"help me jenny, angelina won't stop dancing around the tv"

That was a hilarious phone call from my grama umpteen years ago about trying to play a DVD for the first time.  It was stuck on the intro screen and I just needed to talk her through the menu options and how to press play.  That story has absolutely nothing to do with this post other than it reminded me of this little spinning animation.

I have been researching the brain for a project I'm working on and stumbled onto posts about this illusion.  Apparently depending on which "way" that dancer is turning tells you which side of your brain you typically use.  Is she moving clockwise or counter-clockwise for you?

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I immediately saw her turning clockwise which apparently means I am more right-brained.  Super pumped, as if this test solidified my place among the creatives, I was determined to see her spin the opposite way.  That was a difficult feat.  Discouraged, I assumed this test doesn't work, who knows if this has anything to do with your brain?!  Stupid test.  BUT then... I saw the switch!  MIND BLOWN  If you focus on her feet & shadow, try to switch which foot you think is in front and imagine it as the back foot.  Once you do it a couple times it becomes more apparent when she "changes direction".  I still don't quite understand how this tells you which side of the brain you use more.  But it's still cool to catch the illusion.  The articles I found are here and here incase you want to read more.  Oh and by the way, I did open the animation in Photoshop and she does not switch direction like some of the comments suggested.  pssh

productivity pics

We do the hurry up and wait thing at work quite a bit.  So when it's not the usual high-stress, high work load, it's this weird calm in which occasionally we don't know what to do with ourselves.  Case in point... these pictures.  I didn't realize how many times I did this until I recently opened up my Photo Booth to check my hair.  (other Mac users to that too.. right??)  I happen to have a slight shrine of less than attractive snapshots of myself, at work, being ridiculous.

so belated is kind of my thing.

I have 10 posts drafted that I just haven't finished, or don't have the photos yet.  10!  If the object of blogging we're to document things that happend last month, I think I might be good at that.  Speaking of things that happened a month ago... ampersands + acrobats turned 1!  I'm bummed I missed posting on the actual anniversary.  But on July 29, 2011 I wrote my first post.

To be honest I am surprised I stuck with it.  Now like I said, I'm not so great at posting on time, but it's fun to look back at what I have done- whether on time or not.  I didn't do everything I'd hoped to do, but other things happend that weren't in my original plan.  My Letter a Day project was by far the best part of blogging for me, personally.  It was something that I enjoyed doing and felt accomplished after each letter was complete.  The accountability forced me to finish the project, which was nice to have a personal goal.  I'm trying to come up with a similar project to "keep my creative juices flowing", as I once wrote.  :)  Hopefully there will be a blog redesign somewhere in the near future as well.

So here is to my dedication and this little space on the interwebz.  I hope that I will stick with it and continue to expand my blogger horizons.  Happy 1st birthday a+a!

every celebration needs a sparkler.

"smells like yak."

So my little cousin Alex and his parents came to visit me last Sunday. We went to the John Ball Zoo, which was pretty cool seeing as I haven't been there for a very long time.  The animals are up in the woods, scattered along numerous paths.  It seemed like a very unique layout for a zoo.  I think everyone had a pretty good time.  Although Alex had an issue with the smell.  "Smells like yak." was his ticket to get out of anything.  haha Probably will not grow up to be a zookeeper, I'm guessing.  I don't blame him though, mixed with the heat, it was definitely not the best part of our adventure.  I'd say puddles and the misty sprinklers along the way topped the list.

The bird cage was one of the first things we came to.  You get a stick covered in seeds and can feed the birds... in an enormous metal cage housing dozens of birds that are constantly being fed 24/7... It's a true miracle I didn't leave with poop in my hair.  haha It was pretty cute however when they perched on Alex's stick to eat the seeds.  We had a friendly little blue one that stuck around for a while.

here comes the rain (again)

I have many more happy things to blog about but as dreary as these photos look, the rain was a very good and welcomed happening.  Drink up GR!  It's been so hot and we definitely needed some showers.  The clouds didn't last very long but it was so cool watching the storm roll through, I had to take some photos!

Dear Eurythmics & Beatles,

Thanks for making quotable jams.

Sincerely,

Jen

7/11

Did you go get a free slurpee from 7-Eleven last Wednesday?  I did not.  I wanted one, but July 11th is my half birthday, so I got ice cream with my roommates instead.  :]

These were taken that day.  Moo's face made me laugh.  I wonder what he was looking at? haha

insert twilight zone music

The week I realize I must always have AC.

So I don't even know where to begin because it seems so long since my last post.  All that comes to my mind when I try to recap the past couple weeks is heat.  HOT HOT HOT.  That's the only thing that seems to have made any impact on my brain as of late.  I know that's not completely true but it's been pretty traumatic here in western Michigan...  I don't believe I've actually gotten angry because of hot temperature before.  I think the highest it got was around 103??  It was the first week in July!!  It's pretty wimpy and pathetic, I'm sure, compared to other southern states/countries.  But not having air conditioning and trying to get a decent night sleep in my 95 degree bedroom, is pretty much mission impossible.  Plus watching the kitties pant was heartbreaking.

I literally couldn't take things anymore, so I finally went home to TC for the weekend.  For some reason, it seems like forever since I've been there.  And it felt soooooo good.  My parents' house looks spotless now that my sister and I don't live there anymore.  haha  My punchy colored bedroom and bathroom look like a room from a very modern, bright hotel.  Everything painted over in white or light silvery gray.  Goodbye lime, pink, and orange.  The AC was blasting to the point I could actually sleep under blankets at night.  My parents took me to lots of my favorite places.  And it was so nice to hug a fuzzy Benzi boy.  :)

opted out of the dune climb this time

rode the new bike trail instead // lots of squirrels

happy birthday america

bike break at glen haven

glen haven

fave noms

cherry fest car show // obviously the best car there

tree truck arts booth at cherry fest!

beulah beach on crystal lake

fave beulah noms

reflections

crystal lake

Thanks NoMi for cooling me off.  You were some nice weekend eye candy as well.