Apples

The Fuji apple has been my go-to apple for years. The skin varies from green to red, and they can be lopsided, but they are usually always nice and crisp and sweet. I find it to be an apple that you can count on. It is in stores all year long.

Fuji Apple

Sometimes I like a Pink Lady. They are tart and light, and dry if that makes sense, but I can't always find them. They often look a little bumpy and uneven. My store did not have any today, so I've go no picture for you.

Last week, my grocery store had two types of apples on sale: Honeycrisp and Envy. I decided I'd be adventurous and try both.

I quickly located the Honeycrisps in the large apple display, but did not see the Envy. I asked the grocer where they were. He proceeded to tell me that the Honeycrisp is the best apple. A big knife magically appeared, and with two flicks of his wrist he had cut a slice of apple for me to try. I tried it, and it was nice.

Honeycrisp Apple

I said, "I usually buy Fuji apples." You should have seen the sneer on his face! This man clearly had a low opinion of the Fujis, my go-to apple! I was about to buy the Honeycrisps, and pass on the Envys, when the grocer asked me if I still wanted to try an Envy. I almost said, "No," but then I thought about it: I already knew that the two of us have very different opinions of Fuji apples. Maybe I would like the Envy despite his abhorrence of it.

Another two flicks of the wrist and I had a huge (the Envy apples were very large) piece of Envy apple to eat.

Envy Apple

I tasted. I liked. I liked it a lot. I liked it better than the Honeycrisp! It was crisp, it was sweet. "It's nice," I said. The grocer was dumbfounded and walked away.

The End.

Actually, that's not the end because I LOVE the Envy apple. It is my new favorite, and I'm going to keep buying it as long as it is available. Or until I get a bad one. The Envy apple even has its own web site. They are grown in the northwest U.S., my favorite part of the world (yeah, it's the only part of the world I know).

If you see the Envy apple in your store, give it a try. I'm glad I did. Maybe it will be your new favorite too.

DSD 2014 - What I Bought

I've noticed some trends in the digital scrapbooking "holidays" (Digital Scrapbook Day and National Scrapbook Day) sales. I don't see designers releasing as many products as they used to. I saw a lot of designers who only released one new product, just like a regular week. As a customer, I guess that is a little disappointing, but I think I can understand as well. DSD came the day after Halloween this year, so I'm sure that made things more stressful.

What I have been seeing more frequently are pick-your-own bundle offers - like pick 5 products for $10. Those are really fun, especially when it works out to grabbing several kits for just $1 or $2 each. Sometimes the designers even give you a while to make your selection, so you might have the option of grabbing some of their future releases, depending on the deadline.

Since some of my favorite designers seemed to be taking it easy this holiday, I decided to use DSD as a chance to try out some new-to-me designers. I have seen Dawn Inskip products being advertised/promoted at some of the digi sites, and I picked up some of her things:

Red Ivy's kits have been catching my eye the last several months. I bought her new kit, and I participated in her Scavenger Hunt to get the Add-On.

And then I decided to buy some stitches from Anna Aspnes. I have a few similar sets of hers already, but after seeing some fun stitching in layouts recently, I wanted some more.

I picked up the blog-train collections from The LilyPad, Pixels and Company, and the Digi Scrap Parade.

I didn't do any scrapping on DSD, but I did finish up a couple of Shutterfly books for Christmas presents. I had other responsibilities over the weekend, so I didn't get to relax as much as I would have liked. But it was still a fun "holiday." Thanks for stopping by.

Cropped By The Numbers

I used to be a person who worked with numbers all the time. I thought it would be fun to look at the numbers for the Cropped competition, and compare this year and last year.

First, I compared the number of contestants participating in each round. For 2013, I counted 95 Round 1 entries in the gallery. For 2014, there were 109 entries in the gallery, but a few were play-alongs (I don't know the exact number). I estimated 105 contestants for 2014.  I found the number of contestants graduating to each successive Round on the P&Co blog: here for 2013 and here for 2014. Here is the graph I made:

What interesting things to do we see?

1. 2014 had about 10 more contestants than 2013, but both are right around 100. Over in the P&Co Forum, Gennifer said that there were actually 172 people who registered in 2014. So quite a few registered but weren't able to participate, or maybe they only registered to get the free kit.
2. In 2014, more people get to play in each round. For instance, both years started with about 100 contestants. In 2013 only 32 moved on to Round 2, but in 2014 50 moved on to Round 2. So it's more fun for more people in 2014!

I also considered the percentages of people getting cropped in each round. Since I know the number of people graduating to each round, I can use that to calculate a probability of being cropped.

For example, in 2014, 20 of 50 people from Round 2 will be cropped, so that represents a probability of 0.4 of getting tossed out of the competition. BUT that's assuming the 20 are chosen randomly. In reality, we are being judged based on how we complete the challenges, and that isn't random at all. The probabilities I'm calculating don't factor in the actual challenges, a scrapper's strengths and weaknesses, experience, photography skills, etc. So you could argue that these probabilities are meaningless.

But still, if you go just on the numbers alone, you can get a "baseline" expectation of how likely you are to be cropped in each round. Here is my graph:

What do we see here?

1. In both years, contestants in Round 1 have a relatively high probability (more than 50%) of being cropped because there were a lot of contestants at the beginning and that first round narrows the field a lot.
2. The probability of getting cropped in 2014 is generally lower for most of the Rounds because more people get to stay each time.
3. In 2013, in each of Rounds 2-6, exactly half of the contestants were cropped each time. So based just on numbers alone (not on your actual layout), you would have a 50-50 chance of getting cropped in each of Rounds 2-6 (in 2013).
4. But in 2014, they are keeping more contestants in each round. In Rounds 2, 3, and 4 you have only a 0.4, 0.4 and 0.44 probability of being cropped. That's better than 50-50! That means, in each of those rounds, based only on the numbers, you are actually more likely to stay than to get cropped.
5. BUT then there is Round 5. Round 5 will have 10 contestants, and one of them will be chosen as the winner. That's a 90% chance of getting cropped in Round 5 and a 10% chance of being the winner.

So that last Round will really be the nail biter. But I think it is nice that it isn't just a one-on-one thing there at the end. It will still be a group of scrappers having fun, competing, winning prizes, scrapping layouts, learning new things, and supporting each other.

School Portraits

I'm a big fan of school portraits. They are so fun. I love the anticipation of seeing what you get. I love giving out little wallet sized pictures to everyone I know.

Miller's old school used Life Touch School Portraits, which I think is a big business that does portraits at lots of schools. Like a school portrait machine. His new school used a local photographer. Miller said this guy was fun and actually told jokes to get the kids to smile. I could tell the difference in the pictures - his smile looked like a real smile.

The photographer gave the option of purchasing the digital image on a CD with copyright release instead of a print package. The cost was just a little less than most of the print packages that he offered. I decided to go with that option to see how I liked it.

Did I like it? I have mixed feelings. The image he gave was unprocessed, so I was a little disappointed in that. I have to say there is something in having all the work done for you. But I do like that with the copyright release I can make whatever prints I want. I've already ordered some from my favorite print shop. With the added shipping cost, I probably paid a little more overall than if I had just selected a print package from the photographer. But the image is mine to do whatever I want.

I went ahead and scrapped a page with it.

 

There is something about opening that envelope to reveal that handful of prints, and you know that is all you get - whatever they look like - dorky smile, no smile, poor choice of clothing - what you see is what you get. And the prints that you bought - that is all you get too. All of that is the charm of the school photo. I have to say I kinda missed that. I'm not sure what I will choose next time - the prints or the digital image (I'm too frugal to do both). Luckily I have a whole year to think it over.

Falafel

From Wikipedia:  A falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern food, usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa; "falafel" also frequently refers to a wrapped sandwich that is prepared in this way.

Several weeks ago, the scientist talked the other two of us into trying a nearby falafel stand. We'd driven by it many times and saw that it was always very busy. It was obviously a local favorite.

I ate my first falafel and thought that it was ok. I could eat it again, but I would probably never actually request it myself.

And then about a week later I thought of the word falafel, and found myself craving one. Even though I hadn't really liked it. We went again to the falafel stand, and my second falafel was even better than the first one. I loved it! The bread was so soft and fresh. The "meat balls," as Miller calls them, were so scrumptious. The chopped pickle and cabbage were just a little bit tangy and delicious.

I now frequently find myself experiencing the falafel effect: I think the word falafel and then can't get it out of my mind.

I type these words at 9:30 am,  and I know that the falafel stand opens at 11. I will be there.

Jane Eyre Times Four

I recently got lured back to Netflix with their offer to take another free month trial. I found that they have several Jane Eyre movies available in their streaming service. Miller and I watched three of them over the course of a week while the scientist was away. By now, I'm sure Miller wishes he'd never heard of Mr. Rochester.

I originally discovered Jane Eyre through the PBS Masterpiece version that I'll post at the end of this list. I read the book back when Miller was a baby, and I enjoyed it. Jane had a lot of bad things happen to her, and she was often treated unfairly. But she always remained a kind and forgiving person, and she never compromised her morals. She never came across to me as a very religious person, and yet she always conducted herself in a very Godly manner. I've always thought that she simply saw the value in doing things God's way, from a logical analysis of it. I find that refreshing.

This was the first Netflix Jane Eyre I watched:

It was made in 1996 and is 116 minutes long. I didn't particularly like this one. It was unmemorable. In fact, I abandoned it about 3/4 through. Later, though, I went back and watched the end.  This Jane was a bit too un-animated for my taste, and Mr. Rochester was a bit too mean and rude. I felt their affection for each other was not believable. And there were some serious plot changes that really bothered me, particularly in the third section of the story. They completely changed the Saint John character and wove him in to the story in a different way. Dumb!

This was the second Netflix Jane Eyre I watched:

It was made in 2011 and is 121 minutes long. Again, this Jane seems to go through life in some kind of comatose state showing little emotion. I don't like that. Her falling in love with Mr. Rochester just wasn't believable. However, I did enjoy some of the conversations between the two of them. This Mr. Rochester was again very rude, but you definitely get a sense of him being intrigued by Jane, if not actually loving her. Again, they changed the Saint John part of the story. That seems to be a commonality in shorter enactments of the story: to leave out large sections of the third part. The ending of this movie was absurdly abrupt (WHAT? That's the end??), with no sense of how their lives play out.

Edit: I re-watched this one, and realized that the Saint-John character was actually pretty faithful to the book - they just rearranged and put his part of the story at the beginning (!)

Here was the third Netflix Jane Eyre I watched.

This one was from 1983 and is a series with 11 half-hour episodes. I definitely prefer the series or mini series format, as they can include much more of the story and stay more faithful to the text. This Jane Eyre was a lot more lively than the previous two. I liked that, but it seemed to go a little too far - she was downright bubbly at times. This version would be my second favorite, although it did seem long. And I also have to say it felt very dated.

And finally, my favorite version of Jane Eyre, which I also recently watched again, but not on Netflix:

This one is a 2-part mini series from 2006. It is about 4 hours long. This one is pretty faithful to the book and includes much of the third part of the story. Mr. Rochester is severe but also endearing. Jane is reserved but shows emotion. Their developing love is believable. I really love this version. It is my favorite, and I have watched it many times, and I will watch it many more times I'm sure.

It was really interesting to watch so many versions back to back - to see the things they had in common and which things were different. I am reading the book again right now. I'm almost to the wedding. I like the book because it is told in first person, so you have a sense that eventually everything is going to work out for Jane.

This might sound like a strange comparison, but I've always thought that Sookie Stackhouse was a modern (if urban fantastical) version of Jane Eyre. They were both orphans, both different from their peers and often treated unkindly. Yet both were good people who always did what they thought was right, even knowing that doing so would cause them pain and trouble. And in the end they are both rewarded in the lives they lead. Just what I like in a good read.

Enchanted Forest

Last night we played a game called Enchanted Forest. It's for 2-6 players, ages 6 and up.

It was a really fun game, and great for all ages.  You travel across the board discovering the locations of various treasures (the treasures are on the undersides of the trees). At any one time there is a specific treasure card showing. When you find that treasure you try to be the first to make it to the castle and reveal its location. There is a little bit of math/strategy involved in how you choose to play each move. And it is a memory game because you have to remember where all the treasures are. The first person to correctly reveal three treasures is the winner.

Our game had a bit of a slow start because it took a while for someone to find the first treasure. But after the first one was revealed everyone had seen (and hopefully remembered) several others. So the game play sped up then. Miller lost interest before anyone won, and he quit playing. Bit it was just a handful of moves after when I revealed my third treasure and won the first game!

I didn't time the game, but it probably took between 30 and 45 minutes for the three of us to play. (It's now a few days later and we've played a few more rounds. Game length is quite variable depending on luck, how sharp memories are, and how people take advantage of some of the special moves in the game.)

I highly recommend Enchanted Forest for family fun. Thanks for stopping by.

Movies

Here are a few movies we watched this summer that surprised me in a good way. We've watched all of these movies multiple times. And I'd gladly watch them all again.

First, Oz The Great and Powerful.

This movie gives us a story of how the Wizard of Oz came to be the Wizard and how the Wicked Witch became wicked. I thought this movie was fairly faithful to the spirit of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and also faithful to the visual themes of the old original movie.

My favorite scene in Oz The Great and Powerful is when the Wizard begins to describe his plan to confront the witches, and he says, "Prestidigitation!" with theatrical flair. He's so sexy when he does that. Do you know what the word prestidigitation means? The scientist did. (I did not.) (But I do now.)

Next, The Muppets.

I do not remember being a fan of The Muppet Show when I was a kid. It was too zany for me. But now that I'm a grown up, it's just zany enough. This is a great, funny movie with lots of heart. It tells the story of how Walter, a lone and lonely muppet, travels to Los Angeles and gets the ol' Muppet gang back together. I love the main opening song and dance number; I love Kermit; I love the villians' maniacal laughter; and I love Walter's whistling. I love it all. Except the Swedish Chef.

Finally, Journey 2 - The Mysterious Island.

This one was the biggest surprise of all because I had very low expectations. This is a fantasy adventure with a little bit of geek thrown in. It tells the story of a group of people trying to get off a crazy and mysterious island. There was a previous movie called Journey to the Center of the Earth, which has the same boy character. I liked Journey 2 better. Besides having a common character, the two movies completely stand alone.

I thought Journey 2 had great characters and pretty good acting. It was funny. There is one scene in this movie ... I'll call it the peck pump scene. The first time I saw it, I was dumbfounded. Other characters throw berries at The Rock's chest and he bounces them off them with great force. The character Shawn is clearly as dumbfounded as you the viewer are, and that's what makes this scene great. The peck pump is bizarre, but it grows on you. It's a fun movie.

Now, I just have to come back to Muppets again. I've always been fascinated with them - both the "regular" muppets and the Sesame Street muppets. For instance, how are their faces so smooth? Is it foam or is there fabric stretched over the surface? How do they walk and dance right along next to the people, covering all kinds of distance? How does Kermit blow out a flame? I'm sure these questions fascinate you as much as they do me, just as I'm sure the scientist knows some of the answers.  I'll leave you with a little bit of Muppet goodness.