3 Question Personality Test

If you haven't got much time, and can't afford a shrink, then take the 3 question (3 second) personality test. It's based on the Myers Briggs system, which I think is one of the best. I'm an INFJ, hence, an idealist. See what you are.....

Your Personality Is

Idealist (NF) You are a passionate, caring, and unique person. You are good at expressing yourself and sharing your ideals. You are the most compassionate of all types and connect with others easily. Your heart tends to rule you. You can't make decisions without considering feelings. You seek out other empathetic people to befriend. Truth and authenticity matters in your friendships. In love, you give everything you have to relationships. You fall in love easily. At work, you crave personal expression and meaning in your career. With others, you communicate well. You can spend all night talking with someone. As far as your looks go, you've likely taken the time to develop your own personal style. On weekends, you like to be with others. Charity work is also a favorite pastime of yours.

New Scooter!

There can't be anything more exciting than buying a new scooter! I just got to ride it 11 miles back to my house. It goes faster than my other scooter, and it's black! I also bought a new raincoat/ reflective vest, and a lock. Too bad the weather wasn't better for riding today.........

The Little People

Anthropologists can't believe it, but in 2003 they actually found evidence of a 'hobbit-like' people that lived on the island of Flores in Indonesia, as recently as 18,000 to 13, 000 thousand years ago. These people, which evolutionary biologists think were an offshoot cousin (pardon the pun) of the Homo erectus in Asia, were about the size of a three year old child. As modern humans moved into Asia, and our Homo erectus ancestors eventually became extinct, scientists believe that the 'hobbit' people were locked in time on the island, and survived. "Homo Floresiensio" may have co-existed with modern humans for 30,000 years until they died out!

Apparently there are legends in the surrounding Indonesian islands about little people living in caves. Indeed there must have been some interaction between modern humans and Homo Floresiensio. Anthropologists believe that the Flores people may have evolved a small stature through natural selection. Living in a contained environment, their small stature may have been an advantageous adaptation to food supply sources and sharing territory. Despite their small brains, Homo Floresiensio hunted in groups, formed stone tools, crossed water barriers, and used fire.

Other anthropologists dispute that the hobbits were a separate species of Homo, but think they were a group of 'cretin' or deformed modern humans that were isolated on the island. But Homo Floresiensio existed on the island from 95,000 thousand years ago to 13,000 thousand years ago, before modern humans arrived in the area. Homo erectus was the only known species of Homo living in Indonesia 95,000 years ago.

It is truly amazing that Homo Floresiensio (13,000 years ago) may have been our last Homo cousin to walk the earth, at a time when scientists assumed modern humans completely dominated the planet. Unless Yeti is real......

Fall

There's nothing like autumn in New England. Beautiful scenery and fun things to do. Here are some photos of my nephew and niece having fun last weekend in Maine.

Haunted History

In honor of my love for Halloween, and history, take this haunted history quiz. I got 8/10 correct.
http://encarta.msn.com/quiz_284/haunted_history_quiz.html

Making Wool and Cider

Yesterday I visited a gentleman's house in Berwick, Me, with my family. His name is Peter Cook, and he's a former colleague of my brother-in-the-law. Currently he's a professor at Lesley University, among other duties and activities. Peter's an expert in Early American History, particularly on the subject of textiles. In 1996 he was the historical consultant for the movie "The Crucible."

Peter lives in an early 18th century farmhouse, with all the fixings. He gave us a tour of the house and barn, and also treated us to 'real' apple cider. We made the cider using a grinder and presser from the 1700's. On the farm there are also "Lincoln Longhair" sheep, which were the sheep raised during Colonial days. Peter uses their wool to demonstrate the carding and spinning techniques of the olden days. It was quite an arduous process, spinning wool.

Idealistic Dolly............................................................Real Dolly
My Nephew Grinding the Apples

The finished product

All in the Family

granddaughter............................... grandmother

It's a bit uncanny, but I guess expected too, how family resemblances will skip generations, or appear if you compare people at similar ages. Here's a view of some members of my family......


niece.............................................................................aunt

niece (left).........................................................................aunt in Norway (3rd from left)

mother (back, 3rd from left) ....................................daughter

son, age 5 .....................................mother, left, about same age

The Famous 1862 Battle Seige at Uxbridge, Mass.

Well, not exactly, as there weren't any Civil War battles fought in Massachusetts, but there was a reenactment this weekend. I did not participate, but was a spectator. I enjoyed standing in the audience and listening to people confuse the Civil War with the Revolutionary War. Still, it was interesting to get another perspective, and to not have the taste of gunpowder in my mouth, or to have briars stuck on my butt.

By the way, Lee and Grant were there to orchestrate the battle of 200 soldiers. I know. Critics may find reenactments grossly inaccurate. But overall living history does get the public interested. This past July at the reenactment of Gettysburg, there were 14, 000 soldiers and 70,000 spectators! Reeving up interest in American history also helps us to save the precious remaining Civil War battle sites from development.

The Blues marching off for battle, my unit among them, after getting primed. Everybody has to clear their rifle. At large reenactments, people have gotten killed with bullets and projectiles left in rifle barrels. The gunpowder charge alone can injure or kill too.

The battle. Unfortunately, my camera's battery died, so it ain't so exciting. But you can hear
a little kid in the background. very cute.

The Nicholas Brothers

The amazing Nicholas Brothers, Fayard (1914-2006) and Harold Nicholas (1921-2000), have been called the greatest tap dancers of their time, perhaps ever. The brothers were born in Alabama and North Carolina, respectively, but grew up in Philadelphia during the 1920's. Their parents were both talented musicians with their own band, and Fayard and Harold Nicholas as youngsters were exposed to various vaudeville acts at the Strand Theatre, including dancing. Later as teens Fayard and Harold Nicholas performed at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem in 1932.




Amazingly, the brothers never had any formal training in dance, yet were both teachers and masters in every respect. Their style of dancing was called "Flash Dancing," a combination of tap, ballet, and acrobatics. Their most famous dance sequence---'Jumpin Jive'--- in the movie "Stormy Weather," was cited by Fred Astaire as the greatest filmed dance sequence he had ever seen. This sequence is where the brothers dance their famous "leapfrogging' move. See for yourself.

Stormy Weather 1943

Holy Sightings

The Virgin Mary is getting around these days. Most recently, she's been sighted in a hospital window in Milton, MA. That might seem apropos, since she's busy saving lives or souls at the hospital.


But what the hell (heck) is she doing on a piece of toast, a frog's belly, a rock??? Seems a bit undignified.

(Looks more like Greta Garbo to me)
(Proof of evolution? No, it's the Virgin Mary)


People will come for miles to see Virgin Mary sightings, and lay down flowers and light candles and pray.

Drummer Boys

My nephews Zach and Gavin, playing the drums in the barn.

Antiques

The Brownie Reflex Synchro Model (1941-52)
I went antiquing again today with my sister and her friend Shari in Maine. We actually brought along one of the kids (the 8 year old) with us, and he behaved well and enjoyed himself (for the most part). He made some funny comments such as: "28 bucks for that?"

Despite rain, wind, puddles, and mud, three different antique shops were scoured from top to bottom. We were 3 women on a mission, not to be thwarted. Shari bought a spinning wheel for 35 dollars, (apparently quite a buy) and Jan got a desk and some candle holders. Since she lives in a farm house built in 1860 or so, antiques look fantastic in her kitchen and den (the oldest part of the house). I got a view-master (bake-lite), a brownie camera, and binoculars. These items look good on my numerous bookshelves.
Complete with box

Sawyer's Black Bake-lite View-Master, late 40's, with box & Manual. Reels include Acadia National Park, Maine Seacoast, Franconia Notch, & Old Covered Bridges of New England.
Vintage Binoculars, unknown make. I found another similar style binoculars made in the 1940's.

More on the Neandertals

Here's a short video recreation of what the first interaction of modern humans and Neandertals may have been like. We know eventually the interaction was fatal for the Neandertals, but they did co-exist in Europe with modern humans for 14,000 years. There had to have been extensive interaction, including mating, trading, sharing goods, or fighting. Scientists have shown that the Neandertals' DNA was significantly varied genetically from Cro-Magons. Perhaps they were a sub-species, and therefore offspring weren't likely viable. Even if offspring did survive, they would have been few, and their DNA would eventually be barely detectable, due to modern humans' more viable and populous genes.

Did Man Kill the Neanderthals?

Sister, You Ain't No Hillary

Got together with some friends for brunch today.... We talked politics. I had to look this up after a friend mentioned it. Very funny.

A Few Good Women Part 1

After reading most of Lillian Faderman's "To Believe in Women:What Lesbians Have Done For America-A History," I'd like to highlight a few women that I believe are unsung, outstanding pioneers in American History.

1.Jane Adams (1860-1935).

This remarkable woman was a social reformer and philanthropist extraordinaire. She is most known for founding the Hull House in Chicago, in 1889, a community 'settlement' house. Hull House was innovative for the times, and Adams' services were a front-runner for later community opportunities, such as adult education evening classes and daycare. During the FDR administration, many of Adams' ideas contributed to New Deal policies. Hull House provided classes, a soup kitchen, a gym, library, childcare, a swimming pool, and art gallery to the poorer communities in Chicago. It is still in existence today. Upper middle class, educated women would stay at Hull House, volunteering their money and time. This opened up 'career' opportunities for women in the 1880's, that later became the field of social work.

Jane Adams was also an avid social activist, fighting for the rights of many. She was intricately involved in child labor laws, women's suffrage, immigrant rights, and was a member of NAACP. Adams was also a peace activist during W.W.I. She chaired and founded many organizations, such as "The Women's International League of Peace and Freedom." Needless to say, Jane Adams was vehemently attacked and accused of Communism, Socialism, etc. Her intimate relationships with other women and her 'spinsterhood' also left her open to ugly criticisms. Still, her lifelong dedication to a better society was rewarded and recognized in her later years. In 1931, she was the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Hail to this great American heroine!

Hiatus

Wow! It's been awhile since I wrote here on the Quibley Corner. My computer was down & infected with a virus. The virus posed itself as anti-virus ware, then preceded to take over my computer! It was a frustrating march through mini-hell, not having internet access. Anyway, I'm back. This photo, taken by the great artist JD, expresses my angst well.

The Pied Piper of Southern Maine

My sister, leading a horde of children with a pinata, at the annual Barn Bash recently held at their house in Maine.

Zach Attack! Oh, Senior Pinata, you're not long for this world....