Jan26

all my children?

Posted on January 26, 2016 by beth

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possibly my family holiday photo

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i had my taxes done yesterday

by a woman

who has done them

for over 10 years.

while there

as always

we talked about

all that has happened since we last met.

this time however,

when finishing up

she casually asked:

‘for some reason the i.r,s, shows that you have 25 children

and i can’ t get it to delete. any life changes since last year?’

‘nothing of that magnitude, really,

at least not that i’m aware of.

but maybe that’s what all that commotion is in the lobby?’

we always enjoy our time together

but this really kicked it up a notch.

same time next year?

absolutely.

bureaucracy has more than a few quirks

and i so appreciate her

for helping me to navigate through the crazy system

and somehow try to make some sense of it.

my 25, could make this

the best year of deductions ever!

—

‘we’ll try to cooperate fully with the IRS, because,

as citizens, we feel a strong patriotic duty not to go to jail.

– dave barry

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image credit: edinphoto.org

Jan25

cold calling.

Posted on January 25, 2016 by beth

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Would You Live in an Antarctic Penguin Post Office?
Applications soar at post office in Port Lockroy, Antarctica

Job location: A soccer field-sized island in Port Lockroy, Antarctica.

Job duties: Process 700,000 pieces of mail, teach 18,000 cruise ship visitors and monitor 2,000 stinky penguins in less-than-ideal conditions.

Sound like a dream job? If so, you’re not the only one—officials at the U.K. Antarctic Heritage Trust say that they’ve received over 1,500 applications for a job at the “Penguin Post Office,” up from just 82 last year.
The BBC reports that the post office on Goudier Island has “comfortable” living conditions, but the lodgings aren’t exactly hotel-quality. With no power grid, heat or hot water, limited communications and 24-hour daylight, applicants must be willing to withstand harsh Antarctic conditions to apply. In return, they will receive a $1700 per month stipend and spend the summer as the stewards of the island’s thousands of gentoo penguins.

For over a decade, the island has been home to a wildlife study aimed at collecting environmental data about how humans impact penguin populations. But though the island is popular with cruise ship visitors, it’s carefully regulated to protect the penguins, and the entire eastern half of the tiny island is off-limits even to post office protectors.

When this year’s four winning applicants take possession of the island from November through March, they’ll take their place alongside the 4,000 scientists who study in Antarctica throughout the summer.

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credits: smithsonian.com, eric blakemore, bbc, pbs

Jan24

laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. – vctor hugo

Posted on January 24, 2016 by beth

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wok racing.

one way for non-skiers

to enjoy winter sports.

in germany

each march

a mix of

b-list celebrities

olympians

and

3 million tv viewers

share in this great event.

racers

sit in woks

strap ladles

to their feet

and

speed

downhill

at speeds of

more than

60 mph.

in 2014

members of

the jamaican bobsled team

took first prize.

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credits: mzungovolunteers.org, reddit.com, mental floss, zazzle.com

Jan23

be.

Posted on January 23, 2016 by beth

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image credit: wordables

Jan22

warm heart.

Posted on January 22, 2016 by beth

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“joy weathers any storm: happiness rides the waves.”
― todd stocker

Jan21

shadow.

Posted on January 21, 2016 by beth

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character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow.

the shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

– abraham lincoln

Jan20

what’s on the desk in your writing hut?

Posted on January 20, 2016 by beth

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chocwrapper2275wide_1_a57c8444a65ba339_733_413 on the desk in roald dahl’s writing hut, right next to the chair where he sat to write many of his famous stories – including charlie and the chocolate factory – there is a collection of strange and wonderful items, some of which are particularly curious.

one of these is what appears to be a cannonball. it’s grey and fits into the palm of one hand. it looks like it would be quite heavy. it’s not a cannonball, though. it’s actually chocolate wrappers. hundreds and hundreds of silver foil wrappers that were originally used to keep a chocolate bar nice and fresh.

when roald was working for shell oil in london, before he set off on his adventures in africa and then on to the second world war, he often used to have a chocolate bar with his lunch. every time he had a chocolate bar he would add the wrapper to his growing collection. the first one he wrapped up into a little ball, and then every time he had another he would wrap it around the one from the day before, and so eventually the little ball of silver foil wrappers grew larger and heavier and took on the cannonball-like appearance it has today.

roald kept this collection of chocolate wrappers on the desk in his writing hut along with other things that inspired him, or reminded him of his earlier days. if you’re ever in the roald dahl museum and story centre in great missenden you can see it for yourself.

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credits: roalddahl.com