This tiny doggie went shopping.
This medium doggie guarded the bookstore.
This giant doggie slobbered everywhere.
This little doggie took a break.
And this big doggie stayed home!
This little piggie… (canine edition)
laelene Post in photo blog，Tags: animals, behavior, dogs, napping, pictures, resting, shopping, sleeping
27
March
2013
0
365great Day 12: Coursera
26
March
2013
Learn more about 365great here.
I only found out about Coursera a few months ago and I eagerly signed up for every class that caught my interest (nearly all of them related to business and/or psychology). This site offers an excellent selection of online courses from quality professors at prestigious universities around the world – all for free! There’s no limit to how many students can take the course, since professors use automated grading and peer grading to help with the assessment and aren’t limited by their own (ok maybe more like their TAs’) time. Talk about opening up higher education to the masses and making it easily accessible!
In January, I started my very first class, diligently listening to lectures, taking quizzes, completing projects, doing peer grading, and otherwise taking the class like a good student. As it was wrapping up, two other classes started up and I discovered a third I was interested in. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with everything I had taken on and couldn’t keep up with the workload.
Luckily, that’s what’s great about Coursera (and other platforms for massive open online courses – MOOCs): you take the class at your own commitment level. Each of my professors in these classes has reiterated that it’s totally fine to just audit the class, throw yourself into all the assignments, or something in between. It’s your choice how involved you want to be and how much you want to take from each course. In the end, more effort means you get a certification that you completed the course and extra effort means you can get certification of completion with honors.
So, I’ve stepped back and evaluated what I can manage for each class and will focus my efforts accordingly. It’s such a wonderful way to enrich yourself just because you’re interested in certain topics. Ultimately, you’ll grow as an individual and it might help you with your professional skills as well. Plus, there’s plenty of opportunity to interact with thousands of students around the world to learn from them. Coursera is what you make of it and it opens up quality educational opportunities to thousands. There are so many things that make it great!
Snow slush
laelene Post in video blog，Tags: observation, snow, videos, weather
26
March
2013
It started with a few flakes that made me all excited, but quickly went away. Then at night some more snow came and melted into trickling drips of rain. Finally, the next day it was cool enough for the snow to fall and stick!
come on snow! from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
melting snow from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
falling snow from Mary Qin on Vimeo.
365great Day 11: snow
25
March
2013
Learn more about 365great here.
Yet again, as we were hoping for signs of spring, nature decided to take its own course and lightly blanket us with snow this morning. And even though many people are complaining and griping about this endless chill, I think there’s always a beauty to snow. There’s something truly wonderful about those light, fluffy flakes floating down and slowly layering until all you see is a landscape of white. In just an hour or two, your world can turn from tones of brown and green to bright, bright white! I love looking out the window to suddenly find my neighborhood transformed. It’s magical.
I wish that more people took a moment to sit in awe of the beauty in front of them, even as they have to get up in the cold and trudge off to work after digging their cars out of the drifts. I think all children do as they trot off to school! Everyone should retain that sense of wonder and wide-eyed enthusiasm. Snow is such a cool phenomenon and it makes an excellent & versatile playtoy. So while the plants have shown the first signs of spring and everyone is tired of the cold, don’t let it diminish the experience of snow. The way that it can alter our landscape and be so much fun to play in is what makes snow great to me!
My waist & my ankles need to breathe!
laelene Post in general blog，Tags: clothing, experiences, habits, opinion, quirks
25
March
2013
I really dislike wearing pants with high waists and socks that go above the ankle. For some reason, they make me feel like I can’t breathe. Why my belly button and ankle bones psychologically affect my (perceived) ability to breathe is beyond me. All I know is that it’s a pervasive feeling that I have to purposefully ignore to overcome it. So, I take the easy way out and don’t wear articles of clothing that make me feel that way. That’s why I love low-rise jeans, sweatpants, dresses, ankle socks, and booties. Am I the only crazy one out there?
365great Day 10: aromatherapy
laelene Post in 365great，Tags: 365great, aromatherapy, candles, experiences, mist, pictures, spray
24
March
2013
Learn more about 365great here.
Smells are a powerful way to evoke emotions and memories. Lately, I’ve found myself using this sense a lot more, what with burning candles and spraying mists to enhance my mood or try to induce a different one. Even just the act of lighting the candle or spraying the mist has allowed me to intentionally set what I wanted to do and how I wanted to feel. Whether you want to relax with a calming scent, energize with a revitalizing scent, arouse with a warm scent, drift off to sleep with a soothing scent, or even feel more empowered with a vibrant scent, you can find something for just about every emotion-enhancing need.
Some of the products I’ve explored are the energy shifting sprays by hellomellow, the aromatherapy candle by Bath & Body Works, the eye pillow by Herbal Animals, and the energy mists by Lotus Wei. Through spraying my pillow and my face, lighting up a candle, and covering my eyes with the herbal pillow, these products have helped me reach better moods whenever I’ve felt frazzled or down. I’ve especially enjoyed these mini rituals that allow me to take care of myself .
Wurstkuche delight
laelene Post in photo blog，Tags: bacon, belgian fries, bratwurst, duck, food, german, kitchen, onions, pictures, sauerkraut, sausages, sweet peppers, vegetarian italian sausage, wurstkuche
24
March
2013
Here’s a place that I enjoy going to whenever I get a chance. I love their sausages and their sauerkraut!
I looove burying my sausages in sauerkraut.
Don’t be fooled, this is a different sausage but same topping.
Panda opted for a more exotic flavor.
The Belgian fries make a nice complement to the sausages.
A typical meal involves about two sausages per person and some fries.
365great Day 9: touchscreen gloves
laelene Post in 365great，Tags: 365great, gadgets, gloves, pictures, products, technology, touchscreen
23
March
2013
Learn more about 365great here.
Or more accurately, touchscreen compatible gloves. These are awesome because you can keep them on when you need to use your smartphone or tablet. There’s a ton of variety in the style of gloves that come with these special fingertips, from knit ones to more weatherproof ones. Whether you prefer funky ones like mine or more professional ones, these can be a freezing-finger-saver!
Touchscreen-capable gloves often use a special type of conductive thread to imitate to conductivity of our skin. It’s a simple and elegant solution that is excellent for anyone who has to be out in chilly weather. I love that it helps solve an uncomfortable (and sometimes painful) situation. What a practical and fun way to solve a pretty common problem! That’s why they’re great.
An education on auks
laelene Post in video blog，Tags: animals, aquarium, behavior, experiences, observation, videos
23
March
2013
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
22
March
2013
Learn more about 365great here.
Totally endearing.
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.
