Saturday update

[annathepiper]

For the jimbutcher fans on my Friends list, especially the local ones: Jim is going on tour to do signings for the latest Dresden novel, White Night. Local people, he's going to be at the University Bookstore on April 3rd! This may in fact warrant me buying my first Dresden hardback!

In science news, I have found myself intrigued by the reports of chimpanzees being observed using spears to hunt prey in Senegal, as well as other research pertaining to how they may have used hammers up to 4,300 years ago. Part of me finds this all incredibly cool, and wants to cheer the chimps on and welcome them to the society of tool-using mammals. The rest of me (the Elfquest fangirl part, specifically), having seen photos of the critters they've been observed hunting, wants to go, "But, but, treewees!" and sniff.

In local news, apparently Starbucks is looking for its lost soul. And all I can think is, they could always do what Spike did.

I have been entertained by reading John Scalzi's blog, accessible to LJ users via scalzifeed, and have finally picked up a copy of his book Old Man's War. I'm not normally into military SF, but I figure what the hey, I've been reading Patrick O'Brian, not to mention naominovik, so it's not entirely out of left feed for me. And speaking of Patrick O'Brian, I am currently in the middle of reading the seventh Aubrey-Maturin, The Surgeon's Mate; further remarks on this will be forthcoming.

Last but not least, solarbird went downtown today on a quest to buy stuff: we got her a new backpack and new shoes at REI. We are amused that her shoes are the exact same shoes as mine, both in color and in size. We dig the Merrells, but unfortunately REI carries them in just one color. So we'll have to remember that her shoes are the ones that look newer, or else mark them with Sharpies or something.

It turned out that Seattle was a very small town today, as we ran into both my uberboss and Dara's Japanese tutor. And it must also be observed that the people opening up the new LUSH store in Westlake are tempting tantalizing bastards, as the store looks more or less ready to open but still has paper up on all its windows. But some of the paper had come down, so you could see all the LUSH-y goodness inside and how there were a couple people in there apparently doing employee training or something. And the lovely LUSH-y scents were wafting right out into the shopping area, smacking us right in the face and insisting that we come in and purchase things. Except we couldn't, because they WEREN'T OPEN YET. Dara pawed at the door and meowed piteously. It didn't help. Tempting tantalizing bastards.

Anyway, it has been a Good Day, and I hope the same has applied for you all.

Miles since the 18th: 16.7
Miles out of Hobbiton: 1790.5
Miles out of Rauros Falls: 481.5
Miles to Isengard: 2.5

Comments

[logrusboy.livejournal.com]

The problem with the chimps hunting cute things is, of course, that they are hunting to survive. Once we take them all into captivity and assure their survival, we can train them to hunt non-cute things for their and our amusement. Hmm.... Oddly, I feel there's some flaw in my plan....

But seriously, I think it's good for us humans to face proof that we quite probably never held the monopoly on the whole tool thing. A little humility would serve us well. Except for me, of course. I'm fine just the way I am.

[annathepiper]

*snicker* If you do say so yourself? ;)

But yes, indeed, I daresay many of us could benefit from seeing examples of other species beginning to take on tool use. I think the thing with the dolphins using bits of sponge to protect their snouts is equally cool!

[logrusboy.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong of me to want to fit dolphins with snout swords so they can cut their buddies free from fishing nets?

[annathepiper]

Hah! No, no it's not. ;)