Pick-Me-Ups - Favourite Things Project

I've already mentioned how much I love coffee. Another one of my favourite pick-me-ups is watching a fun show or movie in the evening, or playing a PS3 game.

What about you? What are your favourite pick-me-ups? 

If you write a post about it, please link it up here. If not, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! 

Finals, Facebook and Fringe

I finished my final exam yesterday, and now don't have another class until January! I am so close to being done with university and my Art History degree! Now, I can focus on enjoying the last bit of nice weather, working on items for my shop and on this blog.

I created a Facebook page for this blog where you can connect with me on all kinds of things - please 'like' my page and add your blog URL or facebook page link so I can follow you back!


I've been checking out some new-to-me sci-fi and fantasy shows the past few weeks. So far, I've enjoyed watching Fringe the most! I started watching it last year but stopped after a few episodes. Now, it's one of my favourite sci-fi shows. It's so much fun watching shows filmed in this city! Other shows I tried to watch but stopped:
-Rubicon
-Sanctuary
-Pillars of the Earth
and some others, but can't remember. . .
I also started watching Covert Affairs, mainly because of Piper Perabo. I don't know why I'm watching it, really. A show about the C.I.A.?!  I just started watching Stargate Atlantis, which I enjoy so far. I really love Stargate Universe, and look forward to seeing more next month.

Any shows you think that I should check out? I'm into trying new shows these days, before the regular ones I watch return in September.

Giveaway and Review- The Disappearing Spoon

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean

Synopsis: 

The Periodic Table is one of man's crowning scientific achievements. But it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. 

We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues' wives when she'd invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country and their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history?
From the Big Bang to the end of time, it's all in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON.

My thoughts:
This book should be a required read in high school English classes to supplement what is being taught in Science classes. I found this book thoroughly enjoyable, despite having no real background in the periodic table, apart from learning a rhyming song to help me memorize it in grade 6. I learned more about history and the elements in this book than I have in my entire academic career. 


Sam Kean's presentation of factual information is done so in an engaging way. This book will be especially interesting for those of you who already enjoy chemistry, but it will also be captivating for people with little to no scientific background. With so many stories related to the periodic table of the elements, it is difficult to pick one as my favourite. Kean uses the relationship between elements in the table to discuss relationships between people who have history of using those elements. 

Being a Geek: New Camera Dreams

I got an email today with this Canon Lens Travel Mug offer. Is it weird that I want this mug? I have been wishing that I could upgrade my camera - a Canon Powershot SD900 10MP to something that would take better pictures in low-light situations. I also really want a camcorder.

This camera is new and looks to have many of the features that I want: 

PowerShot SX210 IS

Features: 

• I like the colour choices
• 14.1 megapixel with wide-angle zoom
• Low Light mode for sharp images in dimly-lit situations.
• It also captures stunning HD movies with Dynamic mode for enhanced image stabilization when shooting movies using wide-angle settings. 

It looks like it costs around $350 but it is quite new so I'm sure that price won't last long.