I don't feel well but I don't want to disturb my doctors!

It is one of brilliant British people's problems! Some of them certainly reminds me of my dear hubby :)

The downside of having an honest husband

is that your self-esteem is getting smashed from time to time. 

I was packing up for our trip to Perth, and a swimming suit turned out to be a necessity because we are going to stay at a beach hotel.  Since I haven't worn any swimming suit for quite some time, so I tried one on and asked for MM's opinion. 

He SIGNED and said, "It looks OK, Um, JUST BUY A NEW ONE when we are there..."

Married couples are happier when they commute in the same direction

As shown by a new study.  No wonder MB and I have been quite happy ;)    The future looks pretty good too,  because there seems no residential property on the street that divides our institutions. 

Bell pepers 16 ways

A collection of recipes by Mark Bittman.   Bell peppers, or capsicums as called in Australia, have been on sale lately in Canberra markets.  So it is right on time!  I pickled a jar with olive oil, red wine vinegar and garlic the other day and it was very good in salads.  

Why Is It Hard to Make Friends Over 30?

An interesting NYT piece talks about the challenges of making good friends in mid-life.  It turns out not only we are busier, but also we become fussier...

The new elitists = cultural omnivores?!

One interesting piece in NYT that talks about how "Omnivorousness is part of a much broader trend in the behavior of our elite, one that embraces diversity..."


Here are a couple of quotes:

To talk of “elite culture,” it seems, is to talk of something quaint, something anti-American and anti-democratic. Whereas the old elites used their culture to make explicit the differences between themselves and the rest, if you were to talk to members of the elite today, many would tell you that their culture is simply an expression of their open-minded, creative, ready-to-pounce-on-any-opportunity ethic. Others would object to the idea that they were part of an elite in the first place.

Unlike the shared class character of Gilded Age elites, omnivores seem highly distinct and their tastes appear to be a matter of personal expression. Instead of liking things like opera because that’s what people of your class are supposed to like, the omnivore likes what he likes because it is an expression of a distinct self. Perhaps liking a range of things explains why elites are elite, and not the other way around. 

Birth to 12 years in 2 minutes, 45 seconds

Filmmaker Frans Hofmeester shot a video of her daughter every week since she was born and now she is 12 years old...Wow!

I wonder if somebody will be lucky enough to be video-taped weekly for the entire life.  It would be a bit sad to watch though when he/she is getting old.  

I always wonder when that 1st wrinkle on my face showed up...