Posts Tagged ‘animals’

On My Mind, episode 2

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(In case On My Mind is not self-explanatory enough and you want to learn more, check out my post explaining what inspired it.)

screenshot of giveaway tools final result: mary q. won 3-month conscious box subscription from just another new blog~I won!!! I’ve been trying to win a bunch of things, but in particular is a 3-month subscription to Conscious Box, which tons of bloggers have been giving away. AND I ACTUALLY WON! I was just going through checking up on the giveaways that had expired to see if they announced winners and what did I find? My name! That is probably the most exciting thing in the world.

~Last week I went to the DMV because I wanted to renew my license and update the photo. Why can’t I just send in a picture like I can with a passport? I’m assuming it has to do with that special shade of blue they use for the background, which then begs the question… why that color??

~I tried to book an online appointment for the DMV but the earliest appointment was two weeks away! If I didn’t need to drive in the mean, I totally would have gone that route to save the time at the DMV. Unfortunately I didn’t have that luxury this time, so I was stuck standing in line. It took nearly 3 hours (and there were only like 15-20 people in line in front of me!). Luckily, I was smart and got a book to read before going. I was the only one.

~My mom and I went to Best Buy because she had some reward money she had to spend – all told, we spent $0.30 on a bunch of random pens for her and a cool whiteboard/blackboard for me! We didn’t know what else to buy with her $20 credit. And it took us over an hour to figure it out, lol. Granted, much of that hour was spent waiting for an associate to help me locate the board at another store. The one they had was missing the crayon box and what’s a board if you can’t write on it?

5 sets of pens from best buy

Ignore the cat paw. 😉

crayola dry erase board dual-sided black and white with set of dry erase crayons and wiping cloth

Comes with dry erase crayons!

~I’ve been reading a bunch of books like Buyology & The Zappos Experience – great source of learning and very useful lessons for my future business attempts. I’m trying to apply everything I learned to the Kickstarter I’m developing. I sure hope it’s successful!

~So when I went to get some of those books I’ve been reading, I discovered the cool new library self-checkout! My fancy little library has this system where you put the stack of books (up to like 7 or 8 at a time) on the counter and it can check them all out for you. No more scanning one by one! Nifty. I should also note they have a conveyor belt thing behind the wall when you return a book, complete with video so you can watch your book get dropped off into some bin at the end.

~Remember that Influenster campaign I mentioned last time? Well, yay I got in! Turns out it’s for an Aveeno product, which they’ll be sending to me shortly. 🙂

~This week I got to hang out at the Hotel Maya in Long Beach. It’s right on the water and I really enjoyed working in the cabanas and other similar areas. It’s great to have a fabulous view, a slight breeze, the warmth of the sun, and the option of shade all at once. If it weren’t for my reflective laptop screen, it’d be perfect for working all day.

outdoor couches at hotel maya in long beach

I spent most of the days here.

view of waterfront from hotel maya in long beach

~Since I was at the waterfront, I spent a lot of time (sea) bird watching. Totally fun! There are the ones that bob around on the water and dive down for fish, disappearing for minutes at times. Then there are the fliers that dive down to the water from high above, making a nice splash. There are the little ones that flit about quickly and the larger ones that almost seem like they’re gliding in the air. In the morning, they were most active and by noon, many of them had settled in for a nap. By the afternoon, they started waking up again and as the sun set, I lost track of them.

~I also caught a glimpse of a seal! Actually, I think a pair of them. So cool!!! Next time I need to find a beach that they hang out at. I’d love to seal watch.

(Here you can hear how excited I am to see them, even though I didn’t get to see much.)

seals at Long Beach from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
 

 

Grounded jellies

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These jellyfish spend their lives in a rather pointless dance…

upside down jellies from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Wall flop

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Sometimes, there’s nowhere else to go but down.

the cat wall jump from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

365great Day 14: sea monkeys

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Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 14: sea monkeysSea monkeys are seriously some of the coolest pets ever. They’re super low-maintenance, cost very little, and are immensely entertaining. For around $10-15, you can get a starter kit including aquarium, eggs, and food. I also recommend getting an aerater (they have the “million bubbles pump” or you can find your own tool) to help refresh the water. Beyond that, you really don’t have any other expenses! Just follow the directions to get your eggs hatching and you’re on your way to sea monkey bliss.

These little suckers are awkward and funny fellows that are really fun to watch. You can watch them grow from a pinpoint-sized dot to about 1 cm long, all the while swimming about energetically in their backwards flowing fashion. Soon enough, you’ll find a pair mating and if you’re lucky, your brood will multiply. At this point, it’s probably best to get them a larger container, since I think I’ve had batches die due to overcrowding. Other than that it’s super easy to care for them – just feed every few days and keep out of direct sunlight. They’re really hardy and can last a long time without a feeding, if you need to go on a trip or something. For that sort of convenience and price, sea monkeys as pets are a pretty great idea.

This little piggie… (canine edition)

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small black dog standing up in shopping cart at market

This tiny doggie went shopping.

white fluffy dog laying on floor at bookstore

This medium doggie guarded the bookstore.

giant black dog standing by outdoor table at restaurant

This giant doggie slobbered everywhere.

brown dog napping on floor at conference booth

This little doggie took a break.

big black dog resting head on person's lap

And this big doggie stayed home!

An education on auks

laelene Posted in video blog,Tags: , , , , ,
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What are auks? Well, that’s exactly why you’re getting a mini lesson on them! You’re probably most familiar with puffins, which are part of the auk family. These birds may remind you of penguins with their coloring and living situation, but what distinguishes them from penguins is that they can fly (whereas penguins cannot, if you didn’t know). Check out some videos of their behavior, including eagerness at feeding time and pretty fun wing-flapping and foot-kicking.

puffin feeding time from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

hungry auks from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

flapping auk from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

auk belly swim from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

auk propelling kick from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

365great Day 8: cats

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , ,
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Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 8: cats

Totally endearing.

I am a huge fan of animals in general, but cats have a special place in my heart. Ever since I was a little girl, I’d wanted a cat. I liked that they don’t require the incessant attention that most dogs do, that they were generally a certain size (just cuddly enough yet not too heavy to carry around), and that they don’t smell (to me, anyway). Once my parents finally gave in and we adopted cats, I learned of how extraordinary their personalities are. I had a lot of fun playing with my cats, even the ones that were a bit more stand-offish. Sometimes it was enough just to watch them. If you’ve ever seen them speed around a corner, jump over fences, or any other number of athletic and acrobatic acts, perhaps you understand the majestic way they tend to do things.

I think cats are often misunderstood by all those “other” animals-lovers out there who claim they don’t like cats. Just give these creatures a chance and even the infuriatingly senile manage to find a way into your heart. I’ve had cats that were so loving that I always had emotional support and I’ve had cats that were sometimes borderline neurotic (and sometimes full-fledged crazy). Still, each one is brilliantly unique and their strong personalities make for some great times and stories. I think their quirks are just what make them awesome; taking the time to discover what makes them tick allows for some very deep bonds to form. Plus, they’re (usually) such graceful creatures with an air about them that is awe-inspiring. No wonder they were worshipped in many cultures. An animal that can command respect like that is pretty great.

Swarming seagulls

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Something in the water must have been miiighty tasty!

swarming seagulls from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Panda forms

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Whatever form they come in, pandas are just so cute! It’s amazing all the stuff made in their image.

pair of pandas stuffed animal toy

cartoon panda eating giant bowl of ramen t-shirt from woot.com

When I saw this shirt on Woot, I just HAD to get it!

small cookies shaped like pandas

large panda cushion seat

collage of squishable panda ball

cartoon panda image on folder

panda stuffed animal toy in gift wrap

Animal products

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And no, I don’t mean stuff made from animals!

soap dish with image of cross-stitch owl on it

ceramic candle holder in shape of owl

soap dispenser in shape of cute penguin couple

socks with half of animal face on one foot and half of face on other foot

creamer in shape of cow

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