Geek in Heels - Page 129

Aug 5, 2010 • In Art/Design, Books, Infographics

The Conquest: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows [Infographic]

Artist Delane Meadows has created a fantastic map of the major characters’ travels in the 7th Harry Potter book:

In the desire to take something of fantasy and eluded it to be factual, I mapped out the travels of characters from the 7th installment of the Harry Potter books. I plotted out a time line that coincides with a map, along with key elements pointed out along the conquest.

I really wish a large, high-res version was available so that I can examine — and admire — the map in its full glory. But for the moment, these will have to do…

Via Digg.

31 Weeks

This past weekend I fell sick with a cold. I was secretly terrified, because the last time that I had gotten sick, I had also worried about how horrible the baby growing inside me must be feeling if I‘m feeling this bad…and just a few days later, found out that the baby had passed.

Needless to say, this time around I diligently took kick counts and even busted out the fetal doppler (which I haven’t used since I started to feel the baby moving) a few times.

I’m feeling much better now and I’m less worried about the baby, who is currently happily kicking away as I type this. I have my monthly OB appointment this Friday, so I will ask him to check everything with extra thoroughness then.

Yesterday was the official 2-month mark before my due date. That means that I now have less than two months to go! I know that most first moms go beyond their due dates, but I’m sincerely wishing that I deliver on time, or even just a bit early so that my small hips will be able to accomodate the baby.

My parents continue to bug me about my weight gain — they’re afraid that the baby will get too big and I will end up requiring a c-section. They also sigh whenever they see my swollen hands and feet. (Aren’t swollen hands and feet something that every pregnant woman experiences?)

“We’re worried about you. You’re getting too big! You need to exercise!”

“I can’t exercise. My hips hurt too much! I can barely get up without feeling like my hip bones are about to shatter…what makes you think I can exercise?”

“Tsk! Maybe if you exercise, you’ll strengthen your hips and you’ll feel better.”

“No, these are bone and joint and ligament pains. Exercising will not help.”

A few days later, they will have forgotten that we’ve had this conversation and they will start up again. Sigh.

Experts estimate that at 31 weeks, my baby now measures over 16 inches long and weighs between 3-4 lbs. She will now gain about half a pound per week (!) until about 2 weeks before delivery. Great! Even more weight for me to carry around!

As for me, I continue to have horrible hip pains, trouble breathing, and general discomfort all-around. I have not yet leaked any colostrum (some women do not until the baby is born) but my nipples have started to get dry and extra-sensitive, almost to the point of cracking. As such I bought a tube of Lasinoh Lanolin and managed to feel some relief. I also stocked up on a box of nursing pads just in case I do start leaking before the baby’s born.

Everytime I feel extra-miserable or want to b*tch and rant about all the inconveniences and discomforts of pregnancy, I tell myself that nothing in this world worth having comes easy. And it’s true — this pregnancy may be burdensome and distressing, but I still thank God every day for the little miracle growing inside of me.

The Periodic Table of Mad Men

We’re only three episodes in, but this season of Mad Men seems to be the best thus far! The greater risks, the bigger scandals, and the downward spiral of Don Draper’s personal life has made for some very good entertainment every Sunday night.

Here’s one for all the geeks who love Mad Men as much as I do (click to view large):

Via Flavorwire.

P.S. — Did you know that J’s office on Madison Avenue is on the same block as the Sterling Cooper building from seasons 1-3? And yes, he works in advertising…digital advertising.

My Murtaugh List

Last night, J and I watched the old episode of How I Met Your Mother which talks about the Murtaugh List.

Urban Dictionary defines the Murtaugh List as:

A list made famous from the TV show “How I Met Your Mother” inspired by Danny Glover’s charater Roger Murtaugh in the movie series “Lethal Weapon.” Murtaugh’s catch phrase in these movies was “I’m too old for this shit” Putting something on the Murtaugh List acknowledges that as you grow up, there’s stuff you just can no longer do that you did in your youth.

I have watched this episode numerous times before, but this time around I couldn’t help but remember that I will be turing 30 later this year and started to wonder what would be on my Murtaugh List.

According to the episode, the following items are on Ted (the main character)’s Murtaugh List:

Pulling an all-nighter
Get ear pierced
Hanging posters without frames
Crash on a friend’s futon
Eating an entire pizza in one sitting
Do laundry at mom’s house
Put off going to the doctor
Drinking shots with strangers
Leave an annoying two person message on your answering machine
Help someone move out of a sixth floor walkup in exchange for pizza and beer
Beer Bong
Going to a rave

While I can’t agree with everything on Ted’s list (I still enjoy the occasional drinking games like beer bong and flip cup), I certainly see eye-to-eye on most of them.

For example, the older I get the more I realize how intrusive — and sometimes presumptuous — to ask a friend to crash on their futon/couch/floor. (Sorry to all my friends whom I’ve done this to over the years!) Now, I only stay at a friend’s place if they offer first, and if they have a spare bedroom. Otherwise, I much prefer a hotel room for my own comfort, convenience, and privacy, in addition to my friends’ sanity.

Other items on my Murtaugh List would include:

Sleep past noon
Talk on the phone all night (because I can’t stay up all night anymore anyway)
TyPiNg LikE diS
Going to a bar with no money, with the assumption that I’ll find a guy to pay for my tab (yes, I’ve successfully done this many times in the past)
Do stupid dares in public
Hang Christmas lights indoors for decorative purposes
To “get” the Jonas Brothers or Justin Bieber
Drive around with really loud music, bass pumping, and windows rolled down

What about you? Do you have a Murtaugh List? Are there certain things you’ve found that you just can’t do anymore as you get older?

The Many (Or Just One) Faces of Michael Cera

Michael Cera may be one of the most typecast actors in Hollywood, but I have loved him since he was an awkward kid on Arrested Development and I continue to be a huge fan.

Via The Daily What.

P.S. — Is anyone else excited about the progress they’re making on the Arrested Development movie?

Can I Have Two Adorbz of the Day?

Because this illustration of a baby Chewbacca nom nom nomming a bottle of milk is too precious not to share! I would love to get a print of this for the nursery, but it is not (yet?) available.

Via Neatorama.

Star Wars Cupcakes

They have a LEGO-esque feel to them, don’t they?

Via Geekologie.

Adorbz of the Day

I die.

Via The Daily What.

Inter-Faith Marriages

Yesterday, I read an article in USAToday stating that the recent wedding of Chelsea Clinton, a Methodist, and Marc Mezvinsky, a Conservative Jew, reflects the growing rate of inter-faith marriages in the US.

Congrats to the happy couple — Chelsea Clinton looks to be positively glowing…and what a gorgeous gown!

According to the article:

Two decades ago, 25% of U.S. couples didn’t share the same faith. That was up to 31% by 2006-08, according to the General Social Surveyby the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. The number was even higher, 37%, in the 2008 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Both surveys included people who crossed major traditions, such as Jewish-Protestant, believers married to the unaffiliated, and Protestants of different denominations, such as former president Bill Clinton, a Baptist, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Methodist.

Seeing that the latest date in the excerpt above is 2008, I’m guess that the number of inter-faith marriages in the US is even higher today — perhaps at about 40% based on the trends above.

With this data in mind, I can’t help but wonder…how important is sharing the same faith (or lack thereof) when deciding to tie the knot?

To me, it is very important. My faith affects everything from the very definition of marriage to why/how I resolve conflict to where we spend Sunday mornings.

J’s family is atheist, but he attended a Baptist boarding school in England and so learned about Christianity through the mandatory services and other Christian-based procedures practiced by the school. When we started dating, he was not a church-goer, but considered himself a Christian. As such, he had no problem when I suggested that he start attending church with me.

However, my husband and I started as different denominations: he was a Baptist, while I was raised and remain a Presbyterian (PCA, not PCUSA). And although he agreeably accompanied me to my church, he was bewildered and a bit shocked at the different worship styles (the British Baptist style of worship is very traditional, with set rituals, organs and hymnals while I am used to the American contemporary style of worship) and the Calvinist concepts of predestination and total depravity.

In addition to denominational differences, I cannot say that we were on the same page — spiritually speaking — as I have attended church regularly all my life and like to think that I have an intimate relationship with God. J believes in the basic tenants of Christianity but has yet to form a fully devoted connection with his faith.

Despite the differences, I love the fact that my husband is willing to learn and receptive to a more intimate relationship with God, as well as to my denomination. I love that he agreed to pre-marital counseling through the church, and wants to raise our children as Christians. I also love that he is willing to forgo Sunday afternoon NFL games to attend church with me.

So while marrying a Christian man was extremely important to me, the different denominations and dedication to our faith was not too big of a problem in our case.

Still, the fact remains that I could have never married a non-Christian. This isn’t to say that all inter-faith marriages are doomed for failure; I just could never do it myself. Just like people with strongly opposed political views, or even a dedicated vegan marrying a meat-lover, there are couples out there who make it work. However, I believe that if your beliefs are that strong and that important in your life, you need to find someone who compliments and accepts them and lives to build you up in them.

What do you think? How much of a factor does faith play when choosing a marriage partner? Are you and your spouse/SO on the same page when it comes to religion? If not, how do you make it work?