Wednesday, July 9, 2008

I'm taking bets....

Every year I buy a new float for the pool and every year Fred rolls his eyes. 


I like to float.  I spent yesterday floating in the pool, drinking margaritas and reading a book*.


This is what this years' float looks like.    float


Fred says it won't last a week.  He says that every year...but we have a new dog this year...and Rosco likes to bark at it. 


When I am not in the pool the float lives in my tub.  I hope to extend its life expectancy this way.


So what do you think?  How long will my float last?


 


***The book is NOT, I repeat, NOT a library book. The only books that should go in tubs or pools are books that you own. This ends our public service announcement.

Jeez....good thing I have kids!

I had today "off" from the library.  So what did I do, you might ask?


Got my oil changed, argued with the guy that I didn't think I was ready for new tires yet, arranged for the boys friends to go out with Fred on the boat tonight, bought shoes, looked for short sleeve shirts (too late...here in 100 heat they are already putting out their fall stuff...and the bathing suits are 75% off, but VERY picked over), met Fred for lunch, went grocery shopping, put away groceries, cleaned kitchen, emailed students, did some grading, put away laundry, vacuumed and dusted downstairs, put books on hold for tonight's class...to be picked up by Fred at the drive up window, made pasta salad, cleaned the oven AND....seasoned the steaks.


I was checked blogs before taking a dip and Owen comes up to me. 


"So....when does Dad get home?" (anxious to go out on the boat with friends)


"He is on his way.  He is picking up some books for me at the library.  I have class tonight."


"Did you make the pasta salad?"


"Yes."


"Did you get the steaks ready?"


"Yes."


"Do you know what I mean?  Did you season them?"


"Yes (insert eyeroll here)"


"Let me look at them."


(he goes and comes back)


"Did you use the kosher sea salt?"


"No, because I used Worcestershire sauce/"


"Oh.  Did you tenderize it?"


"Yes."


"Do you know how to tenderize it?"


(eyeroll)


"Yes."


Hello....? 


Now I am going to take a dip with Mr. Know It All.

"Age of Exhaustion," Plagiarism, Imitation or just plain laziness

There is a mode of thought that states "everything that can ever be said has already been said."  Basically that there is nothing new under the sun.  The age of exhaustion does allow for interpretation though.  The same thoughts can be expressed by new voices from outside the mainstream. I think it would go further and allow that with the invention of new technologies that what has already been done, can be re-done with new style and flair. 


What I don't think is often taken into account is the audience.  New audiences are born every day and with this new audience these tired, tried and trite ideas become new again. 


How does this play into plagiarism?  Well, I think we often get confused.  It is ok to say what has been said before, you may even say that you cannot say what has not been said before, but when using the exact words, you need to cite you sources.  The internet and word processing programs has made this difficult for some.  It is just too easy to Google something, copy and paste. 


Now some say "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."  While this is true I would say that the person being imitated is often not flattered when their ideas are being spread around without their being credited.  Also, like the game whisper down the lane, the initial idea is often diluted by the imitator...who is them imitated...and so one, so that the original idea and the end result may have very little to do with one another. 


Now laziness.  This is where I come in but where I have issues.  If you see something that you like and want to expand on it or tweak it, is it really lazy?  Is it really Imitation?  I don't think it can be plagiarized, if you alter it. 


I recently saw something and thought....Wow, that is new!  But knowing about the age of exhaustion I realized that the person who I thought of as the inventor of this idea, most likely got it from somewhere else.  But where?  I don't know.  


Now I realize that this is an odd little blog.  It all stems from a cupcake and thoughts about the idea of the cupcake, while inhaling sweet baking smells.


I saw a cupcake and thought...ohh...neat.  I want to make those...but I can't do this, so I will do that instead. 


Here is the "original" and here is my version.

4th 010

It is a "margarita" cupake.  A white cupcake, with light green lime flavored icing.  The rim of salt is actually coarse sugar.  Robin used a fondant lime, but I don't do fondant...I used a real one, but they slipped off the cupcake, so I served the limes in a shot glass in the center of the platter.


And being one to cite sources, I got the idea from my friend Amy's sister Robin who is a pastry chef and owner of a bakery in Portland.  I hope you don't mind Robin!  (and where did you get the idea from?)