plate. He's amphibious.
   ~Yogi Berra
   
   
6. It ain't the heat, it's the humility.
   ~Yogi Berra
   
   
7. It's like deja-vu, all over again.
   ~Yogi Berra
   
   
8. Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.
   ~Yogi Berra
   
   
9. Think about how stupid the average person is, then realize that half of us are stupider than that.
   ~George Carlin
   
   
10. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.
    ~Mark Twain
    
    
11. All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.
    ~Mark Twain
    
    
12. Windows: Just another pane in the glass.
    ~Unknown
    
    
13. People who think they know everything are annoying to those of us who do.
    ~Unknown

13 Things That Annoy Me

Banner courtesy of Boho Rhap

1. People who drive while using their cell phone.
   
2. People who try to cut in front of me at a store or farmers' market because I have a stroller or toddler. DO I LOOK LIKE I'M GOING TO BE OK WITH THAT RIGHT NOW?
   
3. Sneezing.
   
4. People who badly park their ginormous vehicles in 2 spots. In L.A. traffic, you drive 3 MPH; do you really need the Hummer? Really?
   
5. Stumbling over strategically placed pointy little blocks. *le sigh*
   
6. Screwing up a recipe because I wasn't paying enough attention. I know, I know...my fault. But annoying nonetheless.
   
7. Minty Kit Kats contaminating my delicious non-minty Kit Kats. That's OK sweetie; I still love you.
   
8. Having to close our living room windows because the neighbor is smoking.
   
9. Anything that wakes MetaBaby up from his nap before his 2 hours.
   
10. Junk mail.
    
11. Non-delicious desserts (see #65).
    
12. A small pantry.
    
13. People to talk down about UCLA because they attended or prefer USC. Guess what. No one at UCLA cares.
    

13 Kid's Musical Instruments

13 musical instruments that kids play. Don't you love the kooky names?!?

1. Musical Washboard
   
   
2. Doodle Drum
   
   
3. Finger Drum
   
   
4. Kid's bongo
   
   
5. Kid's Conga
   
   
6. Whole Mini Percussion
   
   
7. Kids Percussion Lollipop Drums
   
   
8. Glockenspiel Xylophone
   
   
9. Mouth Harp (aka Jaw Harp)
   
   
10. Guiro
    
    
11. Sound Funnel
    
    
12. Junior Bagpipes
    
    
13. Boomwhackers
    

Note: If you have a kid under 3, be careful of instruments with choking hazards. Mallets for xylophones, for example, are usually glued together; the ball can come off, especially with prolonged exposure to saliva ;-) Try to find a mallet that is one piece.

13 Things About Chile

In honor of the independence day I...um...forgot to mention :-o

Happy September 18th!

1. Chile's national dance is the cueca. Women who dance "la cueca" alone do so to symbolize women's struggle against the dictatorship.
   
   
2. Doesn't look a day over 175, and yet celebrates its bicentennial in 2010; free from Spain the 18th of September, 1810.
   
   
3. The current elected president, Michelle Bachelet, is the first female president in Chilean history. She was inaugurated March 11, 2006.
   
   
4. Chileans call their country "país de poetas" (land of poets). They have two winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature: Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda. Incidentally, when Neruda was a kid, he knew Mistral.
   
   
5. It's about twice the size of California, stretching 2,880 miles long, and 265 miles at its widest point east to west. It's wedged between 3,998 miles of coastline and the Andes (the longest mountain range in the world) with an average width of less than 110 miles in between.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The Moai statues at Ahu Akivi, Easter Island. Photo: Jason Devitt"
   
   
6. Easter Island is part of Chile.
   
   
7. Chile has 3 regional extremes: temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
   
   
8. It has some severe natural hazards to contend with: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
   
   
9. The Chilean Seabass is actually called the Patagonian Toothfish.
   
   
10. If you live in the northern hemisphere and want to go skiing in the middle of summer, Portillo's got you covered.
    
    
11. Chile charges a $100 reciprocity fee in cash after your long, long, long flight, but before you're allowed to officially "enter" the country. It's good for the life of the passport, though.
    
    
12. There is an abundance of seafood and produce, and all of it is eaten with lemon. It seems every meal I was served in a restaurant was accompanied by a lemon. In fact, I do not know one person of Chilean roots that does not like lemon. Eating a lemon is not just tolerated, it's expected. Note: this will wreak havoc on the enamel of your teeth.
    
    
13. A popular coffee shop in Santiago: Cafe con Piernas (coffee with legs).

13 Random Images

...and here's what they got me thinking.

1. This that make me want to travel.
   
2. This makes me want to wake MetaBaby so we can play.
   
3. This makes me wish I had a garden...and knew what to do with it.
   
4. This makes me want to eat a pear.
   
5. This reminds me how much I love Spanish food.
   
6. This makes me want a ham sandwich.
   
7. This makes me want a spot of afternoon tea.
   
8. This makes me feel old; she just turned 30.
   
9. This makes me want to go to the farmers' market.
   
10. This makes me giggle; she has a cow, man.
    
11. This makes me wonder how many women endure the same struggle. Via Post Secret.
    
12. This made me wonder what I have in my diaper bag. Not enough to take a photo, which scared me. But just enough to wonder if anyone's tried this photo challenge with parents' "go bags." Anyone?
    
13. This just makes me happy.

The Thought of Thursday Thirteen

This whole "Thursday Thirteen" thing sounds a bit intimidating. In theory, I have to come up with 13 somethings...optimally new somethings. Don't know how long I can keep this up, but I'll give it a try. If nothing else, it's a nice reminder that Thursday's rolling around.

Following in the tracks of the mom part of What Works For Us :-)