boiled pizza

bp's science: attraction

2012-02-14T12:25:00.008-05:00

First, Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day is full of lots of love for and from the people you love. Last night I made a stop at the grocery store. It was uncommonly busy for a Monday evening. People were buying all sorts of things and it was fun to think about all the ingredients that were about to make scrumptious breakfasts, dinners, and desserts for loved ones.

Valentine's Day scone

Second, I'm going to talk about attraction for today's post. I'll keep it short, and I'm sure many of you know this already, but I'm sharing it anyway. Elements are attracted to each other because they each carry a specific charge (the most stable and least reactive being the noble gases). So, let's talk hydrogen and oxygen for example. Hydrogen can exist as a gas made up of two atoms (H₂), this molecule is uncharged. Oxygen can exist as a gas made up of two atoms (O2), this molecule is uncharged. Now, if you took hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and mixed them together, water would not be created. However, if you took these gases and broke them apart so they stand alone and have a charge (H has a positive charge of +1 and O has a negative charge of -2), they are strongly attracted to one another. And how is it that you break their gaseous bonds and get them to bond to one another? Add a little energy into the mix: a spark, and it's done.

2H₂ + O₂2H₂O

And that's why we talk about couples having that "spark". Opposites may attract, but you need a spark to bring them together. Haha, there's my cheesy/nerdy Valentine's Day fact. Man, I know it's pretty bad, yep, but I am publishing the post.

bp's science: don't worry about cooking vegetables

2012-02-07T08:39:00.000-05:00

If you're like me, you've heard that cooking vegetables deteriorates their vitamin and mineral amounts. However, just recently, I've read a couple of articles stating that when you cook vegetables, the loss of these vitamins and minerals is smaller than I thought (I was under the impression that over 50% of the vitamins and minerals were lost, but this is not the case). And the rule of thumb is: the less water and time you use, the less loss. Therefore, steaming seems to be the best go-to cooking method mentioned in these articles. What's more, cooking some vegetables increases the amount of antioxidants in the dish, and antioxidants, as you know, are good for your body. Still, different vegetables act different when cooked, and keeping it straight can be, well, time consuming. I guess the point is, eat your vegetables however you like them, but just be sure to eat them!

Toes!

2012-02-01T16:05:00.004-05:00

This afternoon when I went to get Oliver from his nap, he was sitting upright with a sock in each hand and his feet bare. With that he exclaimed, "I've got toes!"

on a beautiful January day in DC, 2012

bp's science: limelight

2012-01-31T07:05:00.000-05:00

Back at the beginning of the nineteenth century, gas light took place of candle light. In actuality, gas light was only a little brighter than candle light. However, gas light was made superior by the material that was heated with a gas flame. In other words, the gas had to burn something, and that something gave off lots of light. The "something" that was burnt was an oxide (a chemical compound containing at least one oxygen atom and one other element). The most efficient way to produce a bright gas light was by soaking material in a liquid mixture of the oxide and then burning it with a gas flame. One such oxide was calcium oxide (CaO), or lime. This material would shine very bright and heat up to very hot, so it was only used in large lights (other oxides were used for smaller lights). These big lights were used to light up stages in theaters. This is where the term "limelight" came from and why we use phrases like "I enjoyed my time in the limelight."

This post based off of facts discussed in Oliver Sack's Autobiography, Uncle Tungsten

Asian soup

2012-01-25T16:03:00.005-05:00

I've entered the world of Asian-inspired cooking (I say "inspired" because I'm still a ways away from making an authentic meal). And I like it.

bp's science: riper bananas mean more fructose

2012-01-24T08:34:00.002-05:00

This is for all of you bakers out there, or if you're not a baker, this is for all of the people who eat bananas but sometime don't eat them in time so they get brown and make banana bread.

Did you know that it is indeed better to make banana bread from overripe bananas? That's because the riper the bananas get the more fructose they have in them. A regular ripe banana is 1.8% fructose, but an overripe banana is 5.3% fructose. This is because as the fruit ripens, the starch is converted into sugar. So wait a few days for that banana to ripen, then make banana bread. And you'll be glad to know that you don't have to wait so long that the banana becomes totally brown. Lab tests show that the difference in fructose levels of overripe, heavily speckled bananas and very overripe, brown bananas is negligible.

:: photo of Oliver holding a banana as it ripens and he sleeps

Facts from The Best of America's Test Kitchen: Best Recipes and Reviews 2012.

A weekend up the coast

2012-01-23T15:55:00.008-05:00

This past weekend we headed out for a road trip. You see, Jess' brother was graduating from OCS up in Rhode Island and since that's relatively close to us, we made the trip up to celebrate with him. The drive was quite smooth and Oliver did great with a mix of looking out the window, singing, looking at books, sleeping, and taking in some Sesame Street (this Christmas I bought a portable DVD player, and we all agree that it is worth every bit of it's $59.99).

Once we got there, it was great to see family and to celebrate along with them.

Oliver especially loved the Navy Band. I was impressed too. It was all very neat. Congrats!

After the graduation, we spent our time driving around and checking out Newport, Rhode Island. It is quite the summer destination, but in the winter it can be quite chilly and blustery. No matter! We charged through the wind and snow and checked out the sites.

Here we are on the coast of the Cliff Walk, an area where all of the richest of people built their summer "cottages" during the Gilded Age. This place was thee place to be in terms of the social scene back then. No one stuck around in the winter, but instead, used the mansions for 5 to 8 weeks in the summer.

As we toured the Breakers, a mansion built by the Vanderbilts, I told Jess that I felt like we were taking a tour of the house in Downton Abbey. He responded that the place felt even grander than that to him. One of my favorite parts was the grand porch. As I stood on the cold closed-in porch during our tour, I imagined myself sitting in a wicker chair on a beautiful summer evening. Then Oliver started counting really loud because he discovered there was an echo. Like I said, it was a big porch.

Then we visited the Marble house, another Vanderbilt mansion. There we were told that during the summer these houses can get up to 600-700 visitors per day. We asked how many had been in the day we visited, the answer: 44. To tell you the truth, it was kind of nice to just "hang out" in the houses with no one else there. We were able to ask every question we had and then some to our tour guides.

A while back my Mom visited these places when she was on a trip with a singing group. I remember her telling me that I ought to see them someday and I'm so glad I did. She also mentioned the National American Illustrator's Museum and so we tried to see it. I was amazed that it was opened during the off-season, between the hours of 2-5pm on Friday afternoons. We scurried through the cold and up the stairs but were disappointed to find out that kids under 5 were not allowed. Man! Anyhow, I got my fix by visiting the gift shop.

A wonderful trip indeed. Great to see family. It's just what you need to break up the winter months.

Sure, I'll take a business card

2012-01-17T12:00:00.002-05:00

In that past, I've written about going to the car mechanic. Whether it's needing a repair or getting regular maintenance, it's always an adventure in some way, shape, or form. So you can imagine my excitement this morning as I headed out to get a tire fixed. You see, three months ago I was getting a regular oil change when a mechanic found a leak in our tire and then proceeded to patch it up. He said the patch would last "through the life of the tire." Well, the tire has at least 10,000 more miles on it and is now leaking. Much to Jess' dismay, I have resorted to using a bike pump to fill it up (I very much dislike paying for air. 75 cents for 10 or 15 PSIs? What's up with that, right? Okay, it's semi-pathetic, I know.).

Anyhow, we are soon to take a road trip, and even though I know the bike pump would get us to our destination, pumping up the tire would probably take up about 1/2 of our trip, so I bit the bullet and took it in. Before I went back to our old put-a-patch-on-the-tire-that-lasts-only-three-months mechanic, I did a little research on the internet and found a place that was rated 5 out of 5 stars. I was excited that such a place existed since the mechanics closest to our home were rated 1.5 stars and our old mechanic (who was a dealership mechanic) rated 4 stars.

Once we arrived at the 5 out of 5 stars mechanic, we went right in (at 9:37am), our car was looked at, the problem found and fixed (10:17am). Come to find out, the old mechanic did not patch up the tire, he just plugged up the tire from the outside without putting a patch on the reverse side. And he charged more than what the good mechanic charged for putting on a real patch. I was so happy with the service that took less than an hour, the fair pricing, and the respect I received from the mechanics, I took a business card! Since when have you taken a business card from a mechanic? I can't imagine what a 1.5 star mechanic would have done, fill the crack in with bubble gum?

I called Jess to tell him the good news. "I'm surprised," he responded, "I thought you were calling to ask if we should buy 2 new tires or 4 new tires." From the sound of his response, you can tell we've dealt with nerdy mechanics before. But this time, I think, I just think, we've found a good one.

Happy MLK Day 2012

2012-01-16T16:16:00.005-05:00

Walking up to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, 2011

LEGOs

2012-01-12T11:49:00.004-05:00

What is childhood without LEGOs? While I'm sure it is still great, I wouldn't want a childhood without 'em.

Right now, Oliver is really into building towers with the LEGO Duplo blocks. He calls these towers houses, restaurants, and trophies.

And here's something interesting: the other day I heard that LEGO makes more money selling it's LEGO-version video games than it does selling it's blocks. What conclusions can one draw from this fact?

Books Read in 2011

2012-01-11T10:07:00.001-05:00

Below is a list of the books I read this year, with my ranking from 1 -4.

1 = poor,

2 = okay,

3 = I liked it,

4 = I'd buy it for my library

* indicates a children's book

Before taking a look at my list, I must make a disclaimer. I've found that suggesting books for people is kind of a tricky business. Every person's likes or dislikes of a book are very different regardless of how great a friend they may be or how well you feel you know them. Plus, one never knows what line is drawn for acceptable content and whatnot. Not that I'm all into swear words, but you know what I mean.

Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination = 3
Flyboys = 2 (I'd give it a 3, but it was way intense)
Cold Sassy Tree = 4
Animal Farm = 2
Where the Red Fern Grows = 3
Wild Bill Donovan : the spymaster who created the OSS and modern American espionage (186) = Did not finish, had to return to library
100 Years of Solitude (23) = Did not finish, had to return to library
Esio Trot* = 4
Outliers = 4
Pegasus Bridge = 3
Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters = 4
Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl = 3
The Good Earth = 4
My Life in France = 4
Between a Rock and a Hard Place = 4
George's Marvelous Medicine* = 2
Journal of the Dead = 3 (another intense read)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn = 4
Fantastic Mr. Fox* = 4
A Fearsome Doubt = 2

This year I was really liking non-fiction and I read several war books. I need to review more of these books because I forget what they are about so quickly. It was a good reading year. Now onto another. Although, I must admit I've got a cooking magazine I'd like to read first.

bp's science: will continue in 2012!

2012-01-10T08:15:00.002-05:00

Exciting news for all of us out there that like a little bit of science mixed in with our everyday blog reading of people who take amazing photos, make all kinds of crafts, talk about love, laugh about life, and take amazing photos. Sometimes I wish I could be featured with my blog in a magazine or the Washington Post (I can see it now, "boiled pizza" is the greatest thing since sliced bread), but I'm pretty sure that will never happen. haha. oh well.

For this year's opener, I'll start with something I learned while my sister was visiting. We were talking about the moon and we discovered that from earth we can only see one side of the moon. That lead us to ask, "Does that mean that the moon does not rotate?" With this new information we were puzzled. Come to find out, the moon rotates at almost exactly the same rate as the rotation of the earth. Therefore, we see only 50% of the moon (or really 59% since it's only nearly exactly the same). Did you know that? I sure didn't.

Thanks to The Dorling Kindersley Visual Encyclopedia for my facts and figures.

Is it 2012 already?

2012-01-09T21:53:00.002-05:00

Yes, in fact it's the 9th.

I guess I'm surprised because we didn't do any celebrating of the New Year around here. Instead, we were on a plane heading home from our Christmas vacation on a couple of red-eye flights.

But before that, Christmas time was grand. We spent it with family and whenever I get with family I have a really good time. And that's not all, I got to see friends, eat good things, and relax. This photo pretty much sums it up for me.

That's right, this year in my stocking I received a Forever Lazy and a Faux-Snuggie. It does not get any better than that. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, I have worn the Forever Lazy around the house and I enjoy it quite a bit.

Then my sister came to visit us here and it was lots of fun. On a beautiful day in January, we visited Great Falls. Here she is showing Oliver and her daughter an insect of some sort.

2011 was good, on with 2012!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T03:44:00.000-05:00

bp's science: warm milk and eggs

2011-12-20T13:21:00.003-05:00

Are you one of those people who makes a cake without bringing the milk and/or eggs to room temperature? I sure am. Even though I'm great at remembering to soften the butter, I never remember the milk and eggs. And for a while, I was proud of it. "Who cares?" I thought as I laughed inside, "I can make just as good a cake without the hassle."

Turns out, there's a reason all of my cakes are dense. According to REAL SIMPLE magazine, January 2011 issue:

"At room temperature, eggs, butter, and liquids such as milk bond and form an emulsion that traps air. During baking, the air expands, leavening the batter or dough and producing a light and airy baked good. Cold ingredients, on the other hand, don't incorporate evenly to bond."

So when making those baked goods this holiday season, take the butter, milk and/or eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes - to an hour before baking and enjoy that airy cake (or muffin or bread).

Lots o' lights + beautiful evening = magical

2011-12-18T15:38:00.000-05:00

Oliver with the lights at the DC temple grounds

Christmas goodies and some

2011-12-16T15:19:00.004-05:00

So I've been baking a bit around here. My first holiday treat, chocolate mint cookies:

I can down 5 or 6 of these delicious treats and not bat an eye. The mint in them makes me think I am eating just that, a mint, and so the fact that they are basically brownie batter rolled in powdered sugar does not even figure into my conscience. I have never used mint extract in my cooking. This is the first time. And while the cookies were good, I think I may have my small bottle of peppermint extract for many years to come.

While baking I decided to take some photos of Oliver testing out the cookies. Here is the one I took before I dropped the camera:

And here is the one I took immediately after:

The camera really seems to lighten up every photo now. Jokingly, I told Jess that we will definitely be documenting a "white" Christmas this year with our broken camera. He immediately responded by getting on the internet and researching possible new cameras. At least we've had the one I broke for 4+ years. C'est la vie.

bp's science: mistletoe

2011-12-13T08:50:00.001-05:00

I know we enjoy this Christmas-y plant here at our house (oh, ho, the mistletoe, hung where all can see). Do you? Ollie calls it "whistletoe".

Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that attaches itself to tree branches and grows using its own photosynthesis and the tree's minerals and water.

But before you judge this plant, it has been found that mistletoe can be helpful to the plants it attaches itself too. For instance, when mistletoe attaches to juniper trees, more juniper plants sprout because mistletoe berries attract birds and when birds eat mistletoe berries they eat more juniper berries too.

Interesting stuff, eh?

Two favorite guys

2011-12-07T13:55:00.003-05:00

Oliver is a fan of Sesame Street, and as such, Sesame Street characters. His favorite is Big Bird. In the photo below, Oliver is taking Big Bird ice skating (his ice skates were an old pair of shoes). From what I could tell,, they had a really great time and were both really good at it.

And the other day, we were watching an Old School Sesame Street and in the episode Snuffleupagus comes out and tries to say "Hello" to people in the neighborhood but everyone is so busy, they don't see him. He walks down the sidewalk saying, "Oh dear, nobody sees me."

Here is Oliver acting the part. He uses his blanket as the trunk, and when it's not in his mouth, he makes his voice scruffy and says, "Oh dear."

Classic.

bp's science: how a vacuum works

2011-12-06T08:49:00.001-05:00

If any of you read the post on why a shaken, full soda can explodes, you'll remember that gas (like carbon dioxide or oxygen) moves toward places of decreased pressure. I mean, no one likes the stress of high pressure situations, right?

Now a vacuum is "a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than that of atmospheric pressure". Obviously, our everyday vacuum certainly isn't a perfect vacuum, but it gets the job done. The motor in your DirtDevil creates a decrease in pressure within the vacuum. As the pressure decreases, air rushes into the vacuum (a.k.a. rushes toward the area of lower pressure), and while doing so, picks up crumbs, dust, and dirt along the way. And all of those brushes on the front of the vacuum are helping to grab particles and direct them toward the area where the air is moving (and getting sucked up).

So use your vacuum today and see the science.

Christmas Paradox

2011-12-05T14:33:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, in a prayer, I heard a child ask:

"Please bless us so that we can all be good and Santa Claus can come."

And there you have it.

Yukon Cornelius would be happy

2011-11-30T07:49:00.000-05:00

I just bought this at Costco the other day. I don't own many DVDs, but this one brings back such great childhood memories that I had to get it.

Let the Christmas season begin!

bp's science: why does a soda can explode when shaken?

2011-11-29T08:25:00.001-05:00

I have my brother to thank for this post. His understanding of physical science is above and beyond my own. He can conceptualize pretty much anything and then explain it in terms I can understand. Let's hope I can use his explanations so that you get it too.

Let's look at our soda can first. When you open up a can that has not been shaken, there's a small release of gas.

When you open up a can that's been shaken, their is a release of gas that creates a soda explosion (the one we all tried to avoid when trying to look cool at any social function we attended as teenagers).

Why does the first situation have a calm release and the other a fierce one when the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the can has not increased at all? The secret is bubbles.

Let's look at the following equation, (which for those of you who took any type of physical science, you'll remember memorizing):

PV = nRT

where P = pressure,
V = volume
n = moles of atoms/molecules of gas (in this case carbon dioxide gas)
R = a constant
T = temperature

Now let's take this equation and think of our soda can. When we open up a can of soda, we change the pressure inside of the can, in fact, we decrease the pressure. In both situations (not shaken vs. shaken) when we open the can we decrease the pressure the same amount. Some would say this goes against their original thought that when you shake a can, you are increasing the pressure inside (at least that is what I thought), but that is not the case. Let's look at the equation again, solving for pressure.

P = nRT/V

- When we shake a can, do we change the number of moles (n) of CO₂ in the can? No, in order to do that we would have to somehow pump carbon dioxide into the can.

- R does not change, because it is a constant.

- Some would argue that shaking up a can would change the temperature (T). But shaking a can for 5 seconds, even 10 seconds, the change in temperature is negligible.

- And finally, when we shake up a can, the volume (V) of that can does not change. It would have to decrease to increase the pressure, but it does not.

So if none of the above is changing, and the pressure is not increasing inside, what is causing the explosion?

The answer: when you shake a soda can it creates lots of little vortexes or vortices (think mini-tornadoes) inside the can. These mini-tornadoes have an area of lower pressure in the center (just like the calm in the eye of a storm during a hurricane). When you open a shaken can, miniscule bubbles of CO₂ in the liquid rush to the area of lower pressure, that is, the area inside the vortex. This is a characteristics of all gases, they prefer lower pressure areas. As the CO₂ rushes to the area of lower pressure, the miniscule bubbles expand greatly. Thus the explosion.

Now if you do a search on the internet as to why soda cans explode (like I did), you will most likely not find an answer that includes vortexes. Instead, you'll get a simple explanation of bubbles mixing in liquid and wanting to escape, which has some truth to it. However, if you do a search on why soda cans explode and include the word "vortex" in your search, you are bound to find this great article, which will lead you to the source paper for this research.

Meringue Success!

2011-11-27T19:06:00.005-05:00

I made the pumpkin meringue pie this Thanksgiving without much hassle. Meringue is much easier than it's cracked up to be. However, I did leave the pie under the broiler too long (I got talking) and it got a little darker than I planned. Still, the pumpkin meringue pie was good. This meringue took 4 eggs total (the recipe called for 8, but that would have been crazy).

The pie was a bit on the sweet side side, but still enjoyable. I'll have to try lemon meringue sometime. I bet it's the perfect ratio of flavors.

So for all of you out there who's wanted to try meringue, do it! It was kind of fun and easy.

It works!

2011-11-23T11:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Oliver was playing with his Fisher-Price Ernie toy. You see, Ernie was going swimming in a cup of water, and he was having a great time.

Then he decided something else needed to go for a swim, my ipod shuffle. Apparently, for over 5 minutes, the shuffle was enjoying the swim too, until I fished it out. No one's fault, but my own.

This is when I worked quickly to start the rice absorption trick. I put the shuffle in a small bowl of rice for 24 hours and crossed my fingers in hopes that the rice would work its magic. And it did! Fully functioning at this time. Wahoo!

bp's science: flavor molecule reaction

2011-11-22T08:54:00.000-05:00

Before cooking shows were all the rage (e.g., Top Chef, Iron Chef, Chopped), both my mom and my dad loved to watch cooking shows on PBS. And as such, I watched cooking shows on PBS too. True, these shows were not as exciting as those of the reality variety, but they did teach some skills and give you some motivation, "If Yan can cook, so can you!"

It seems I have carried on the tradition, and now I can be caught watching cooking shows on PBS on weeknights. I mean, when cooking is something you do everyday, this stuff becomes more interesting and definitely more useful. I think I've seen nearly all of the Julia Child: Lessons with Master Chefs episodes, then their is America's Test Kitchen, but my favorite is Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way. He can cook just about anything and make it look easy. He explains what he's doing but makes it brief, because he's doing things so fast. I also like that he's one of the greatest chefs around yet he's extremely humble about it. Very fun to watch (and sometimes I try some of the things I've seen, except my show would be called Ashley's Slow-to-Medium-Fast Food Jacques Pepin's Way).

But enough about my PBS watching, onto the science! Here is something I learned while watching: One of the reasons you brown meat is because it creates strong flavor molecules. When the protein molecules (amino acids) and the sugar molecules in the meat heat up, they break up and form flavor molecules. When you brown a piece of meat, the temperature is high enough (~310 degrees F) to go through the Maillard reaction and that's when distinct "browning" flavor molecules are made that make the meat that much better. This reaction happens in other foods too, like french fries, crusts of quick breads, and maple syrup. So next time you're cooking a steak or making biscuits, there is a little bit of science in your recipe too (how's that for a PBS cooking show line?).

Thanksgiving comes, soon!

2011-11-21T13:27:00.002-05:00

This morning I got up and decided I needed to start making pies . . . I am that excited for Thanksgiving.

This year, I'm going to attempt meringue pumpkin pie. However, we promised to bring apple pie to our friends' house, so I am not really sure who is going to eat the pumpkin meringue pie I make. Still, I am making it!

And we'll save our traditional cranberry sauce recipe that we usually make for Thanksgiving and make it for Christmas this year.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

The above photo is of our little family last year on Thanksgiving. Not much has changed, in fact I'm wearing those pants today and I think Jess wore that sweater yesterday! Oliver however has grown out of that shirt.

Comparison stinks

2011-11-18T13:19:00.006-05:00

Black Friday is coming up. Can you believe it? Enjoy Thanksgiving first, then decide if you're going to wait in those long lines, in the cold, to save $50. I've never been a big Black Friday person. In fact, I've never shopped on Black Friday. I'm just not into it (although I have been tempted when friends and family share their savings totals). This year, I want something a lot, a few things really. Unfortunately, the things I want are much, much more important that a 50'' screen television or the latest iteration in fashionable boots, and I can't get them at any Black Friday sale. If so, I'd be the first in line with a down sleeping bag, an MRE, and a water bottle.

A lesson I've learned many times, and again just recently, and again just last night is that there is absolutely no reason to compare yourself to others, because it does not help any. It's like worrying, it gets you nowhere (this is another lesson I've learned many times over and over again). I am much happier when I focus on the goodness, when I'm trying my best to be my best. And when you're focusing on the good, you are bound to feel good.

Apple Picking

2011-11-02T08:40:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago we went out on a beautiful October day and picked apples. It was delightful.

Oliver and Jess walk down the row of trees

Oliver loves our picks

Can you see Jess in there picking only the best?

Oliver reaches high for a delicious apple

bp's science: meringue

2011-11-01T13:33:00.004-04:00

Halloween is past and Thanksgiving is coming upon us. I've been thinking about making a pumpkin pie with meringue on top. I'm a bit nervous because I've never made meringue. There are two reasons why:

1. It appears to be a very arduous process.

2. Using all of those egg whites and not the yolk kind of goes against my waste no food ideas. See pathetic example of such beliefs here.

Getting over reason number 2, that may involve trying to figure out how to use just egg yolks in a recipe (any ideas anyone?). But getting over reason number 1 may just involve learning a bit more about the process.

Basically meringue is a protein-sugar mesh created by beating. Beating egg whites denatures the proteins (unravels them) and adding sugar enables them to come together and create a molecular crystal-like structure with lots of air. This results in a puff of meringue that is eight times the volume of the unbeaten eggs. It turns out that creating the meringue is half of the battle. It must be cooked at precisely 325 degrees and it must cook evenly throughout. How is this done? See here.

After learning about this, I am not feeling all that confident about meringue. I'll give it a try and let you know how it goes (that is, if I can find a way to use those yolks!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T11:37:00.001-04:00

This is a video my sister shared with us. Oliver can't get enough of it. Either can I. Hope you have a Happy Halloween.

P is for Pretzel

2011-10-28T16:06:00.002-04:00

Earlier today, we made pretzel shapes. Oliver made a 6 (and a 9) all on his own. Then we shared a quesadilla and dipped it in sauce (salsa with sour cream). This was followed by dancing to this song and riding in the laundry basket.

Good times. Really.

Old Food

2011-10-20T07:18:00.000-04:00

So remember that this blog is called "boiled pizza"? In case you didn't catch that strange title or how odd it is, that is indeed the name of this blog and you can find out the reasoning behind it here.

I've started to wonder if someday I'm going to make boiled pizza for my family. I mean, this past week, I got terribly close to doing worse. I almost gave Jess and Oliver moldy bread in the form of french toast. My reasoning went like this: I didn't want to waste the bread and I knew that french toast was made with crusty day or so old bread, and I thought maybe eggs and milk could work the same magic for week old, moist wheat bread, with a moldy smell.

Come to find out: Eggs and milk (with a little cinnamon) toasted to perfection and added syrup are no match to bread mold. No magic. No mold masking. Just gross french toast. Hmm.

But I ate it. I don't know why. Frugality, cheapness, guilt, hunger. A mixture of all of those things. Then I went to the internet to find out if eating bread mold is okay. Turns out it is not a good idea. It's not the same as eating bleu cheese. And I waited for the stomach pangs.

But they never came! Fortunately for me, eating moldy bread is like eating bleu cheese. Or making it into french toast works some kind of magic. But that does not mean I'll be trying to salvage another moldy loaf any time soon.

I watched Antiques Roadshow last night

2011-10-18T16:27:00.003-04:00

I noticed that the show that was airing was filmed in Salt Lake City, so I thought, "Hey, I'll check it out. See if I recognize anyone."

Sure enough, my uncle was featured, sharing his wares! Good times.

Yep, I know this isn't science, but it is cool nonetheless.

Just one of the things we do around here

2011-10-13T20:17:00.004-04:00

Make a car (more specifically, a Lotus) out of pillows and ask Dad to take a ride "in the back".

bp's science: decibels

2011-10-11T10:46:00.000-04:00

The other day I was talking to Jess about how loud a train whistle is. I was bugged and using hyperbole, "That thing is 150 decibels I tell you!" I am learning that I like quiet, and train whistles are not quiet. But then I got to wondering, is 150 decibels even a lot? What does that even mean? Was my guess high or low? I didn't know.

Well, I got lucky. 150 decibels is A LOT. In fact, the take off of a spaceship rocket is 130 decibels and that is a dangerous level of sound for your ears.

Let's look at some other sound measurements. Keep in mind that a 10 decibel increase means that the sound has increased ten times in loudness.

- 0 decibels is a sound you can just barely hear (like a pin dropping)
- 10 decibels is a sound of someone whispering 16 feet away
- 80 decibels is a pneumatic drill 66 feet away (think road construction)
- 100 decibels is a rock concert (that's why you should use ear plugs at those things)
- 120 decibels is a jet taking off 330 feet away

So, I'd guess the train whistle I'm talking about is 90 decibels. It is loud! But I think that's the point.

Facts and figures from my valued volume of The Dorling Kindersley Visual Encyclopedia.

went to the airport the other day...

2011-10-10T10:36:00.002-04:00

... and the cop on security duty near the drop-off zone was watching a movie on her laptop inside her car.

Needless to say, I parked my car and went inside to help the travelers with their bags.

bp's science: in the future, precious cargo will be sent to earth through beams of light (or maybe neutrinos)

2011-10-04T09:17:00.001-04:00

title note: if any of you have been on Space Mountain at Disney World (only Disney World, not Disneyland), it is this statement that is repeated again and again as you wait in line. Hilarious stuff.

Yesterday a good friend of mine told me some neat scientific news. She mentioned that scientists have measured that subatomic particles, neutrinos, have been measured as going faster than the speed of light.

What?! Really?

But Einstein said that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. He said this when he came up with the Theory of Relativity. Remember the twin paradox?

So how'd this happen? A team of scientists shot a beam of neutrinos underground from Geneva to Italy, 454 miles away, and measured how long it took (This is where we question how in the world neutrinos travel underground through the earth. Come to find out, they can travel through just about anything without hardly being affected). Once the neutrinos got to Italy, it was found that they took 60 nanoseconds less than light. Doesn't sound like much, but over a distance of 621 miles, neutrinos travel about 66 feet more than light in the same amount of time.

This is such a crazy finding that the scientists who measured the discovery are apprehensive. They are asking that their results be retested, remeasured, checked, and rechecked by other scientists. Some scientists not affiliated with the team suspect experimenter error instead of major finding. It will just take time to find out.

If neutrinos do travel faster than light then Einstein's Theory comes into question and has to be reworked. However, I'll second my opinion with that of a scientist who said, "If relativity turned out to be wrong, it's very, very close to being right." We shall see.

Read more here, here, and here.

As a side note, after talking to Jess about neutrinos, he gave his 2 cents on the matter:
- Now Superman's motto will be, "Faster than a speeding neutrino!"
- A baseball player who's really fast at stealing bases could be called "The Great Neutrino"
- And he's already working on a getting a copyright for a nutrition drink that "Gets you nutrition fast!" It's called the Nutrino©.
Hilarious stuff.

bp's science: hummingbird

2011-09-27T10:13:00.003-04:00

While staying at my dad's house this summer, Oliver and I had a chance to get up close and personal with a hummingbird. This was a rarity indeed! It was awesome to look at and neat to listen to.

And did you know that hummingbirds beat their wings up to 200 beats per second?

They eat about half of their body weight in nectar a day because they burn calories so quickly and are constantly eating. And for protein, they capture insects. At night, they go into a hibernation of sorts, where their heart rate slows and their body temperature goes down. This enables them to save lots of energy. In the morning, it takes them about 20 minutes to fully recover from the hibernation and the first thing they do once they wake up is...eat. How's that for getting the metabolism going?

Hummingbirds are amazing creatures and if you are interested in learning more, their is a great Nature program on hummingbirds that's worth 45 minutes.

Ciao Summer, Hello Fall

2011-09-21T23:34:00.004-04:00

Goodbye summer, we loved you!

Today we wore our long pants and I've made pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Fall is officially here.

bp's science: social interaction = health

2011-09-20T12:41:00.001-04:00

I was recently watching a PBS show that was discussing how our health is effected not only by the food we eat or the exercise we do, but also by the area in which we live, the socioeconomic status of where we are located, and the strength of our social relationships.

I am always very interested when I read articles or watch programs where the topic is how our social relationships effect our lives. It is very clear that having healthy family relationships gives a person a leg up on health. The in-house support group that a good family provides does wonders for the heart (to say the least). But what's more is that the relationships one has in his/her community are just as important. Good family relationships will not do it alone. I was surprised by this finding, but it does make sense. Feeling a sense of community is powerful. It gives a sense of purpose, of belonging. It decreases a person's stress in everyday interactions, e.g., I know my kid's friend's parents so I'm not so worried when they go to a party OR I know the person who works at the bank so I can trust them. It's a bigger support group. The show stated an alarming statistic: Over 50 percent of all individuals felt like they had no one to talk to about serious concerns. How's that for carrying around all your pent up stress inside. Geez!

I can see that I made (and do make) decisions on certain things because of my social interactions. For instance, I worked at a really crappy job during a summer break from college because I liked the people I worked with. I stayed in an okay, run-of-the-mill, cinder block apartment during college for longer than I thought because I liked the people. Out here, when families are ready to move into bigger living spaces, they always want to "stay in the neighborhood" because they like the people or vice versa. Strong community relationships are key.

Can you see it in your life? I'd like to hear what you think as this is such a cool topic to me.

bp's science: forget the hiatus!

2011-09-13T10:18:00.000-04:00

While my bp's science posts were down for the month of August, I heard from not one, but many readers indicating that they actually kind of liked the science posts. I was pleasantly surprised. I got to thinking about this hiatus and how it needs to end. And how I'll be back every Tuesday with a scientific tidbit rain or shine (or earthquake or hurricane, both of which Jess experienced back east while we were away vacationing, sheesh!).

For this quick bp's science post, I'll share a neat video I took of a small crab we found as we were searching the tide pools in California.

Why hello there!

1 gram of protein = 4 calories

2011-09-10T20:57:00.000-04:00

The other day Oliver offered the prayer on our dinner. After beginning, he said,

"Thank you for the protein."

I guess I've indoctrinated Oliver on the basics of nutrition a bit much. I realized this again when I told him that carrots were good for his eyes. He responded to that fact by sticking a carrot in his eye.

Food for a two year old makes sense if it's sweet (pancakes with lots o' syrup), neat to look at (spinach looks like a tree leaf), or a Goldfish cracker. Still, it doesn't hurt if I mention that milk will make his bones strong when he's eating lunch. But first, I guess I need to explain the meaning of "bones."

Fourth stop, extra days

2011-09-09T10:55:00.001-04:00

With our extra days we spent more time with good people. We got to go to movies, visit restaurants, paint pottery, and celebrate our anniversary with the best waffle I've had this side of the Alantic.

Oliver and I extended our vacation several days after Jess had to head back home for work. We were bummed to see Jess go. To make the time away worth it, we tried and succeeded in filling our days and nights with good times.

Another trip to Bear Lake with my sister's family.

Playing in the backyard on the same play house I did as a kid.

Enjoying the porch swing and hot dogs.

A visit with good friends, including an intense game of ping pong.

Playing with cousins who ride all kinds of wheeled gadgets around their house. I wish I had taken a photo. It was awesome. Needless to say, Oliver was in heaven.

Going very fast in moving vehicles and whooping involuntarily. What is it about speed? Plus, seeing a mini air show and whooping involuntarily some more. I have got to get to another air show.

And finally, just enjoying the company of family. That's what these trips are about anyhow.

Third stop, Bear Lake

2011-09-08T08:22:00.000-04:00

Ah, yes, the fun continues with another family reunion. This one was with Jess' family and it was a great time indeed. Complete with excellent meals, nifty lodging, and a couple of dips in the hot tub. I know I'm repeating myself here, but I'm ready for another one right away. What do you say guys? I'm pretty sure Bear Lake is covered in snow in January, but I think it begins to melt away come April. And what's a hot tub for anyway if to not warm you up? Right?

Highlights include, but are not limited to:
- Hot tub-ing (Oliver preferred to enjoy the hot tub through the filter hole)

- Being on the boat and wakeboarding (every family member, except Oliver who loved blowing the emergency whistle attached to his life jacket, tried out the wake board and I was thoroughly impressed)

- The fresh air, oh yes, the fresh air and the quiet (even though I talked and talked and talked)

- Pool time with uncles and grandma (finding water shooters in the pool was a definite plus)

- Holding a cute, very new babe (there's nothing like a new baby to make you smile)

- Badminton (what's summer without a game, or two, or three, or more?)

And again, that's not all. There was Top Shot, a late morning jog, raspberry shakes, a moose sighting on the drive up, water skiing, tubing, apple pie, board games, walks, grilled cheese for Oliver, pool noodles, throwing bread to the seagulls, conversation, jokes, and being together. I've got my eye on cabin 453 come this April.

Second stop, why not - part II

2011-09-07T11:02:00.002-04:00

After an overall smooth drive from California, we arrived in Utah, and I went to sleep a little early. I was slated to run the Provo Trail Half Marathon the next morning. I resolved to finally run this race because, again, I needed something to put my mind to, a project to work on so to speak.

Unfortunately, I couldn't fall asleep that night. Isn't that always the case? The time when you need the most rest you inevitably don't get it. Ha! Anyhow, with 2 hours of sleep under my belt I got up and joined my brother-in-law at the starting line.

And we ran.

And ran.

And with 3 or so miles left, our marathon-runner sister-in-law joined us and kept our spirits up til the end. Here we are about 5 minutes after finishing (thanks to my sister-in-law for the photo).

Overall, very neat experience. And yes, I surprise myself when I think about how much I enjoyed the run. I felt good and it was a beautiful run. Splendid scenery, fresh air, and lots of watermelon at the end.

First stop, Newport CA

2011-09-06T08:14:00.005-04:00

Let's just say I have been looking forward to my family's family reunion since we headed home from the one before last. And because we had so much fun this year, I am ready for another reunion right away. October anyone? Okay, maybe that's too early. January? Too cold. April? Well, until the next time, I'll be looking back on the good time we had this go around. A great time indeed.

Highlights include, but are not limited to:
- Froth riding (verb, the act of riding an ocean wave after it has broken, instead of right as it is breaking. This method is most commonly used by those who are new to the boogie boarding sport or who appreciate a "safer" experience, i.e., no wave tumbling into the sand).

- Oliver running into the ocean without hesitation (I tell you, this kid loves the beach)

- 30+ people on the beach, and all of them belonging to the family (and being pretty cool to boot)

- An early morning walk to the tide pools (the sleep demon wanted to fight against this excursion, but it was totally worth it)

- A great celebration luau (my sister went all out and we enjoyed our dinner as if we were on the island of Maui, Mahalo!)

- Tetherball (you're never too young or too old to play a rockin' round of tetherball . . . and lose, considering my game)

And that's just the tip of the iceberg: maple cookies, baby shower, Ford Edge upgrade, countless conversations, balcony reclining, laser-tag game in and around the common area, singing, robot dancing, beach holes complete with sinks, family photo, vacation staches, catching frogs, classic pizza, cartoons, jokes, and all-togetherness. See what I mean? Got to do this again soon.

It's about time, eh?

2011-09-05T21:44:00.002-04:00

August blew by, and why? Because we were having lots of fun. I have adopted the European practice when it comes to vacation. That is, take the whole month of August off. Thanks to many, I'm at a place in my life when I can do that. Plus, I can't tell you how glad I was that Jess was able to get a couple of weeks off work to join us in our galivanting. Oh, it was much fun, complete with family good times, Balboa bars, lots of beach time, boat time, running and walking, early bird specials, scootering in the house, and relaxing on the back lawn at my childhood home. I've said it on this blog before and I'll say it again, Utah summers are thee best. And man! are those mountains green this year.

So hold on to your hats ladies and gents, there's going to be a lot of updating on this here blog in the next few days.

Oliver rolls our 30+ pound luggage through the airport

Where in the world are these guys?

2011-08-20T15:51:00.003-04:00

We've been on vacation having a great time. Let's just say two family reunions in two weeks makes for a good time. And the fun continues. This is just what I needed. A pick-me-up for sure. As long as I live away from home, I'm going to be going back every August. It fills up my cup, as my mom used to say, and my cup is full to the brim.

Too many plums

2011-08-05T07:09:00.001-04:00

Do you sometimes get carried away when you go to Costco (or any warehouse store)? My weak spot is the produce (it used to be the muffins, but I have since moved out of that phase, although it was a grand phase, those things should probably not be eaten on a regular basis). Take for instance my last visit. I picked up the following:

1 water melon
12 peaches
carton of grapes
carton of tomatoes
bunch of bananas
bag of green beans
carton of plums

...and I had to stop myself from buying 12 apples, a bag of snap peas (that were soon to expire), and a carton of blueberries.

We didn't have a hard time whittling down that supply, to tell you the truth, but we had some plums that were very tart. And we had 14 of them. And they were hard to swallow (pardon my pun). So I tried out this recipe for plum cobbler and I think I've found something that I will make every summer. Delicious!

bp's science: going on a hiatus

2011-08-02T14:27:00.003-04:00

The excitement for bp's science every week on Tuesday has waned a bit on my part. Don't get me wrong, I dig science, but I need a little break (and August is vacation month, right?). Plus, I need some more time to really think about these posts. As I always mention sarcastically, I am sure this will really make all of my blog readers very sad. Don't worry guys, the bp's science posts will still exist, but they may not always be on Tuesday nor will they always be weekly.

And with that, I say, here's to a break! But for some nifty video science, go here for some neat time lapse dandelion action.

The Mini

2011-08-01T07:06:00.000-04:00

After being so philosophical in that last post, I think I'll bring something different in here.

Oliver really likes the BMW Mini:

We've got a car magazine with a Mini concept on the cover and he loves it. The magazine is several months old, but we keep it around. I think he likes the photo because it kind of looks like a face and it makes him laugh.

Speaking of laughter, the other day I was reading the Dorling Kindersley Visual Encyclopedia (a book I bought as a freshman in college for a screamin' deal at the university book store), and it stated that at the time of publishing (1995), the record for the number of people to fit into the original Austin Mini was 24.

That's 24 people in this car all AT THE SAME TIME. The other night I was thinking about how they made that happen, and I decided that I would not want to be the first guy to get in the car all curled up in a ball in the back. Nope, I'd want to be number 24.

hot or cold lunch?

2011-07-29T10:12:00.002-04:00

Did you have cold or hot lunch in elementary school?

This is a question I've asked lots of people over the years. It's always fun to hear the answer because it's usually followed by a story. "I always had tortilla chips, never potato chips!" mentioned a cold luncher. And from the opposite side, " I couldn't stand the hot lunch chicken fried steak." The stories I've heard are always entertaining and the data I've collected (very carefully in my memory that is) is very intriguing really.

Most, if not all, people I've questioned had cold lunch. This surprised me. I mean, I grew up having hot lunch every day, never cold lunch. I cannot remember a time I brought lunch to school and ate it in the cafeteria and that is because I never did. But boy, how I wanted cold lunch. I mean, I wanted the juice boxes, the Fruit by the Foot, the chips, and the E.L Fudge cookies, oh, how I wanted them. But that isn't a surprise, right?

But wait, it is! Come to find out, the people who had cold lunch wanted hot lunch. Really? I was surprised by the facts once again. "Oh, how I wanted the pizza," one person mentioned. And another, "You guys got chocolate milk!"

True, the hot lunch meal did have great rolls which, at my weakest point, I bartered for sandwiches. I later learned that this was foolish. Those rolls were warm and fluffy and better than any pb&j. I'm sure the same could be said for those with cold lunch and their Gushers fruit snacks. Isn't it interesting that even at 9 years old we're victim to "the grass is always greener on the other side" mentality?

Do I do this now? Of course. And there are many days that I've got to step back, see the bigger picture, and let myself enjoy the hot lunch. I mean, not only did we get chocolate milk, at one point the school was offering Root Beer milk.

Do you ever wish your lunch was a different temperature?

Saturday + 102° = Splash Park

2011-07-28T19:09:00.000-04:00

Piano Horn (2 instruments in 1!)

2011-07-27T07:51:00.000-04:00

I got this toy for Oliver the other day because he is very much into instruments (he loves the violin, the bassoon, the trombone, the saxophone, the piano). However, I find that Jess and I are using it a lot more than he. One afternoon as I was "practicing" Praise to the man (the hymn book is the only sheet music I have in the house, that and the Messiah), I had to remind myself to share, as Oliver really wanted to play it. And one morning Jess, looking like the pied piper and dancing a jig, produced some sophisticated chords with a great beat that made us laugh. After he finished his production, Oliver reached for the horn. The pied piper acquiesced and Oliver played a couple of grand notes with a lot of gusto.

We are working on learning to share in this house, all three of us.

bp's science: an apple in a bush a day

2011-07-26T12:51:00.007-04:00

apple core in hand, [enjoying the cherry blossoms, spring 2010]

This past weekend as we were out at a park, I ate ate an apple and threw the core in the bushes.

Are you surprised/shocked that I did that? If so, I'm sorry, because I do it all of the time. I grew up throwing my apple cores out of the car window while riding 70 mph up Parley's. A bush is no big deal.

When Jess was finished with his apple this weekend, I offered to throw his in the bushes. He hesitated, "What if everyone threw their core in the bushes?" I paused . . . he had a point. If everyone did it, there would be piles and piles of apples in the bushes. But then I looked around, I couldn't find anyone at the park eating apples. I saw lots of pizza boxes and juice pouches and crackers, but no apples. Plus --and here's where this post gets semi-scientific-- it only takes an apple 20 days to biodegrade. You got that right, 20 days.

Now if I had thrown a plastic bottle (100 years to biodegrade) or a glass jar (4000 years) in the bushes, then that's when this gets serious. However, come August 13th, that apple will be gone.

And with that great argument for throwing apple cores in the bushes, I may just start throwing them off our umpteenth floor balcony window. Nah, of course not, there are some times when apples belong in the trash (or in one of these).

biodegrading figures from The Dorling Kindersley Visual Encyclopedia.

Cutting Back

2011-07-20T12:49:00.004-04:00

I just can't take the pull of the computer anymore. I don't like that it's on all day and I feel like I need to check it every 20 minutes for a new email message or a new blog post. I plan to take one hour each day and do my email/blog thing and then be done. So that's what I'm doing, we'll see how long it lasts. Good bye internet for today...until, that is, I need to buy some plane tickets this evening.

Who's with me on this? Anyone feel like the pull of the computer drains them? Maybe I'm the only one, but I'm taking a break regardless.

bp's science: blueberries (a favorite around here)

2011-07-19T12:51:00.008-04:00

A few weeks ago we picked blueberries. It was a beautiful day and perfect for picking.

What makes blueberries blue? Apparently it's pigment full of antioxidants called anthocyanin. And what is it exactly that antioxidants do? Because our body undergoes lots of wear and tear, free radicals or oxidants are given off causing aging due to cell death. Antioxidants stop the reaction of oxidation by being oxidized themselves (rather than molecules in the cell being oxidized).

Thanks antioxidants, thanks blueberries. And if you want more antioxidants, keep eating those fruits, vegetables, and even spices with deep color.

p.s. that is indeed a beach sand bucket we used to hold our blueberries.

Reading

2011-07-18T13:28:00.004-04:00

I read to Oliver, age 7 months

Jess reads to Oliver (and Oliver says "bubbles" for B), age 16 months

Jess reads to Oliver, age 25 months

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be--
I had a mother [and father] who read to me.

Strickland Gillilan, "The Reading Mother", addition is mine

Okay, so this is neat

2011-07-14T17:20:00.002-04:00

Saw this video this morning as I was sorting through the internet world via blogs.

"It's a bird, it's a plane," but wait, it's both.

bp's science: spinach, the superfood

2011-07-12T15:02:00.004-04:00

When I was a kid I most definitely did not like spinach. We usually ate it from a frozen 5 by 4 inch rectangular box, and by the time it was cooked, it seemed so slimey and unappetizing. It was one of those foods that, as a kid, you'd take one bite and then wash it down with lots of milk. And then you'd do that over and over again until the food was gone and you were filled with 1/4 cup spinach and a quart of milk. I did this not only with spinach, but also with lima beans and beets. But I digress.

Now this dislike for the stuff stuck around for a good long time, until adulthood when I discovered fresh baby spinach. Ahh, the goodness. Very delicious and refreshing. This was a whole new world of spinach. Now we have fresh stuff in our refridgerator most of the time.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I discovered our very own "spinach bandit" stealing my spinach salad one evening at dinner.

He ate half of my plate. He calls it "spinach sal(ad)" and "leaves". It's pretty cool to eat leaves, right?

Now as you know, spinach is considered a superfood. Yes, that term is thrown around a lot these days, and it is not specifically defined, but I like to think of it as anything that's got lots of good nutrients in it. Spinach is filled with vitamins (A, C, D, folate) plus some iron and lots o' antioxidants. Plus it is versatile. You can throw it in savory or sweet salads, shakes, and even (as my sister made for me one wonderful afternoon) peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

Lands' End Canvas, Wahoo!

2011-07-06T13:09:00.000-04:00

Ever since my brother-in-law and sister started working at Lands' End, I have been a fan. I never dabbled in it before, but it wasn't hard to become a fan. And I have become even more of a fan because the company began Lands' End Canvas. This hip extension of the brand has very cool stuff that is just my style. It's great quality and there is always a good sale. There's another thing I am a fan of, a good sale. Put the two together and you get:

3 pairs of pants for 9.99 each, yes, I said three (plus a pair of Jeans for Jess for 9.99!)
a swimsuit for 26 bones
a sweater for 16 dollars cash money
a skirt for under 20 bucks that can go with anything

Plus, I hear the customer service is above and beyond and they'll take anything back at any time (does that remind anyone of Nordstrom (minus the cosmetics counter)?). If you're in the mood for a stylish steal, I'd recommend it.

Do you like how I used all of those phrases for money? Bones, dollars, bucks, cash. And because of that, I end the post with the phrase, "and some change".

bp's science: the color of fireworks

2011-07-05T10:18:00.003-04:00

Oliver and I watch fireworks over the Potomac, 2010

So how was the fireworks show you saw last night? Because we live in a tall building, we went to the roof (our celebration was low-key this year) and got to enjoy at least 9 different firework shows, including the one downtown. We could see the Washington Memorial all lit up, it was fantastic really.

So what gives fireworks their color? The answer is metal salts. In chemistry terms, salts are compounds created from the reaction of an acid and a base (table salt is sodium (Na from a base), chloride (Cl from an acid), NaCl). Different salts give off different colors. See the chart I found here below.

Color	Compound
Red	strontium salts, lithium salts lithium carbonate, Li₂CO₃ = red strontium carbonate, SrCO₃ = bright red
Orange	calcium salts calcium chloride, CaCl₂ calcium sulfate, CaSO₄·xH₂O, where x = 0,2,3,5
Gold	incandescence of iron (with carbon), charcoal, or lampblack
Yellow	sodium compounds sodium nitrate, NaNO₃ cryolite, Na₃AlF₆
Electric White	white-hot metal, such as magnesium or aluminum barium oxide, BaO
Green	barium compounds + chlorine producer barium chloride, BaCl⁺ = bright green
Blue	copper compounds + chlorine producer copper acetoarsenite (Paris Green), Cu₃As₂O₃Cu(C₂H₃O₂)₂ = blue copper (I) chloride, CuCl = turquoise blue
Purple	mixture of strontium (red) and copper (blue) compounds
Silver	burning aluminum, titanium, or magnesium powder or flakes

So there you have it, the presence of barium makes green, copper makes blue, strontium makes red. And when you mix copper and strontium salts together, you've got purple. Pretty cool.

And if you didn't get your firework fix from yesterday, take a look at this interesting NOVA video concerning the color of fireworks. It's interesting stuff.

Happy 4th

2011-07-04T14:44:00.003-04:00

Happy Fourth of July to all of you. May we remember the blessings of independence and the people who made it possible.

Living in the location where we do, we get to be amongst some of the soldiers who are recovering from wounds suffered because of the current conflict. Each time we interact with them, I am amazed at their upbeat-ness and positive attitude and I am grateful for their service.

Yesterday, we were able to hear many people speak about their love for this country. Many of whom were not born in America nor are they citizens, yet they spoke of the equality and the opportunity this country provides. It's neat to hear about the country from this perspective.

May you enjoy the fireworks, the barbeques, the time with family. And with the risk of sounding cliche, God Bless the USA.

Birthday and brothers

2011-07-01T13:52:00.003-04:00

This past week we were having a lot of fun at our house (so much so that there was no bp's science this week. Anyone notice? Jo?). We were lucky enough to have great visitors, and fun birthdays, and brotherly wrestling matches, plus some site seeing was thrown into the mix. Oh yeah, and we spent a lot of time with sunglasses too. Did I mention how much Oliver loves sunglasses?

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law came to visit and it was a grand time. I certainly talked their ears off I tell you, and they graciously obliged. Such conversation does wonders for me. I can't tell you how much I enjoy a good family visit and this was no exception. Made our June for sure.

And we got to celebrate two birthdays! Yep, that's right, these brothers have very close birthdays and it was fun to celebrate with them both. Cheers!

After taking a little detour to get to Mount Vernon, we had a great time. George Washington sure had an stunning view of the Potomac. I was having so much fun I forgot to eat. I know I'm enjoying things when that happens.

And then we got to visit Annapolis, which is always a pleasure. Oliver beat the heat by playing in the water fountain. In fact, he was ready to jump in (to tell you the truth, I think we all were - it was hot). Plus, this time I didn't forget my I.D. I am just catching onto the fact that one should never forget his/her I.D. when visiting any military location, never.

After the week long stay was over, Oliver was ready to get on the airplane with his aunt and uncle when they left. We were sad to see them go, but we loved having them! Thanks for coming out guys!

This guy's tired

2011-06-21T14:02:00.005-04:00

Jess has been busy with work lately, so, like many others out there, he's a little low on the total sleep hours. As a result, when his head hits the pillow, he's usually out in seconds. I'm not kidding. It doesn't even take him a minute. Still, there are some nights when he's kind enough to stay up a bit longer and talk about the day with me, as I quite enjoy a good pre-sleep talk. During this time, we have had some great discussions, but usually Jess' cognitive skills slowly wane as his fatigue gets the best of him and he starts talking nonsense in reply to my questions. Or sometimes he'll just interrupt me mid-sentence. Like last night, I was giving him an update on the latest news when he quite clearly delivered this gem:

"I like strawberries with or without chocolate, to be honest."

We paused, laughed, and then decided it was time to go to sleep. We'll find time to catch up on the latest later.

p.s. Jess let me take this photo because I was digging the light. No, this is not one of his head shots and he is not looking for acting work. However, I have no doubt he could get some if he wanted to.

bp's science: why do fireflies glow?

2011-06-21T13:44:00.002-04:00

Last night after having a fun dinner with friends (thanks guys!), we drove home with the windows down. It's been pleasant weather here lately, and we are enjoying it. As we drove home we passed a wooded area with lots of fireflies. "Why do fireflies glow?" I asked. We weren't sure. So, the question has become a bp's science post.

Fireflies glow to attract a mate, bait prey, and give warning. While attracting a mate is the key reason why fireflies glow, scientists have found that some firefly species use the glow mechanism to fool other fireflies into thinking they want to mate when in reality, they want to eat. Firefly larvae also use the glow to tell predators to stay away.

How they glow is another story and a bit more complex than the why. In a nutshell: the reaction involves the chemical luciferin, the enzyme luciferase, and oxygen. Luciferin attaches to luciferase, and when oxygen reacts with that compound, the firefly glows.

So there you have it. For more info go here and here and here.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T08:13:00.002-04:00

a Saturday watching the birds

In the evening, as soon as the keys jingle to open the door, Oliver exclaims, "Dad!"

Happy Father's Day to all of the superb Dad's out there, mine especially included.

I just need the X!

2011-06-14T22:19:00.006-04:00

2008, riding the train to Amsterdam, thinking I may be lucky enough to win a trip (see ad behind me)

The other day I bought 10 small cups of Dannon yogurt. It was on a sale and we eat a lot of yogurt around here. A lot. I usually buy 20 cups when a sale comes along, but because most of Dannon's flavors are "fruit at the bottom" flavors which, at this house we don't like too much I only bought 10. Right now Dannon offers a rewards marketing program where each yogurt lid has a letter on the bottom side of it. If you collect enough yogurt lids and spell certain words (PURIST or MIXER for example) you win something (a trip to the Caribbean or a $25 music gift card respectively). Our first few lids were all different, an R, then an E, and an M. Wow, I thought to myself, I may just win that gift card.

Now I've never won any prize, any reward, any knick knack that involved luck. I don't feel too bad for myself because the majority of us haven't. But I must admit, I'd really like too. I mean, wouldn't you? I've known a few who have beaten the odds and been on the lucky side of probability. When I was a kid, one of my sisters correctly guessed the amount of jelly beans in a jar at a fast food restaurant and won free chocolate chip cookies for a year. Then my brother's name was pulled from a bucket full of names at a toy store and he won a free vacation to Disneyland for 4 people! Can you believe that? We sure couldn't when we got the news. Especially my mom, she loved Disneyland. Perfect.

But me, I didn't win any big prize. Instead, I continued to hope, and around age 9 I latched onto the Million Dollar Sweepstakes. You remember those large envelopes that would arrive at your house, addressed to your mom or dad, with the words IMPORTANT and OPEN NOW stamped on the front, right? I sure do. I would get so excited when they'd arrive in the mail. I loved the mail. "Mom!" I'd announce, "Here's another letter about winning $1,000,000. What does it say?" Translate that into what I was thinking, "Mom! I think you finally won $1,000,000. Open it!"

Unfortunately my mom was not as confident that she had won the million dollars and answered, "Why don't you open it for me? Tell me what it says." I'd rip the letter open, read the requirements, the offerings of magazines, the fine print (the stuff that says you have a 1 in a 765,987,909,234,123,005 chance of winning). Mom hadn't won, but if she followed some instructions and sent the letter back she probably would next time.

"Mom, you should fill out this questionnaire and send it back so you have another chance of winning," I'd request, imagining the man with the microphone and balloons coming up to our door, ringing the doorbell, and handing us a cardboard check the size of dining room table, "You've just won a million dollars!" I was pretty sure it was going to happen.
My mom wisely replied, "Ashley, why don't you act as my sweepstakes consultant? Fill out the questionnaire and send it off. When another letter comes in, you deal with the mail and if I win a million dollars, we'll share it."

Sweepstakes consultant? Deal with the mail? Share a mil! Of course!

We never did win a million, but I sure did have a good time that summer filling out forms and reading small print and filling out more forms. We didn't buy any magazines however. I always wondered if that hurt our chances of winning the million. The small print said that it didn't, but I was always skeptical.

So as you can see, I've had this, gee-I-want-to-win-something-for-free kind of mindset for a long time. To tell you the truth, most of us do. That's why companies continue to use reward points, and sweepstakes, and contests to lure us into buying more. And admittedly, I have mailed UPC labels in to get a free apron (it's red and says Hanover Beans) and some pink plastic grapefruit spoons (they really work), but those things were a result of having bought something already and then finding out I could get something for free. I'd like to think that I don't just buy stuff so that I increase my chances of winning by 0.002%.

But the other day, when I went down the yogurt isle and saw that Dannon yogurt was no longer on sale, I hesitated. I was pretty sure the next "fruit at the bottom" blueberry yogurt was going to be the X that I needed, and that the vanilla one was going to be the I. But I got smart. I resisted the temptation and decided to go buy some beans instead.

bp's science: Fore!

2011-06-14T13:33:00.003-04:00

I know it's Tuesday and every one is eager to hear some science news, but first I've got to share what's going on in our area. Just down the street (okay, down the street and a little bit further) the US Open Golf Tournament is going on. It's affected the area quite a bit. Parking lots are found miles away and the traffic around the area is congested. But the planning is impressive and it's cool to think that the tournament is going on just down the road. And the weather is really cooperating (the high today is 80). I'm not a huge fan of golf, but I've watched my share on television, played more than a couple times, and have a grandmother and brother who couldn't/can't get enough of it. So I'm excited and wish they were visiting. Now that'd be fun!

And did you know that golf balls have around 330 - 500 dimples in them? That's scientifically important because...well, I'd better ask my brother.

Pegasus Bridge: A Review

2011-06-11T21:44:00.003-04:00

Another great WWII story of bravery, skill, team work, bravery, determination, and bravery. I am thoroughly impressed by the actions of the soldiers in this story about the UK glider division and their attack on key bridges in northern France on D-Day. I never knew that wooden gliders were used in combat, but indeed they were! In fact, it was the perfect way to launch a surprise attack. The soldiers were so well trained, the leadership was above par, the plan well thought out, the intelligence excellent, plus some luck and this was a success story. A great read.

bp's science: clean sheets matter!

2011-06-07T16:03:00.008-04:00

In a recent study commissioned by the National Sleeping Foundation, it was found that those who make their bed every morning were 19% more likely to get a good night's rest. Six out of 10 survey responders answered that they changed their sheets weekly. And about 3 out of 4 people said they slept better when their sheets had a fresh scent.

Do you agree? I totally do! And I'm all about making my bed easy to make, 1 minute tops. That's the key!

photo: 4.5 month Oliver sleeps in a cabin bed, Outer Banks, NC

Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

2011-06-03T15:33:00.006-04:00

A perfect book to read around Memorial Day, Beyond Band of Brothers is the story of Easy Company, a paratrooper unit that dropped into Normandy on D-Day and achieved great success in combat. The book is written by Easy Company's leader Major Dick Winters, a man who is celebrated for his innate leadership skills and amazing acts during World War II. He wrote the book as a result of the success and interest in Steve Ambrose's book, Band of Brothers, which is about Easy Company and their completed mission on D-Day and beyond. Ambrose's book was made into an HBO series and had a big following. As a result, many hundreds of people wrote to Major Winters thanking him for his service and requesting to hear more about him, his company, and their experiences. His reply, this book. I have never read a war book for obvious reasons (so intense, so violent), but Jess read it first and gave me the okay. Winters does a wonderful job conveying the resolve, the commitment, the character of he and his men without the extreme intensity that I was able to really focus on the men, what they were able to do, what they had to deal with, and how they could handle and be a part of such an experience. Amazing indeed. Toward the end of the book, Winters gives the reader a simple explanation of how to become a good leader, he explains:

How do you become a good man? You start with a cornerstone - honesty - and from there you build character. If you have character, that means the guy you are dealing with can trust you.

And Major Dick Winters did just that. He was honest with his men, they knew they could trust him, and they were willing to do anything he asked. I enjoyed this book so much, I'm reading another WWII book about another amazing company. Happy Belated Memorial Day and a very sincere thanks to all servicemen past, present, and future.

Swinging

2011-06-01T09:11:00.000-04:00

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

- from "The Swing" by Robert Louis Stevenson

bp's science: photosynthesis

2011-05-31T12:27:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago, Jess gave a talk in church. He said lots of good things and he even mentioned photosynthesis. Of all the things Jess said, Oliver clung to that word, "photosynthesis." He kept repeating it after the talk was over. Now what a perfect subject for this Tuesday.

Photosynthesis in the easiest terms is when a plant (or bacteria or algae, etc.) uses the sunlight's energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂₎into sugar (C₆H₁₂O₆). Chlorophyll is the molecule in the plant cell that enables plants to turn light into food, e.g., sugar. It's what makes plants green and it's where photosynthesis takes place.

The reaction is all very simple really and it occurs through the actions of the Calvin Cycle (see chart below).

Okay, no, it's not all that simple and it takes a few steps (all of which I was required and I attempted to memorize in molecular biology one semester). I mean, look at the process, the detail, the complexity. It truly is amazing and makes evident that God is in all things. And that's why photosynthesis is appropriate for a church talk and a bp's science post all at the same time!

Want to test a plant's need for carbon dioxide out? Take three plants, rub petroleum jelly on the top of the leaves of plant 1, on the bottom of the leaves of plant 2, and leave plant 3 alone. Water the plant as necessary and watch the plants each day. Plant 1 will suffer, plant 2 will die, and plant 3 will grow fine. Turns out, plants take air in through the underside of their leaves and when they can't get enough air, they can't go through photosynthesis, and they die. I took this experiment from a lovely book I've had quite fun reading and will use for my kidlet(s) when they get older.

Why not?

2011-05-28T08:21:00.000-04:00

I've recently had some stuff on my mind, so to combat me thinking about this stuff every free moment I get, I took it upon myself to sign up for a 10K. I must say that having a goal to do something and then getting in the exercise to do it works wonders for me. I like to run and this race was very doable. I came in feeling quite good as Jess and Oliver cheered me into the finish. "Did you see me sprint at the end?" I asked Jess. His answer, "You were sprinting?" Ha! I felt like I was kicking the pavement pretty hard, but apparently I felt a lot cooler than I looked. After some congratulations and discussing how my race went, Jess, as my inspirational coach, told me that I need to get those knees high and start sprinting earlier toward the end. He finished it up by saying, "You should feel pretty tired at the end so you know you've given it your all." I've taken this coaching to heart and will try it out next time. I like talking to Jess about pushing myself harder. I know myself as a bit of a wimp, so I like this kind of talk.

This race was doubly good because it was at a regional airport and there were several planes, helicopters, trucks, and automobiles on display. Oliver was livin' it up. We got to go inside many vehicles. We even had a chance to see a motor cross show that was "off the hizzy!" How's that for some extreme sports talk?

What's more, the race was triply good because it was held very close to our friends' house. We were able to meet up with them, look at the planes, and grab some lunch at an excellent place. This made for a very fun Saturday.

my pre-race face :: Oliver pops his head out of an armored vehicle :: sitting on the fire engine

2 years and counting

2011-05-26T12:06:00.000-04:00

We recently celebrated Oliver's 2nd birthday. That's right ladies and gents, this kid is officially two! He's grown lots and lots and loves anything on wheels. He likes to learn new things, explore new places, and he's very keen of any park (especially those with swings). Blueberries are probably his favorite food, and, this year, his horizons have expanded to cake. Last year when he turned one he wasn't having it, but this year, he loved the strawberry, vanilla creme cake. He was also very intrigued by the candles.

Later on he discovered his card because it had a big "2" on it. "It's a 2!" he kept saying. Now we are working on putting up two fingers to show that you are 2. However, he knows that sign as "Peace" so we've got some explaining to do.

And this is how he spent some of his birthday afternoon, playing with his cars. This really is the life for Oliver.

It goes without saying that Oliver is one great kid. On the nights when Jess comes home after Oliver has gone to bed he asks, "What's the cutest thing Oliver did today?" My answer is always something new.

bp's science: how a car engine works

2011-05-24T13:54:00.013-04:00

Yesterday we went to the playground. There are a lot of good playgrounds around here and Oliver has his favorite thing at each one, whether it be the race car, the bus, or the train (hmm, I see a theme here). While his joy with the pictured toy below is not a favorite, I've always liked it.

And the reason why is because it's a perfect subject for bp's science. You see, it's much like a model of an engine and it shows one how the engine works.

The green and red pieces together make up the pistons.
The blue pieces represent the connecting rods.
The yellow center piece represents the crankshaft.

First, the plastic tube surrounding the piston fills with gasoline (step 1.) as the piston goes down. Then the gasoline is ignited by a spark plug going off (step 2.) and creating a source of heat, which ignites the gasoline causing it to explode (step 3.). This explosion pushes the piston down strongly releasing energy that goes into the connecting rods. The connecting rods change the up and down motion of the pistons into the circular motion that goes into the crankshaft and thereby turns the wheels. The piston then pushes back up to release the exhaust (step4.).

So the action of the piston is down (gas in), up (mixture volume decreased, spark plug goes off), down (mixture explodes), up (exhaust out). So an engine piston action is up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down. That's why you need oil (and need to get it changed every so often). See this video of the toy in action. Many thanks to my science assistant.

And a quick note: keep in mind that engines are usually in a V shape, in a line, or even in a boxer shape. Never are the pistons arranged like a star as seen in the toy. Still, there is such a thing as a rotary engine, but that is a whole other post.

How do you like your cake font?

2011-05-23T13:49:00.005-04:00

Growing up, for every birthday, I got a cake from a bakery in my mom & dad's old neighborhood. The same happened for each of my siblings and my parents. We loved these cakes. They were delicious. And they'd always come complete with a message on top in beautiful cursive lettering, "Happy Birthday [insert name here]". After our family got older and people got married and little ones came, we'd celebrate birthdays by months. In March, we have several birthdays (9 right now), and I remember the cake having lots of names on it. In fact, I remember being in awe of the skill of the baker, placing the icing on top of the cake with such lettering precision. It always looked so superb.

Such has been my standard for cake lettering all these years. Imagine my shock and surprise as I saw this at a recent function:

The spacing is bad, the lettering is sub-par, and that spelling is not helping either. So this is what cake lettering has come to and we've learned to accept. Really? I had to laugh.

Needless to say, no one else seemed to be bothered by it and the cake was gone by the time we left the get-together. I guess when the message is written in butter and sugar, you're going to be pleasing most people regardless of how it looks.

Clever Kid

2011-05-19T08:24:00.004-04:00

It's sure is fun to hear what a soon-to-be 2 year old comes up with when reading, playing, drawing and the like. Oliver is a clever kid, and I can't help but make note of the things he says these days, as they are awesome. The following are some comments he's made in the last month or so while reading books.

For this photo Oliver said, "Glasses on." I like that observation.

And for this one he exclaimed, "Remember to chew!"

While reading Drummer Hoff Fired It Off, a book from my childhood, Oliver really liked the line "Captain Bammer brought the Rammer" (see page from book in photo). He then proceeded to go into the bathroom and grab the toilet cleaner calling it a rammer. Cool relationship made there, eh? Let's just keep that "rammer" in the bathroom.

And this last photo is to share with you why I'm not so clever. For days I thought this was a photo of humpback whales looking up to the sky. Just recently I figured out it was a picture of birds putting their heads into water. Yep.

Did someone say update?

2011-05-17T12:43:00.005-04:00

Okay, it's Tuesday, but I thought it was Monday, so instead of bp's science, here's an update. I think my days are kind of confused here because we just got back from a vacation, a wonderful vacation full of good times and seeing people we rarely see . . . family. When I say rarely, try every 6 months, if that, so it's always good to get together.

We went to visit Jess' parents place. His dad was graduating with his PhD after retiring from his first career. Way to go! And what an accomplishment. We had a wonderful time watching as he walked into the stadium, was hooded, and received his diploma.

Jess and Oliver wait for the graduates to get seated

It's official with the diploma in hand (or really in the mail)

The mini Theodore fam at the dinner celebration afterwards, with an excellent "I love Barbeque" face from Jess

A day at the kids' old elementary school was complete with swing jumping competitions

Oliver with Grandma all nice and toasty

Oliver loved nothing more than to be with his Grandma + Grandpa and his aunts + uncles. Just yesterday after his nap he indicated that he wanted to go to Grandpa and Grandma's house and proceeded to bring his shoes to me to put them on. Needless to say, there was some explaining to him about how it takes around 6 hours to get to their house (and around 24 if you miss your first flight - which we did and which is another story).

And with that, I end by saying that it really was a great time. We also got to eat at the University Creamery, use the XBox Kinect (I felt like I was living in 2050 or something), have great conversations, and enjoyed some pre-birthday cupcakes which Oliver loved. I wish this kind of thing could happen more often.

See more of the fun at my sister-in-law's blog.

bp's science: poison ivy

2011-05-10T16:44:00.004-04:00

Oliver and I just got back from a long walk. It was a good time, complete with a fall in some mud and some flower picking. I also thought I spotted some poison ivy. I can't tell you how many times I've been outside on a hike or a walk and thought, "Hmm, that plant has three leaves, it may be poison ivy." It just so happens that what I thought was poison ivy was not. I think I may just be over-aware. Any plant that is green and has three points is always under scrutiny. So why don't we clear up the confusion here with a photo of poison ivy in all it's three-leaved glory.

And by the way, the redder leaves are newer leaves. I found this photo at a website entirely devoted to the plant. See here for more info.

Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl

2011-05-09T13:10:00.004-04:00

As a big fan of Roald Dahl (his book Matilda worked it's magic and made me like reading when I was a youngen), I was excited when Jess told me he had heard about a new biography about the author. I quickly put the book on hold at the library (I was the 75th person in the queue!). When it came my turn to check it out, I eagerly opened it as soon as I got some time.

My first reaction was one of surprise. Roald was no perfect chap, not in the least, and it kind of bothered me. He was definitely a character. He liked gambling and getting people riled up, he was a womanizer and very quick to judge. But he was great with children and loved his family, he was very charitable and dedicated to his craft. And he sure knew how to write superb kids' books. He was the master of the edit, rewrite, rework, and edit of all his writing. He said the key to writing a successful children's book, in part, was to make it funny and make it move fast (no long descriptions). His recipe worked for me and reading this biography made me want to read more of his stuff. Would I have wanted to hang out with Dahl? Sure, that is, if he was in a good mood, I knew that he liked me, and he didn't feel like getting into a debate.

One passage that I liked and wrote down the minute I read it was one dealing with just living your life and getting on with it, regardless of the circumstances (Dahl had to deal with the death of a child, the near death of another, the stroke of his wife, and his step-daughter passing away unexpectedly). Emphasis is my own.

Superstition is something that one grows out of. You try avoiding all the cracks in the pavement or you touch all the posts in the fence. But then you find out later that it doesn’t help. You find out that it’s not going to make a bit of difference if you step on the cracks or not. I think I just realized subconsciously that if you start thinking about bad luck, you’re going to weaken. The great thing is to keep going, whatever happens.

Sunglasses + a watch

2011-05-05T16:31:00.004-04:00

I was getting the "that last post was too negative" vibe, so I've got to post something that is definitely better.

I like to call this photo "triclops".

Road Criticism

2011-05-04T18:11:00.005-04:00

Jess and I always seem to complain about all of the other drivers out there who "don't know how to drive." We laugh at our intensity and our hypocrisy sometimes.

"That guy cannot drive."

"I can't believe he just braked to exit!"

"Why didn't he signal?"

Sometimes it gets a little over the top and we have both admitted as much, but we still do it, and it seems that once one of us gets going the other only seems to fuel the fire. I guess I didn't realize how much we did this until my sister came to visit and took the 25 minutes ride with us to church. Weeks after her visit, I was talking to her about our car banter and she said it was indeed apparent on our ride to church that day. I was a little embarrassed. My embarrassment was furthered one afternoon as I drove Oliver downtown. A car pulled in front of me and I said, "Seriously?!" It was quickly repeated by Oliver and now it's a common word.

With that understanding, I am going to complain a bit about some drivers here. Is this a little excessive? Sure. And I should probably just stop here, but in true Ashley and Jess car banter fashion, I'll continue. Here are the things that just don't make sense to me when driving:

1. Braking around traffic lights when the light is green.
2. Slowing down to 20 mph when there is a speed camera in a 35 mph zone.
3. Stopping on an on-ramp.
4. Driving under the speed limit in the left lane.

Okay, that's enough. Does this kind of stuff bother you when driving or am I the only one here? If I get zero comments, I get the point.

bp's science: antihistamines

2011-05-03T18:21:00.005-04:00

Today we went to the park. And I sneezed a bit. I never had allergies growing up, but since moving here, I have experienced the runny nose and sinus pressure that comes with allergies. It really isn't bad, but it's there.

So with that, I make a very simple bp's science post today. What are antihistamines and what do they do? To understand antihistamines, we must talk histamines. Histamines are proteins that activate certain activities in the body. Some of these activities include brain function, stomach acid release, and immune response. The last one is what causes allergies. When an allergen enters the nose, histamines are released to activate the increase of vascular permeability causing a runny nose and sneezing. Those histamines think that pollen is coming to destroy your health so it responds as such. An antihistamine (like Claritin or Allegra) works by attaching to histamine receptors and thereby blocking the histamines from ever activating anything.

Think of this: It's a hot summer day and histamine is represented by a wool hat. Your head is a histamine receptor. If you were to put on this wool hat, your head would get all hot and sweaty (which would start to run down your forehead, much like mucus starts to run out of your nose - gross, eh?). Now an antihistamine is represented by a wide brimmed sun hat. Instead of putting on the wool hat, let's say you put on the sun hat so your head is cool and well ventilated. Now once you put on that sun hat, you can't get the wool hat on (or it won't fit on) and thus your head does not get hot and really sweaty (in other words, you don't have the allergic reaction). Does that make sense? Hope so.

photo from knitting my first hat (2010), which was ironically too big for Oliver and too small for me -haha

Finishing up April

2011-05-02T13:24:00.005-04:00

Our April was filled with a lot of good things. One of which was the Saturday before Easter. Oliver hunted for plastic eggs inside our apartment. He enjoyed it and was very fond of the candy (unfortunately now he thinks all eggs are filled with "cahndy" as he calls it).

enjoying the spoils before finding all of the eggs :: counting the eggs

Then we headed outside because the rain from the morning had stopped. It was a glorious day. We tossed around a soccer and tennis ball, watched planes fly overhead, threw sticks in the river, and looked at flowers. Fortunately, the rain blew all of the allergens out of the air, so it was a sneeze-free trip.

hilarious dandelion blowing :: very close airplanes

It always seems like time speeds up around this time of year and before I blink, it's August. I'm glad I get to enjoy the time with these two. Here's to May!

The Buzz of the day

2011-04-29T12:52:00.003-04:00

So if you ever watch or read the news, you know that the Royal Wedding and the following activities are happening today. I believe the media has been doing a countdown for the event for over two weeks now. Every morning as I jog, the news shows announce the countdown, "9 more days 'til the Royal Wedding." I was getting quite bored with it all and Jess and I joked yesterday, "Can't wait for the wedding tomorrow!"

Well, the wedding ceremony happened this morning (London is 5 hours ahead of us), and when Jess got back from his workout, and I was slowly waking up, he sarcastically exclaimed, "You missed the wedding!" You see, he was up around 7ish and got to view some of it LIVE as he jogged. To my surprise, I was actually a little bummed. I put on my running shoes and headed downstairs to run.

But have no fear! It just so happened that the media was preparing for the couples' first public kiss while I jogged. In fact, they had a countdown for it too, "5 more minutes until the kiss. How long do you think will it be? My bet is on 1 to 2 seconds. Whose head will be more in the front? Will we be able to see Kate's diamond earrings?" I was getting bored again. But as soon as the couple came out in all of their splendor, the magical magic of the wedding swooped me up and there I was, on my second mile, really feeling like something great was happening (and loving that the morning news was uplifting). There is something fantastical about it all, really. And then, as is tradition, some WWII RAF Spitfire and Hurricane planes did a fly by over the palace. Wonderful.

Later on in the morning, I found myself changing my outfit a couple of times and getting frustrated with the morning's tasks. As I apologized to Jess for my attitude, he remarked, "I understand, it's just that you wanted to be at that wedding this morning, didn't you?" I laughed. He was right.

Canapés anyone?

bp's science: how sunscreen works

2011-04-26T12:00:00.005-04:00

When buying sunscreen, we all know to look for a specific SPF (Sun Protection Factor), and we understand that the higher it is the better protection we have. But do we know any more than that? As for me...not really. So let's learn together, eh?

The Sun Protection Factor is actually a multiplier value. Say for example your skin can handle 30 minutes of sun without getting sunburn. If you buy an SPF 15 product, then you can be out in the sun for 450 minutes (30 x 15) without getting sunburn. However, this value is determined assuming that people apply the sunscreen generously, but most people don't. In fact, most sunscreen users apply about 1/2 to 1/4 of the assumed amount. With that being the case, an SPF 15 product would truly only allow you stay out for 225 or 112 minutes, respectively.

There are three types of UV rays, UV-A, UV-B, UV-C. UV-A rays penetrate deep into your skin and cause premature aging and possible skin cancer. UV-B rays cause tanning and sunburn. UV-C rays are all absorbed by the earth's atmosphere (nothing to worry about there). The SPF factor specifies the protection against UV-B rays only. To ensure you're being protected from UV-A rays too, look for a sunscreen that specifies on the packaging that it has "broad spectrum" protection and you should be good to go.

The way sunscreen protects you is by reflecting and absorbing the sun's rays. Little inorganic particles (think zinc) in the sunscreen act like tiny bits of aluminum, and when a sun ray hits, the particles deflect it so the skin won't soak it in. Organic particles (think PABA) absorb the sun's rays so the skin doesn't have to. When the particles absorb the ray, the energy is released as heat. Keep in mind that sunscreen doesn't reflect or absorb 100% of all the of the sun's rays, so you're still getting some when you go outside. But that's a good thing, right? You've got to get your vitamin D somehow. But that's a discussion for another time.

With that said: Welcome spring! and sunscreen!

photo from a Labor Day badminton game, 2008

Earth Day is always April 22

2011-04-22T15:03:00.002-04:00

I didn't know this fact until Oliver and I were reading one of his latest library picks, Clifford's Spring Clean-Up. So Happy Earth Day. What are you doing today to celebrate the earth and make it a better place?

bp's science: how much weight an ant can carry

2011-04-19T14:50:00.002-04:00

Quick tidbit for today: ants can carry 10 to 50 times their body weight. That's like us being able to carry a car.

4 days

2011-04-18T13:03:00.004-04:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit my sister's home. She just had a new (very cute, very sweet) baby and I went out to assist with anything that may need assisting. It was a wonderful stay and this baby's parents are already pros. Holding the little one reminded me of when Oliver was weeks old. It was a lot of fun.

On the plane ride there and back I read a lot. There was no cheesy, ridiculous, or mildly entertaining film available, which I was bummed about at first, but once I started reading the Pearl Buck Reader (thanks mom-in-law) I brought, who cares about the film, or even the beverage service. Wonderful stories. If you ever want to read a great book, try The Good Earth. I also read portions of her autobiography and found a wonderful quote:

There should be a deep attachment [between parents and children], heart should be tied to heart between parent and child, for unless the child learns how to love a parent profoundly, I believe that he will never learn how to love anyone else profoundly, and not knowing how to love means the loss of meaning of life and its fulfillment.

Putting the generalization (by using the word "never") aside, I found this quote so apropos for my visit.

Blossoms of the Cherry Variety

2011-04-13T13:12:00.003-04:00

One morning before Jess was off to work, we popped in on the Cherry Blossoms. It was a beautiful day.

Looking good

Singing in the canopy of Cherry Blossoms

Taking in the beauty (and glad that it's not cold and windy like it has been in past years)

One of life's joys

bp's science: atomic size

2011-04-12T12:36:00.003-04:00

So how well do you think you know your basic general chemistry?

Put the following items in order from biggest to smallest:

molecule
atom
neuron
quark
electron
proton

Easy? Hard? Here's a clue, if a proton was the size of a basketball, an electron would be the size of a piece of rice. Another clue, a molecule is made of many atoms. And a neuron is a brain cell. Got the answer? Here it is:

neuron -> molecule -> atom -> proton -> electron -> quark

Until 2010, it was thought that a proton was 0.877 fentometres in diameter. However, recent studies show that a proton is significantly smaller, measuring in at 0.8418 fentometres. I was shocked to find that a difference in .0352 fentometres was a "significant" amount. Thinking about the size of atoms is kind of like thinking of the size of a universe. It takes your mind to this place beyond conscious thought.

Excellent Viewing

2011-04-07T08:53:00.000-04:00

I came across this pro gram yesterday evening after putting Oliver asleep and then waiting for Jess to come home. It covers two stories of great people who have made a difference in this world. The first is a family of 21 kids, all adopted. The second, a group of people who were given the power to communicate through the use of technology. I was lucky enough to benefit from knowing one member of the first family. Take some time to watch if you have a free moment (say 45 minutes). It'll be worth it.

bp's science: quinoa

2011-04-05T12:55:00.003-04:00

So, I've joined the quinoa (keen-wah) bandwagon. First, I saw the food mentioned on Top Chef. Then my sister started eating it. Then I found out another sister had already been eating it. And then I saw it in Costco and thought, "Why not?"

Quinoa is the small circular seed of a leafy green plant related to spinach. It's cooked like rice and/or cous cous and can serve as a substitute for those types foods. It is a great substitution because, for a "grain", it has tons of protein in it (which has always been a focus, seeing as one of the questions my mom would ask me growing up and over the phone when I was in college was, "Are you getting enough protein?"). Apparently, it has nine of the essential (meaning we have to get them from what we eat) amino acids. Just for kicks, let me mention all ten* of those amino acids (which I remember memorizing in college, but quickly forgot after I passed my physiology class):

Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine
Arginine
Histidine

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins (which make up our cells, create enzymes, repair tissues, the list goes on and on!). While our body can make some proteins, it must get others from our diet. That's why quinoa is such a great source of a complete protein. And in one serving, there is ~8 grams (or ~16% of your daily value). Plus, it has lots of vitamins and minerals, including iron.

The question is, is quinoa good? I think it all comes with the recipe you decide to make with it. I like quinoa and enjoy it in about everything I make with it. Jess on the other hand, needs a good flavorful dish in order to really enjoy it. To tell you the truth, it has taken some trial and error to find a good quinoa combination, but I think I'm almost there with getting the hang of it. I'll let you know when I've got a killer recipe.

photo found here.

*it should be noted that sources on the internet mention different numbers of essential amino acids. Some said there are 8, others 9, and some 10. I sifted through several sites (boy do I wish I still had my physiology book) and found that the number differs because of the amino acids arginine and histidine. It depends on the site, but different sources say that arginine and histidine are only essential for kids. When 9 is mentioned, the essential list includes histidine. When 10 is mentioned, the list includes both. The nutrition information I looked at included histidine but not arginine in it's counts. Does that mean the quinoa does not have arginine in it? There, I cannot be certain, and with that, we learn that this bp's science post is not totally complete. Apologies to the reader. I don't work in a lab.

Mornings

2011-04-01T11:19:00.000-04:00

When I was a teen, living in the basement bedroom, I did not like getting up in the morning. No sir. Surprise, surprise, right?

When I was in college, same deal.

After I got married, same deal. Jess and I were notorious for sleeping in until 10am on Saturdays.

But now, the morning is my most productive time of the day I tell you. By 9:00am I have already:

- gotten Oliver out of bed and played with "some toys"
- taken a jog
- kept my muscles up to par with some crunches and the like (one of which includes punching the air with soup cans in my hands - ha)
- made Oliver breakfast
- made Jess lunch
- taken a shower and gotten ready
- walked Jess to the metro to say goodbye for the day
- taken a look at the construction site with Oliver
- and walked home.

This early schedule has made us mega-early for things. "Mega-early?" you say, "is this Ashley's blog or am I reading someone else's?" you continue to think. I have changed you see, so much so that I've arrived at the library, Costco, and the mall before they have opened.

But for some reason, we only get to church on time about 50 percent of the time. And our branch starts at 1pm. There's always room for improvement I guess.

29 is a prime number and a prime age

2011-03-30T14:53:00.001-04:00

My birthday was superb. It began with an endeavor to make carrot cake. It turned out to be delicious, and I must say, cream cheese frosting is one frosting that I find hard to pass up. Since this is the case, I put half of the cake in the freezer, seeing that Jess, Oliver, and I should probably not be eating carrot cake every night for a week. I think I'll pull it back out, say, hmm, tomorrow.

Then Jess came home and offered up a wonderful surprise of an early rockin' weekend. Hoorah! We decided to spend part of our weekend checking out Luray Caverns (see previous post). This place was amazing. We spent most of the tour in the back, lazily walking along, taking in the whole experience without the group. Just as we'd catch up to them, the tour guide would say, "Now if you'll just follow me, we'll move onto the next location." Perfect timing.

Much to our surprise, the Luray Caverns has a wonderful Carriage and Car Museum. This place had several, one-of-a-kind cars that I'd never seen before (plus some awesome mannequins dressed in the fashion of the relative cars' times). I felt like I was at a wax museum car show. Both of which I get a kick out of, so it was a great combination.

We drove home on Skyline Drive and took in the Blue Ridge Mountains, while eating apples and almonds. Nice.

Other weekend fun continued with the National Trolley Museum, Mia's Pizza, and a friends' home for dinner. Cheers to 29!

(Thanks to Oliver's free balloon from the grocery store, this photo looks very birthday-esque.) And thanks to all for the calls and cards and well wishes. Those are one of thee best parts of a birthday.

bp's science: The Stalacpipe Organ

2011-03-29T12:42:00.005-04:00

If you ever took geology, I'm sure you studied stalactites (holding "tight" to the ceiling) and stalagmites (trying with all of their "might" to reach the top of the ceiling). They are awesome to behold and grow quite slow, and at other times fast. Stalactites form when acidic droplets of water (complete with calcium carbonate and carbon dioxide) fall from the ceiling of a cave. As the droplet hangs from the ceiling, the carbon dioxide is released, leaving behind the calcium carbonate (limestone). Stalagmites grow when the water droplet lands, leaving behind limestone. And when the two come together, they form columns.

This past weekend, we found ourselves at Luray Caverns: an out of this world cave with endless stalactites and stalagmites, some of which are examples of the best in the world. Luray Caverns is a privately owned natural beauty, and as such, has an interesting history. For instance, a house was built over one of the cave's vents to become the first air conditioned home in the world, the Caverns continues to offer wedding packages (that's right, you can get married right in the cave), and a Stalagpipe Organ is built inside the "grand ballroom" where they used to have dances back in the 1950s.

I'm not sure if they would have allowed the Stalacpipe organ to be built in 2011, but back in the 50s it was the coolest thing in Virginia since cured ham. I'll have to admit, I was very impressed with the instrument. Built by a mathematician, the man went around the Cavern (3.5 acres of it) knocking on stalactites to get the tone for each note. He had to saw down many stalactites to get the perfect pitch. Next to the stalactites he set up rubber mallets connected to electric wires leading to the organ. When the keys were pressed, the stalactites were tapped and you've got the largest musical instrument in the world.

While we were there, I got some quality footage ("quality" typed with much sarcasm). You can hear the organ, along with Oliver's proclamation that it was indeed music. At the end he sings a bit, and it's pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.

bp's science: breathing fire

2011-03-22T07:41:00.001-04:00

My older brothers are around 10 years older than me. And as a kid, I recall them doing lots of cool older person stuff like traveling to NY, restoring old cars, composing albums, running track, playing football, and breathing fire. I was intrigued at the fire bit. I mean, who wouldn't be? And I decided that when I got old enough, I'd take a go at it.

Around the age of 17, I asked my brother if he could assist me in breathing fire. Whenever he had done it during my childhood it seemed like a cinch, but when I came to him that March afternoon, he was a little hesitant. "Okay, Ash," he said, "we can do it, but we must take all safety precautions." This was the real deal I thought. I soon found out the safety precautions consisted of moving our operation into the backyard and wearing ski gloves. He then asked my younger brother if he'd like to join us so we could make a huge fire ball. Younger brother gladly obliged.

Our first step was to refine our spew tactics. We had to spit a huge mouthful of corn starch out into the air and get it as far away from our bodies (and the flame) as we could. This required some practice. So, one by one, we filled our mouths full of the stuff and starting refining. It took some lung capacity and some force, but by the third or fourth mouthful we felt ready (and a little light-headed). Then my older brother got out some newspaper, rolled it into a cylinder, and frayed one side's edges. He then lit the frayed edges and held the paper at arms length. At the count of three, we blew. The flame was huge! It was bright, and hot, and quick. Then it was over. So we did it again, and then again. And that time, the ski gloves got scorched. So we stopped. We got a photo of the magic a little after the peak flame.

So, as I mentioned before, there is science to this whole thing but I'll let you research that yourself if you so choose.