That's right, folks...I've been so quiet lately, that I figure it's time to throw something up here...and lucky you, it's a Double Feature! You should feel special.  (Read more)

My family has always been a little strange. Not strange in the, “Hey look, they’re performing ritual animal sacrifices in their front yard!” way, just strange in the, “Only they would get a kick out of that!” way. Take, for instance, our love of an oddity in the world of grammar known as heteronyms. What are heteronyms, you ask? Well, they are two words that are spelled alike, but have two completely different meanings and pronunciations.  (Read more)

I was there, and gone, long before you showed up.  (Read more)

We are music nuts. Nate and I have a vast, extremely eclectic music collection, and we are both musicians (well, we us that term loosely). Our cat’s namesake is a Smashing Pumpkins song; my blogs all have song titles. I told my students once that I would give five bucks to anyone who can catch me in my car without the stereo going. Many have tried, but none have succeeded in catching me in such a moment. Yes, we are music nuts.  (Read more)

My tutoring students and I just finished another book—Animal Farm, by George Orwell. If you want a feel-good book…don’t read this.

Orwell is very clearly an author who enjoys taking the problems of the world and finding ways to show readers his perspectives through fiction. Animal Farm is dark, disturbing, and thought-provoking. I don’t think “enjoy” is quite the word I would use to describe how I felt as I read through it, but I thought it was worth the read.  (Read more)

I have an Aunt Candace—she’s my namesake! If you stood us next to each other, though, you would see we don’t really have that much in common. She tall and thin, I’m…not. She’s blonde; I’m brunette. She’s a vegetarian; I’m a carnivore. She’s traveled all over the world; I’ve been outside of the United States once. She’s had exotic animals as pets; mutt cats are as exotic as I get.  (Read more)

Honestly, it's the bane of my existance as a mediocre artist. I die a little inside whenever I see someone use the font. Clearly, I am not alone.  (Read more)

Candace said I complained about her not posting anything. She then tried to rub it in my face that she's been making regular updates, and I haven't done a thing. What she's not telling you (or herself) is that she told me months ago that she wanted to write on the website more. I never made such a promise. So, why am I being held to someone else's standard?
</sarcasm>  (Read more)

Trivia: Did you know that one of the best puns ever at Disneyland was unintentional? Captain Hook's pirate ship, which was present at Disneyland's opening, contained a restaurant inside that served great tuna sandwiches (well, they were supposedly great—I wasn’t there). As a result, the frequently cowardly Hook was sponsored by Chicken of the Sea.  Nice!  (Read more)

In church a while ago, Nate and I heard Norm Wakefield, a friend of our family, speak on grace and worth. I have been so blessed to have grown up in a home where grace was taught and lived out; but due to my own sinful nature, I believe the concept still eludes me at times. I want to feel as though I have earned my salvation by all the wonderful things I am doing and how I am living my life. The irony lies in the fact that, if that were really true, I’d have been doomed on the day I was born.  (Read more)