I have to admit, there’s nothing like finding a scientific paper on zombies, mummification, and, er, caterpillars to put me in the Halloween mood. It’s got it all: mind-controlled caterpillars who submit to their fate, controlled by a monster that isn’t even sentient. Then, the mindless monster sparks wars, is used to cheat in races, and scientists… Read More Zombie Caterpillars
this morning on my way into work. I think I can expect this to continue for the next several months, and frankly I don’t like it. I was excited to get to work, and see some data on a project, but on the other hand I just wanted to turn around, go home, and go… Read More It was Dark
I have a story in an anthology! I’m pretty excited about this, because not only am I happy about the tale I told, it’s in the company of some pretty great work by authors I respect. It’s available as ebook and paperback, and it’s in the Kindle Unlimited pool. I can’t wait to hear from… Read More Anthology Appearance
I have been listening to audiobooks and podcasts at work to pass the time, and have discovered that while I thought that audiobooks were far too slow, and narrator’s voices annoying, with further exploration I found some that work for me, by accelerating playback speed and choosing non-fiction. I do have one fiction I’m listening… Read More Faces Turned to the Past
The second section in what will be a three-parter this year. It’s been very busy, and I had a small health hiccup that set me back a bit for time – which is why the blog went quiet for a couple of days, sorry. Life, work, and family: they all have priority. However, I have… Read More Inktober Part 2
I read a pair of articles this week about spiders, their genes, venom, and silk. It was a fascinating glimpse into the little creatures I already am fascinated with. I had no idea how complex the arachnid genome is, much more than a human’s. And untangling that genetic riddle could lead to advances in textiles,… Read More Spidersilk
After a few days away, I’m back on routine. It’s been… interesting. You know what they say about life being interesting. I was telling Mom when we were chatting the other day I’m ready for some stability (and boredom) in my life for a couple of years. You know, to kind of rest after the… Read More Chatter and Book Reviews
A quick round up of some links of interest to me, and perhaps you as well. 3D printing has fascinating potential, but is not taking off as quickly as was initially predicted, due in part to not being adopted by industry for multipurposes that proponents of the new tech suggested. However, it is slowly gaining… Read More Bees, medicine, and corn printers
Have you ever wondered why there is such a broad diversity of flower shapes? What dictates that this plant will have two petals, this one five, and that one over there 200 or more? The answer is in the genes, of course, but flowers themselves are an interesting genetic phenomenon. The cells that develop into… Read More A Profusion of Petals
It’s a funny thing, what we link words to. The First Reader and I were chatting yesterday as we made a fun expedition to Jungle Jim’s (still our favorite date destination, if somewhat less fun on a weekend when it’s crowded. We solve the problem of kids who also love JJ by handing them some… Read More Word Associations
This was a somewhat challenging recipe to make, as you’ll see that there are no directions for making the cookies, just a list of ingredients. What I decided that I would do was to mix the ingredients up, and cook them as if I were making one of my other gingerbread recipes. One thing I… Read More Vintage Kitchen: Muster Gingerbread
This was originally posted in full at According to Hoyt in July 2014 and the comments got rather lengthy. I am a weapon. When the time comes to strike, the tool I happen to use is not the weapon, the squishy gray stuff between my ears is. In aid of keeping my weapon sharp, I… Read More Repost: Keep Calm and Have a Plan