Out of Cortex

Requires a special license to drive and fly

Fly a distance of 725 Kilometers at speeds of 115 km per hour

Taking off

Practical or not, it's kind of neat. I wish it would fly further, although I guess it's not THAT much of a hassle to refuel?
See more at: http://www.terrafugia.com/

Ivy

Ivy outside the Cornell Store

Lemon

Miss Lemon! Why so surly?

Cuddles

My new roommate

...best gift ever...

She brightens up my day. I rush home between classes to feed it (ie: reposition she so the limited Ithaca sunlight falls on she). I need to find out what kind of orchid she is exactly so I know how best to care for it (ie: water intake.)

FIRST
I watched Zombieland. It was fantastic. There were some really beautiful, classic moments. It was well cast, and there was an attention to detail that I really appreciated and didn't expect (see: "out of the six humans left in Zombieland", referencing the sister's legit zombie kill of the week). Sometimes, you just have to enjoy the little things (Rule 32).

See also:
Rule 1 - Cardio
Rule 2 - Double Tap [my personal favorite]
Rule 3 - Beware Bathrooms
Rule 4 - Seatbelts
.
Rule 17 - Don't be a Hero
Rule 18 - Limber Up
.
Rule 22 - When in Doubt, Know Your Way Out
.
Rule 31 - Check the Back Seat
 

SECOND
Allen bought me a surprise: The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks
Thank you so much. You know exactly which gifts I find to be the sweetest and most thoughtful. And thank you for watching Zombieland with me. I've been waiting for a long, long time to see it. :) Great (first half) of fall break. 

Zombers

Currently thinking: I can't sleep. Please read the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to me. Thanks.
Currently playing: Lady Gaga - Paparazzi (no connection at all to anything right now)
Just finished reading: Orson Scott Card - Enchantment (good read, very fun)
Just discovered: Snake with foot found in China (what a shame it was killed)

A splash of brightness on a grey day

Sage Chapel from the Stacks in Uris

Cayuga Lake through the haze

The leaves are changing and Fall is here

Do not remember taking this picture!

Ah, the beauty of wine and liquor once it hits your lips. What I do remember: Wolfgang group? My top four powers: Jean Grey, Mystique, Wolverine and Gambit. I'd be unstoppable. Marvel comics, I love you.

Sigh. Another week before me. I pray for the weekends. With that, I leave you with one last random thought: this would be my daemon, I think. Cheers.

Lily, the beautiful Caracol

How do you like them apples?
Well, sir, I like them very much. And the cider is quite delicious indeed. Thanks for asking. 

Apples: red

Apples: green?gold

Apples: bags

Angie says these people selling baked goods are Amish. Well, whatever they are, they know how to make some delicious smelling baked goods. Yum! I could smell cinnamon, spices and that warm pastry smell that I love. Made me think of Christmas or something. 

Apples: sweet treats

I was so sad we jumped the gun and ate at Taste of Thai, because it wasn't until later that I caught sight of the pulled pork sandwiches... I was JUST craving these when I thought of Miami (I was watching Dexter, so yea). SADFACE!

There was this band of little kids on stringed instruments, and they sounded really good until Michael pointed out the fact that there were adults playing behind the kids. Um, no wonder. I bet the mics were closer to the adults too. But when I was taking a picture of the band, I noticed this little girl. Oh, the all-encompassing, all-consuming joys of candied apples and sweets. To be a kid again.

There was also a cook-off Iron Chef competition. I wish I could be a judge at something like this, although I'm not sure whether I have a sensitive-enough palate to distinguish all the interesting flavors and whatnot.

Iron Chef Cookout!

Down this random alley, we saw this interesting sculpture just hanging and gently undulating in the wind. There was just something so captivating about this sleek argent fish, spinning in the breeze. I mean, it's silver stream-lined-ness made it seem free and fast and beautiful, but it was in stark contrast to the fact that it is actually just stuck, moving in limited directions, never going anywhere. Stuck. It actually made me kind of sad. A fish that's caught forever.

Good times. Found an amazing comic book store also. FINALLY! I can get my Fables fix. (Um, they also have Walking Dead, Y: The Last Man, and a whole slough of other interesting stuff. Above all, there is this friendly dog that resides there. When I bent down to meet her, she started wagging her tail. She is super old but so sweet. Aw!)

Doggie fix of the day!

Nice weekend excursion overall! I wish I had more time and money to explore the Commons because I definitely like it down there better than in Collegetown. Too bad the weather will get worse and I'll feel less inclined to make the 15 walk down/tiring walk back up the hill. Sigh.

California. The city. Sunlight. Relaxation. Good company. Barley.

This is what is good

I miss you so. 

On Friday night, I went to the Commons and had the opportunity to visit that used bookstore that I fell in love with last time. And guess what? I found Ender's Game (which was what I was looking for last time, and the clerk told me that it never stays on the shelf for long)! I snatched it up, along with another Orson Scott Card classic (which I haven't read) entitled Enchantment. I was also mildly embarrassed by some rather explicit pictures in The Big Bang. But nevermind that now...the real reason I was in the Commons was to eat at Moosewood, an earthy, vegetarian- and vegan-friendly restaurant. They have different themes that might change nightly... tonight it's North African, and I don't remember what it was when I went, but it was tasty. I had the Arctic Char, with a really light but flavorful vegetable garnish. The Eggplant dish was delicious also, but I can't recall what was in it. What really stood out to me, though, was the carrot cake. Moist, with a perfect blend of carrot and spice, as well as a creamy but not overly-sweet frosting. I have yet to try the drinks, but they have a very decent selection so I'm excited to go back.

Later in the evening, I got to the Chapter House. Nice pub, well-priced, but over-crowded for sure. Maybe it was because I crashed a section D party, but regardless. I do have to note that the bouncer was really nice. I was trying to get back inside to tell a friend we were heading to Level B, but there was a line and I started pulling out my ID and getting into line when he was like "hey, go ahead. don't worry about it" and let me in. So, good times. Level B was fun, but crowded as well. Still, I went there for a good reason: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIFFANY! My fellow section E person and California native. I guess there really is nowhere to go in Ithaca... BUT I really enjoyed seeing my suitemate have a good time and dance a little. On the other hand, the extended after-party in my room resulted in me being useless/sleeping in until after 1pm. Doh.

After I finally mobilized, though, I grabbed a tasty sandwich from CTB (the Big Apple... homemade apply chutney and smoked Turkey!) and ate by the gorge. I'm glad I was focused on the food, though, because after I finished eating, I saw a rather disgustingly large and amazing mushroom/fungal growth of some kind on the tree behind me.

Strange Marshmallow-like Growth

Regardless of what may happen later, I was pretty productive in the library. Maybe that's because Con Law reading was actually interesting (we're doing abortion cases: Griswold, Roe, Maher, Doe, Harris, etc). The case analysis is much more exciting and current, even if the past cases (like Marbury) are arguably just as relevant. But let's not get into that right now... Maybe I'll have an academic-rant-post sometime later, but for now, out of sight out of mind. Speaking of which, Saturday night was another one of alcoholic beverages. Thanks to Phil (sorry, I crashed yet another law school shindig that I wasn't directly invited to). Good times?

Today, there was bad news and good news. The bad news is, I found another Wolf Spider trying to get into my window. I was terrified. It was huge. It had five legs (um, I don't know if it was attacked, maimed, deformed or some kind of mutated beast, but the last one also had fewer than 8 legs...what is this trend? I don't think it was the same one though...unless he's back for revenge. Please don't drink my blood...) The good news came later, when I sat out in the sun after a failed trip to the (closed) bookstore. Silver lining indeed. It was so beautiful and relaxing just overlooking the green field. I should have worn shorts, because it was so warm and comfortable, and I need a tan before the winter kicks in. The clearness of the sky was reflected in Cayuga lake, coloring it the perfect shade of blue. And on the way to the bookstore, I got a kiss from Storm (this old, distinguished-looking, white-muzzled, handsome devil of a golden retriever who was taking a walk with his owner). Yea, I'm in love.

Then it was back to the library to study, after which Angie invited Mike, Natasha and I over for dinner. That's when I committed yet another social faux pas, if you can call it that... I was eating a chip (in my defense, I was quite hungry) so I bit into it with a little more gusto than usual. Unexpectedly, a piece of salt or lime or whatever seasoned the chip flew up into my eye!!! It stung quite a bit... I know. Eating fail. Please don't judge me...

But then, I learned a valuable lesson from watching my new feline friend: close your eyes while eating or drinking. She went up to her kitty fountain and drank with her eyes closed so the water wouldn't splash on her face and obscure her vision. That is a very good trick. I'll remember that. Thank you so much, to Angie and Zoe ---- Dinner was so delicious! I learned a valuable life lesson. And I got to spend some time away from the books. Althogh I wish I had some of that wine... Maybe next time. And I'm so glad I got my animal fix for the day! ZOE!!! MY LOVE!!!

What a beautiful coat

Elegance in the best sense

Isn't she so beautiful? Look at the coat... In the first two pictures, the exposure is kind of weird. The flash made it kind of washed out, but when I turned it off, the shutter speed was too slow, so things got blurrier. But whatever. I can't capture Miss Zoe's elegance or regal sense of beauty on a point-and-shoot digital anyway!!

Such flexibility and dexterity!

Green eyes

Curious Kitty

The Huntress

ZOE ZOE ZOE ZOE ZOE ZOE ZOE ZOE ZOE!!!! I love you, and your catnip-fiending ways!

Oh...note: someone from the law school sent out this message...

I'm looking for a dog-sitter over fall break (October 9th - October 17th).  He is a 12lb mini daschund and you can watch him at my place or at yours.  He requires very very little effort to take care of (some snuggling and fetch).  You can also have full use of my car during that week.

I'm willing to pay quite a bit so that I don't have to fly across the country with him so let me know if you're interested and we can work out the details.

I wish we could be friends...

Too bad she found someone to do it already... :(
Anyway, good weekend overall.... Ok, charge on ahead, with almost no light at the end of the tunnel... Cheers?

It's Friday and I have food/drink on the brain... while not quite the thing I'm looking for, Monkey Picked Tea is something I've told people about, something that people are kind of incredulous about. But hah! I'm not the only one. 

"Tie Guan Yin" means Iron Goddess or Iron Bodhisattva. One Chinese legend says that the Goddess of Mercy appeared in a dream to a local farmer and told him to look in the cave behind her temple. There he found a single tea shoot, which he planted and cultivated. From that time, the tea has been known as Iron Goddess.

Another legend is centered around Wang, a scholar who accidentally discovered the tea plant beneath the Guanyin rock in Xiping. He brought the plant back home for cultivation. When he visited Emperor Qianlong in the 6th year of his reign, he offered the tea as a gift from his native village. Emperor Qianlong was so impressed that he inquired about its origin. Since the tea was discovered beneath the Guanyin Rock, he decided to called it the Guanyin tea.

The taste is supposed to be alluring with a fresh orchid aroma, a bold fruity flavor and a sweet, lingering finish. While Tie Guan Yin can be simply brewed in any teapot, some tea-snobs recommend the gong-fu method using lots of leaf, multiple infusions and brief steeping times to bring out its full characteristics.

Monkey-picked tea