My English site, Lawless English, has information both for non-native speakers (ESL lessons), written in English, French, and Spanish, as well as a series of lessons on typically confusing English pairs for native speakers, (it’s vs its, affect vs effect, etc.) I recently created a blog to highlight new features – check it out!
Artistic tomatoes
I know this photo looks totally staged, but it wasn’t. I had a bunch of not-quite-ripe cherry tomatoes, so I set them out on the marble table in a strip of sunshine. Then when I glanced at them a few minutes later, I saw this lovely reflection.
Life without chocolate?
I’ve always known that I have something akin to an allergy to caffeine. If I drink one cup of coffee today but not tomorrow, I will get a pounding headache. Lots of people get headaches when they’re used to drinking coffee and then miss a day, but mine is immediate – coffee yesterday but not today = headache. And it’s the kind that doesn’t go away with aspirin – it lasts for at least 24 hours, unless I give in and have coffee. Another problem is that if I have the slightest bit of caffeine within 5 or 6 hours of bedtime, I won’t be able to sleep until 2am finally rolls around.
I can live without coffee, but I’ve now confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that chocolate has the same effect on me. If I eat a couple of chocolate almond clusters, the headache is waiting for me right around the corner. So the question is, should I just give up coffee and live headache free? Or should I continue to enjoy this wonderful treat and just make sure to have some every single day? The latter seems very appealing, but I’m not wild about the idea of consuming something that my body has made it so clear I shouldn’t. Too bad it can’t seem to get the message across to my tastebuds. 🙁
.htaccess password generator
Password protecting a file or folder on your website isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but this .htaccess password generator helps a lot. (Actually, the trouble I had – including temporarily password protecting my entire site and being asked for a password over and over – was due to my own feebleness. Theoretically, it really shouldn’t be hard at all.)
Metz, Lorraine, France
The north-eastern French region of Lorraine is the only one that borders three countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany) and that has two cities of equal importance (Metz and Nancy). Despite what some people told me, Metz is a very beautiful city, and the cathedral in particular is spectacular.
My Fishbowl
Usually I get an idea for an art project and let it simmer for a while. I have a few ideas that I’ve been kicking around for years – they may never get done. But My Fishbowl was different: I thought of it while lying in bed, spent the morning working on it, and it was up on the wall shortly after lunch.