Quote for the day (8/26/2008)

From Ellen Tien:

Divorce is no longer the shame that spits stain upon
womanly merit. Conventional wisdom decrees that marriage takes work, but it
doesn't take work, it is work. It's a job -- intermittently fulfilling and
annoying, with not enough vacation days. Divorce is a job too (with even fewer
vacation days). It's a matter of weighing your options.

Here is a link to the complete article.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/08/26/o.divorce.dreams/

I have been feeling particularly in need of company lately and I really enjoyed Ellen Tien's take on marriage and divorce. And while she made this comment about divorce, I rather feel this way about marriage:

Having choices is a cornerstone of strength: Choosers won't be
beggars. "Thinking about divorce is kind of like living in New York City with
its museums and theater and culture," a doctor friend of mine said. "You may
never actually go to any of these places, but for some reason, just the idea
that you could if you wanted to makes you feel better."

In my many attempts to rebuild my life between disasters, I find myself much less tolerant of things that used to just be. People who don't call when they say they will. Dogs who try to eat people when they shouldn't. Cats who seem to forget who you are until you have food in your hand. Among these things, I have discovered one rather irritating thing about myself - as I rebuild my life I still go marching right in to the next disaster thinking "Maybe this time will be more fun than the last even if the outcome isn't any better!" And off I go.

While "an optimist" is not generally the word people think of when they think of me, I guess in a crazy way I am. I can't help but believe there is a reward out there, and the journey of life is finding it.

A Woman's Brain

This is the best article I have seen in a long time about the differences in how men and women react to things - and well worth noting.

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/articlematch.aspx?cp-documentid=8860752&GT1=32023

I thought it was particularly interesting that the person who wrote this article also wrote a book called "Man With Farm Seeks Woman With Tractor"

Contrary to this article, I am the worst person at remembering all of those special little dates - I think my ex kept moving them around on me because he knew I wouldn't know the difference. But this definitely put a smile on my face today.

Hydrogen Cars (8/14/2008)

Hydrogen cars are, in my opinion, the best new fuel option for replacing current gasoline powered vehicles. There is currently a procession of Hydrogen fueled cars making its way across the country. The fuel cells were produced by companies such as UTC Power in South Windsor and was lead by a CT Transit hydrogen fuel cell bus. The purpose of the tour is to raise awareness of automobiles as a significant application of fuel cell technology.

To give an idea of the capabilities of these vehicles, the Hyundai Tucson vehicle has a range of 180 miles on 4 kg of compressed hydrogen - which is roughly equivalent to 4 gallons of gas. The water produced as emissions is clean enough to drink. Other cars in the armada included BMW, Daimler, GM, Honda, Kia, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagon. (BMW had to be special and use liquefied hydrogen in a bi-fuel standard combustion engine versus the others which used hydro-electric engines.)

Wondering where a cross country caravan of Hydrogen cars will fuel up? California has 25 hydrogen fueling stations. Outside of that, Linde North America, one of the largest producers of hydrogen and the supplier of technology and liquid hydrogen to BMW, is part of the convoy with a fueling truck. However, a 2 meter solar cell array can produce enough electricity to run an electrolyzer that can take hydrogen out of water. Right now the US produces 9 million tons of hydrogen a year - enough to fuel 34 million automobiles. Most of which currently goes to producing ammonia used for fertilizer and hydrogenated oils in such edibles as shortening.

Fuel cell technology goes back to the 50's where it was being looked at for use in space travel (fuel that becomes water the astronauts can drink - nice benefit!). UTC Power and Union Carbide were both ground breakers in Fuel Cell technology. FuelCell Energy makes fuel cells large enough to power and heat convention centers - but those run off of bio-fuels. Proton Energy Systems gets its hydrogen from water and has more than 1200 commercial hydrogen systems around the world. It has helped to set up fueling operations in the US and Europe.

Another Day Another Dollar

As I cycle through my day full of ups and downs, successes and frustrations, I have to wonder if it is worth the dollar that it brings.

I ask myself the following questions at least once a day:
1) Why am I here?
2) Is God trying to punish me, or does he just have a weird sense of humor?
3) If I leave now, will anyone notice?
4) If Samson could whip the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass in the ultimate hissy-fit, what could I get away with?
5) Will I get the hug I need when I really need it? Can I have it now whether I need it or not? (Ok, so I am not the most patient person...)

As for this particular day, probably not worth the dollar, but since yesterday was worth 2 then I figure its all working out.

Life Love and the Pursuit of whatever makes you feel good!

Jennifer

A New Day

Let's see what excitement this day holds.