Found on the Internet

There are perks of being awakened by puppies at 5:30 a.m. By the time I had taken Nicki out, fed the puppies, got them back into bed, and cleaned up after Nicki, I was awake, so I was watching The Today Show, otherwise I might never have found the web site "Cute Things Falling Asleep." If you need a dose of cuteness, I recommend it highly.

I've been trying to organize my bookmarks and thought I'd share some of the odd things I've bookmarked with you.

I came across a blog called The Noble Pig the other day. The writer is the food columnist for a really nice on-line magazine about the town of Davis. The best thing about her recipes is that they all come with fabulous photographs that make even things that make you cringe look appetizing. Try this Carmelized Chocolate Banana Marshallow sandwich. Logic tells me that the sugar content would set my hair on edge, but it sure looks good, doesn't it.

Jeri and I still plan on going on our trip with the Pinata group women in June. I thought we were going to be mostly in Italy, but I checked the itinerary and realized that we will be in France a LOT so I have decided to try to brush up my French, unused low these 40 years (except for ordering a piece of quiche in Paris). I found an interesting site called Livemocha, which purports to put students together. Speak with a native French speaker who wants to learn English, for example. I don't know how well it works, since I only joined today and did have a lovely on-line chat with a woman in the Philippines who is trying to improve her English. Of course that didn't do anything for my French. But I will keep at it.

Looking for a clean potty? MizPee will help you find one wherever you happen to be. Of course if I want to pee outside of my own home, from this list I'm going to have to drive into Sacramento...but it's the thought that counts, right?

If you're like Jeri and like to travel the back roads to see the real America rather than sticking with highways, McDonalds and strip malls, you might want to avail yourself of RoadsideAmerica.com. Where else can you learn about such places as Wisconsin Dells, the home of Wizard Quest, the Museum of Historical Torture Devices, the top secret upside down White House and the world's largest flamingo? Who knew?

(Of course before you rush off to the upside down White House, read this review:

What a horrible, disappointing, over-priced attraction.

Truly, just an outdated mess.

It didn't even have a "cheesy, tacky" appeal. There was nothing interesting, amusing or entertaining about it. From the pitiful guide who walked us through the house spouting decades-old jokes to the $25 I paid to get in, this attraction was worse than the worst.

The only positive thing I can say about it is that my family now has a running joke that we will be talking about for years.

To us, "the upside down house" has become synonomous with crap. )

I'm always looking for mp3 files to use on videotapes and was thrilled to discover TelevisionTunes, a place where you can download just about any theme song for any TV show ever aired (and if they don't have it, they'll try to find it for you). Even if you don't want to download them, just playing them is a trip down memory lane and will keep you occupied for hours.

Want all of your favorite web sites in one place? Well, this site might help. If your favorites aren't there, you might find some new favorites among what is there.

I always wanted to send this card to my mother because she is an avid MahJohng player, but she doesn't have flash on her Web-TV. Maybe you know a MahJohng player who would enjoy it.

We all want to be polite but what do you say to someone for whom English is not their first language? Here's how to say "thank you" in over 465 different languages.

I have been writing song parodies of Gilbert & Sullivan for a long time. Then I found out that there are lots of people who like to write song parodies! Of all sorts of songs. A whole web site devoted to them, in fact (at least 20 different parodies of Gilbert & Sullivan's Modern Major General)

Looking for a place to stay on Whidby Island in Washington? Here's the site of the B&B one of our foreign students (a guy from Croatia) runs with his wife. There's a down side for me -- no wi-fi or any internet access!

Expore your inner Picasso at Mr. Picasso, paint like Jackson Pollock, or identify that elusive font you've been wondering about.

Or if you just need a pick-me-up on a bad day, check here.