The Sociology of Earbuds

Earbuds (and the iPods/mp3 players attached to them) have changed the world. I admit, I’m guilty myself. While walking my dog or commuting on the bus, I get bored. I’m not much for music in my ear. (I prefer to listen to music in the air, not through earbuds.) But I love podcasts.  For me it’s mostly recordings from AncientFaith Radio and occasionally Mushing Magazine.  (Yeah, I’m a bit odd.)

Here we are, crammed in a bus, but no one communicates. I sit next to someone, so close that we have to tense up to keep from touching, but yet neither one acknowledges the other; we both are in the world of our recordings.  It’s just not right.

So sometimes I rebel. I’ve made friends with the morning bus driver. We’re usually the only ones talking on the bus. I’m not sure what the others think of our chattering.  But the driver tells me she looks forward to picking me up each day.

But I still plug in on my evening commute. A couple of days ago I sat down and plugged in as usual. A young woman sat close to me. I smiled at her. I recognized her from somewhere.  But I was already plugged in, so I didn’t say anything.  Then the bus stopped and waited while a young girl gathered her musical instrument and backpack and got off the bus. We watched her, our eyes showing our concern for the young girl riding the bus alone.

When she had gotten off, I paused my podcast, looked at the young woman and said, “She seems kind of young to riding the bus by herself.”

That comment started a conversation.  I asked the young woman where I knew her from, and she said it was just from the bus. (I still think I know her from somewhere else, perhaps the Table, where I eat lunch frequently, but she could be right.) We exchanged names, I asked her what she was studying, she asked about my job, where I lived, what I was listening to. I made a new friend on the bus, and I look forward to seeing her again. 

What a concept: Making a new friend on the bus. It used to happen all the time; but now it’s an oddity.  And it makes me concerned for the future of our society.

Maybe I’ll unplug more often.

Review of Faith Reborn: A Personal Apologetics

I love true stories. Telling a story - especially a true story or testimonial - is one of the best ways to communicate. This story of a man's recovery of faith is told from the heart. But it's more than a story. It's an explanation of some of the best reasons for the Christian faith. I recommend it for anyone who is struggling to believe.


You can see the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

Review of Spiritual Anorexia: How Contemporary Worship Is Starving the Church

I urge everyone to read this book. It will open your eyes to what is ailing today's church. This book is a welcome change from the modern "seeker friendly" philosophy that pervades our churches. If we worship a holy God, then our worship needs to reflect that. The modern church is missing out on a rich and beautiful tradition that dates back two thousand years to the time of Christ and the apostles. Reading this book will introduce you to that tradition and bring a fresh perspective on the meaning of worship.

 You can see the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

True Tales of the Unexplained Book Review

True Tales of the Unexplained Book Review
A pastor writing about ghosts, UFOs, werewolves, demons and other paranormal manifestations? Sounds impossible? Not when the author is Robin Swope, the "paranormal pastor," whose blog has an avid following. This book is an easy--and interesting--read. It also suffers from the lack of editing so common in most self-published books, including some spots where it's obvious that the writing first appeared in a blog. But if you can look past those flaws, you'll find a fascinating book.

You can see the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

That's One Determined Dog

Another great dog video I found. We could all learn something from Gus's determination.

I invented the iPad in 1970

Move over, Al Gore. You may have invented the internet, but I invented the iPad, the iPhone and the many other tablet devices that are coming out.

It really should be called the “Zhing Thing.”

I was in fifth grade. My school friends and I would soon be too old to play pretend, but I still wanted to hang on to that childhood joy. Plus, I hated sports. I still wanted to play pretend at recess, and I wanted my friends to join me. But at that age, I knew I needed to come up with something more interesting than house or pioneers.

So we were aliens from the planet Zhingm. A favorite hollowed out corner of the playground filled with weed trees (dubbed “The Hole”) became our spaceship. The rest of the grassy lot became the various planets we visited. We inhaled our food (called Chigamabobolu, with a soft ch pronounced like sh) and took in oxygen by osmosis instead of breathing. I called myself Chemey (soft ch again), and my friends followed suit with Chimey, Chomey, Chumey, etc.

Zhingm was new, sophisticated, and reminded everyone of Star Trek, which was current then. It was cool enough to draw most of the girls in my class away from sports, even if for a little while. And that made me happy.


Drawing from the Star Trek communicator idea, I came up with the “Zhing Thing.” The Zhing Thing was a multipurpose device we carried with us everywhere. I made mine out of a Good and Plenty candy box covered with paper. On it I drew all the different things that this amazing machine could do. Besides being a mobile phone (more of a walkie talkie type device, I think), it included a camera, tape recorder, TV, radio, record player, and possibly a weapon-type device. I don’t remember what else included, but it was pretty amazing.

I couldn’t even imagine videos at that time, much less a portable computer, and certainly not the internet. I couldn’t even imagine a portable calculator. But I did imagine carrying around a small device that could do multiple things. At that time, it seemed like the stuff of science fiction, something only aliens would be advanced enough to figure out. I never dreamed it would happen in my lifetime.

Now if only I could sue Apple for patent infringement.

Heady Waters Book Review

Heady Waters has all the elements of a good murder mystery - a bizarre killing, quirky characters, intrigue, a bit of romance -- all while wondering "who done it?" The author's legal expertise brings authenticity to his first novel, and the Nebraska setting is a refreshing change. Sure, there are a few typos and grammar/usage problems, commonly seen in self-published pieces, and the Kindle version has some formatting glitches. But overall, it's a good, entertaining read.

You can see the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

Murder on the Yukon Quest Book Review

I don't read much fiction, but hey, this one's about mushing so I had to read it. I read her book Murder on the Iditarod Trail several years ago and enjoyed it, so I decided to pick this one up. It's a good old-fashioned murder mystery, but it's set during the Yukon Quest, a 1000 mile race from Whitehorse, Yukon, to Fairbanks, Alaska. The checkpoints and race info was accurate, but because it was a work of fiction, the mushers were all fictional, which was a bit unnerving. However, I took comfort that one of the dogs in the race was named Silver. That's the name of Brent Sass's lead dog. Brent has attained hero status for rescuing other mushers, and he gives all the credit to Silver.

You can see the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

Heaven is For Real Book Review

I just finished reading Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back.  This readable and engaging book tells the true story of a little boy's near death experience during an appendectomy. Several months after his surgery, three-year-old Colton began telling his parents bits and pieces of what he saw in heaven. Many of the anecdotes defy explanation. For instance, Colton told his parents that he had a sister in heaven. His mother had had a miscarriage but hadn't told Colton. You can see the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

Publishing Today: How E-books and Self-Publishing Have Changed the Writing World

What a difference two years makes.  Just two years ago I attended a panel discussion about "The Future of Publishing," which was part of the Nebraska Summer Writer's Conference. The panelists seemed to be stuck in the past. They talked about traditional publishing and didn't even bring up ebooks or self-publishing until someone in the audience dared mention it; and then it was "pooh-poohed" (for lack of a better term).

This year the panel focused on e-books, print-on-demand and how to use social media to promote your writing. The panelists included a couple of agents, three writers, a publicist, and an editor with a small publishing house.  Here are a few tidbits of info that I gleaned from the panel:

• Writers can use YouTube to promote your writing.  Here's a link a clever book trailer.  Because it's entertaining, it grabs your attention, and you don't realize it's a book trailer.  It's very well done.  (However, I still cringe when I see the pregnant woman drinking alcohol.  I know it's fiction and all, but it really bothers me.)
• What is success to you?  Is success selling thousands of books? Or is it simply telling your story.  The new world of e-books, blogging and self-publishing can help you reach your goal of telling your story.
• It's hard to find an audience for self-published fiction.  However, nonfiction seems to do well.  (And I was VERY pleased to note that there was no ranting about nonfiction writers needing to have a "platform.")
• Self-published books still need professional editing.
• Find an agent you can work with. Not all personalities will be able to work well together.
• Work on your craft. Make sure your writing is in the best shape it can be.
• Write now.
• Be open.
• Trust your instincts.
• Talk to others. (Critique groups are great.  I share this from personal experience.)
• Look at what you like to read and who publishes the books. 
• Write even if you don't feel like it.
• Be ready to sell your book and sell yourself.
• Tell the story. Only you can tell the story.
• Get to know independent book publishers.
• Have a book signing at a bar and give away a free glass of champagne if someone buys the book. (Split the cost with the bartender.)
• Pen names are usually only to hide a bad sales record.
• Don't put in changes in your book that you don't agree with.

I recently read "Christus Victor" by Gustaf Aulen

I admit, this is not an easy read.  It's quite deep, and I probably understood only about half of it.  But it gave a good history of the three different views of the atonement: the Eastern church fathers, the western view, and the modern liberal view.  It stretched my thinking, and I learned something, though personally I prefer books that are easier to understand.

You can see all the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

I just finished reading "The Jesus Prayer" by Frederica Mathewes-Green

This book is by my favorite podcaster on Ancient Faith Radio. The Jesus Prayer is an ancient prayer developed by the Desert Fathers. Quite simply, it's "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."  It's a simple, but powerful prayer. This book, written in an easily readable style, talks about how to pray the Jesus Prayer and how it can change you.

You can see all the books I've read so far (starting in 2011) here.

Beneficial Insects for the Garden: A Natural Pest Control Method

Not all bugs are bad for plants. Learn what makes some insects beneficial to your garden, some common beneficial bugs, and how to attract beneficial insects.

When you see a bug on your flowers, do you immediately grab the insecticide? Think again. Some insects kill common garden pests, help aerate and fertilize the soil, and pollinate your flowers. These beneficial insects are actually a form of do it yourself pest control.


Common Beneficial Insects

Lady Bugs
(or Lady Beetles) are easily recognized by their orange color and black spots. They eat aphids, which are frequent garden pests. Ladybug larvae, though not as easily recognized, eat as many as 40 aphids per day, making them tops in the beneficial category.



Praying Mantises
ambush and eat any kind of insect. Because they’re territorial, you aren’t likely to see a large concentration of praying mantises in any one garden. But the ones you do see are powerful predators that will benefit your garden.


Tachinid flies and parasitoid wasps (such as trichogramma wasps), though tiny, have a tremendous impact on the garden because they destroy many caterpillars, which feed on plants. They actually insert eggs inside the body of a caterpillar, and the larvae feed on the caterpillar host.


Bees spread pollen as they go from flower to flower. Pollination is important for ornamental flowers, but it’s also vital for many fruits and vegetables that depend on cross-pollination, such as squash, raspberries and fruit trees.
.

Lacewings have delicate transparent wings and green bodies. Both the larvae and the adult stages eat a variety of pests that you don’t want in your garden. The larvae actually latch onto insect eggs and soft bodied insects to suck them dry

Hover flies, also called syrphid flies are often seen hovering over flowers in the early spring and fall. The larval stage feeds on aphids, and the adult stage pollinates flowers.

Spiders, though not technically insects, are beneficial predators as well. Large orb weavers are commonly seen in the fall, but smaller spiders remain active all summer long. Not all spiders weave webs. Some prowl on the ground, searching for soft-bodied insects, while others create lairs to hide in while watching for prey.

Earthworms, which are also not technically insects, play an important role in aerating the soil, which is necessary for root and plant growth. They also help break down leaves into rich garden soil.

Pros and Cons of Using Beneficial Insects for Organic Pest Control

Many gardeners prefer to use beneficial insects rather than spraying their garden with unnatural and potentially harmful chemicals. However, relying on beneficial insects alone may mean you have to tolerate some damage to your plants. It’s a choice each gardener needs to make.



Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden

Plant a variety of flowers that will bloom all summer, including drought-resistant native wildflowers that will withstand potential rainless times in late summer. Many beneficial insects feed on nectar and pollen, so you may want to put out a small saucer of sugar water to supplement nectar, especially when rain is scarce. Make sure you change the water often to avoid stagnation.

Avoid using broad-range pesticides, which kill the good bugs along with the pests. Choose a less toxic product, such as insecticidal soap, and apply it in the evening, when the beneficial insects are less active. When possible, chose insecticides that target specific pests.

Buying Beneficial Insects

Biological supply houses sell beneficial insects of various types. You can purchase predators that feed on a wide variety of garden pests or choose insects and other organisms that target specific pests that might be a problem in your garden.

Relying on beneficial insects may take a little more patience, but it’s a satisfying way to garden without using chemicals and upsetting the balance of nature.

This article was originally published at Suite101 here.

Poor Dog

Everyone who has a dog can probably relate to this video.  It's become one of my favorites:

Blank Verse Poetry: Iditarod 2011

I'm currently developing a poetry curriculum, and I decided to write a unit on blank verse. Blank verse (for those who don't know) is poetry that has meter (or rhythm) but no rhyme. The most common meter used for blank verse is the ubiquitous iambic pentameter. (If you don't know what that is, look it up or buy my curriculum when it comes out.)

Most of Shakespeare's plays were written in blank verse. I was pleased to discover that my favorite poet, Robert Frost, also wrote many of his poems in blank verse. I always thought they were in free verse, but that is not the case. A couple of my favorite poems--Mending Wall and Birches--are classic examples of blank verse. Some of the lines deviate from the meter a bit, but that is typical in blank verse. Whether the poet varied the lines on purpose to break up the monotony or just couldn't fit certain thoughts into the meter is still up for debate.

I decided to try writing some blank verse of my own.  Of course, I wrote about my favorite subject--the Iditarod. Here's my first attempt at blank verse. (Just a word of clarification: the two mushers discussed are named Lance Mackey and John Baker. I used the first name or last name depending on which fit the meter.)


Iditarod 2011

This year it seemed that Lance would win again.
The four-time champ was spoken of by all.
And at the mushers’ start on Willow Lake,
The Mackey fans were confident and proud.

But as the race progressed through ice and snow,
His sixteen dogs soon dwindled down to nine.
The other dogs were taken in a plane,
To meet their master when the race was done.

And as the “ninesters” plodded down the trail,
The fans were hoping desperately still
That through some magic that the champ possessed
The team would win and make them proud again.

But in the end a native man named John,
A quiet musher, humble and serene,
Inupiaq by tribe from Kotzebue,
Would win the Last Great Race in record time.

The native dancers at the finish line,
The drumbeats pounding out the victory march,
The cheering fans that crowded round the chute
Brought tears to people all around the world.

What of the Mackey fans that were so sure
Their favorite would win the race this year?
The all agreed that seeing Baker win
Was just as satisfying after all.

Books about the Iditarod and Dogsledding

Like many mushing fans, I love to read books about sled dog racing. My favorite shelf on my bookshelf is the one with my mushing books. Here are some more of my favorite Iditarod books:

Father of the Iditarod - The Joe Redington Story by Lew Freedman. To be a true fan, you need to know how the Great Race started. This is the story of Joe Redington, his move to Alaska, his mushing career, and his dream to start a race across Alaska. Learn the challenges he faced and what the early days of the race was like. And discover other adventures that Joe enjoyed, such as mushing up Mount McKinley.

Iditarod Classics and More Iditarod Classics, both by Lew Freedman. These two books give short snippets about individual mushers and the adventures they faced. If you’ve been a fan a long time, the books will bring back memories of past mushers. If you’re a new fan, they’ll introduce you to the fascinating history of the race.

Iditarod Dreams: A Year in the Life of Alaskan Sled Dog Racer DeeDee Jonroweby Lew Freedman and Dee Dee Jonrowe. Dee Dee Jonrowe is a perennial favorite. In this book, Dee Dee shares how she started racing and gives you a glimpse into a year of her life, including training, her participation in a European race called the Alpirod, and finishing with the 1994 Iditarod. This book is a bit outdated, but it still gives a fresh look into an inspiring woman.

Backstage Iditarodby June Price. This book is a must for all fans. If you’re planning on coming to the race start, it gives you a preview of what to expect. If you just wish you were coming to the race start, it gives you an opportunity to experience it vicariously. June Price is a die-hard fan herself, and she shares from her personal experience.

Iditarod Fact Book: A Complete Guide to the Last Great Race 2nd Editionedited by Tricia Brown. This book is more of a reference book, though die-hard fans will read it from cover to cover. It starts with a year-by-year history of the race through 2006, and proceeds to facts about the race today, the checkpoints, dogs and training, gear and mushing terms and unforgettable people. An excellent reference to keep next to your computer while following the race.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart: Alaskan Adventures of an Iditarod Championby Jeff King (with Joe Runyan). Although written in first person, this isn’t a biography per se. It’s a series of stand-alone chapters, little vignettes from the life of a musher. It’s well written and very enjoyable, even if you’re not a mushing fan. “Breath of Life” tells the story of a dog who was miraculously revived by a fellow musher during the Yukon Quest. “Chowhound” is about Peg, a dog with an amazing appetite who ate a highway flare. My favorite chapter, “The Colonel,” tells about a Halloween visit from Norm Vaughan.

Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way: Unconventional Sled Dog Secrets of an Alaskan Iditarod Champion, Vol. 1by Mitch Seavey. This is a training manual, of sorts, written for dog mushers. What makes this story appealing for fans is that we can hear Mitch’s voice in the writing. There’s no editor here. It’s purely Mitch, with his dry wit and blunt honesty. Parts may find you laughing out loud. And you’ll learn a lot about mushing too, which will make you a very savvy fan.

The Lance Mackey Storyby Lance Mackey (with Joe Runyan). No list of mushing books would be complete without the inspiring story of Lance Mackey, who overcame addiction, poverty and cancer to become one of the best mushers in the history of the race. It’s a very well-written read and one that you won’t be able to put down.

Graveyard of Dreams- Dashed Hopes and Shattered Aspirations Along Alaska's Iditarod Trail by Craig Medved. The Iditarod is not just about the winners or even the front runners. It’s about all the mushers who attempt this great adventure. Graveyard of Dreams tells the story of several back of the pack mushers in the 2010 Iditarod, including some who made it to Front Street and some who did not. Relive the tragic stories of those who had to scratch or were withdrawn, as well as those who managed to finish.

What about you? What are some of your favorite books about the Iditarod or mushing? Leave a comment and share your favorites.

Dawson Dolly Singing my Song

Remember my song "16 dogs"? A couple years ago, the girls and I rewrote the lyrics to Tennessee Ernie Ford's classic song, "16 Tons." We changed it to "16 Dogs." The topic? The Iditarod, of course. You can read the original version and listen to the girls singing here.

A few months ago I shared the lyrics with "Dawson Dolly," an Alaskan entertainer I met on Facebook. I encouraged her to sing the song wherever she wanted. Together we made history. She's a good friend of musher Hugh Neff. When he left the Dawson City Checkpoint. Dolly sent him off with my song. (She changed the lyrics a bit to fit with the Yukon Quest.) It was an instant YouTube phenomenon. Here it is:

Do Lemmings Commit Suicide?

True or False: Lemmings periodically commit suicide by throwing themselves into the sea.

That’s what I was taught as a child. In fact, that’s what it says in the 1967 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia, which graced the walls of my living room when I was a kid. And if the World Book said it, then it had to be correct.

But it’s not.  In truth, lemmings do migrate occasionally, and during this mass migration, some may accidentally fall off cliffs. Others may swim across a lake, where they may accidentally drown. Perhaps that is where this weird idea started.

Lemming
Photo by photo.andersson.es
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anderssones/2824776654/

 The myth was perpetuated by 1958 Disney film called White Wilderness, which  showed footage of lemmings jumping off a cliff into the sea. In truth, the scene was faked. Filmmakers threw a few lemmings into the water to create the effect of hundreds of lemmings throwing themselves into the sea.

To the filmmakers credit, they did not actually state that the lemmings committed suicide, but rather that they thought the sea was a lake, and they set out to cross it, only to drown. However, the dramatic (albeit faked) movie scene simply reinforced the lemming suicide legend. I was shocked to discover that it was not true.

When I made this discovery, I shared it with my 16-year-old daughter.  “What?” she replied. “You mean there really is such an animal as a lemming?” She only knew of lemmings as part of a computer game she used to play.  (The game is still available in PC, PlayStation, or PSP format.)

The Telephone Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska: The Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum

A museum about the telephone? Actually, it's quite interesting. I recently toured the Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum for an article I was writing. The museum gained popularity after it was featured in the Jim Carrey movie Yes Man.


In this world of digital everything, it's easy to forget that clunky switchboards like the ones in the photo were still in use until the 1960s. In fact, the earliest switchboards were often in the operator's home. An older friend remembers a childhood friend who often had to miss school because her mother was sick and couldn't work the switchboard. This little girl had to stay home and work the switch board or the entire town would be without phone service.

The dial demonstrator shows how switches operated when a phone was dialed. Wally Tubbs, one of the founders of the museum who often leads school tours, says that most kids are kind of stumped when they see this exhibit, because they don't know how to dial a phone. They've only used touch tone phones.

Wally explained that the switches took up almost an entire city block. He described the process of tracing a call. When the police or 911 dispatcher contacted the telephone company about a call that needed to be traced, an employee needed to run all over the huge building to determine where the switches had connected. It was difficult work, but it needed to be done correctly, because sometimes (as with a 911 call), someone's life was at stake. Things are a lot easier now with Caller ID.

If you are passing through Lincoln, Nebraska (remember, it's right off I-80), you may want to take some time to visit this free museum. But call ahead. It's only open to the public on Sunday afternoons, but you may arrange a tour by calling 402-436-4640.

You can read my article here:

Overlooked Lincoln: The Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum

Handy Chart for Following the Major Sled Dog Races in Alaska

Photo by Frank Kovlachek

It's not just about the Iditarod. Sled dog races occur nearly every weekend from December through early April in Alaska. I've created a chart to keep track of the major races. Feel free to print out the chart and use it to record the winners of the major races, such as the Kuskokwim 300, the Copper Basin 300, the Kobuk 440, the Yukon Quest, and of course, the Iditarod.

Click here for the chart.

For more about the races, read my article, Alaska Sled Dog Races: Sprint, Mid-Distance & Long-Distance Races.

Mishka the Talking Husky Says I Love You

I can't get enough of Mishka, the talking husky. She's a husky; she says "I love you." What's not to like? Here's the video that started it all:

My First Impressions of the Kindle: Advantages and Disadvantages of a Kindle

Well, I caved. I just got a Kindle (Actually my husband got it for me as an early Christmas gift.)

I said I'd never do it. I wanted the feel of a book in my hands. But my husband got one for himself (early Christmas present again), and after I kept stealing his, I asked him to get me one.

I'm still figuring things out, but I'll share my first impressions:

Advantages of a Kindle:

1. It's insanely convenient. You can carry five thousand books in your purse. It's great for traveling. (Of course, I never travel, but if I did . . . ) And even when I'm not traveling, it's nice to always have a book (or a thousand books) handy when I'm waiting in line or stuck in traffic. (Well, the latter doesn't happen much where we live, but it's a thought.)
2. You can get an amazing number of books for free. This surprised me the most. There are tons of classic books available for free from the Kindle Store, and recent books are often free for a limited time. You can also get free books from the Gutenberg Project and save them in Kindle format, then drag and drop them onto your Kindle . If something isn't available in Kindle format, you can send it as an attachment to a special e-mail address, and it will deliver it automatically to your Kindle  .
3. Recent books are a little cheaper in Kindle format than print.
4. You can also surf the web (clumsy but it works), listen to mp3 recordings (music or podcasts), and play games.
5. You can increase the font size. (That would have come in handy when I had my eye infection. Plus, I'm trying to avoid bifocals.)
6. You can search for a certain word in a book.
7. The built-in dictionary is amazing. Simply place your cursor in front of the word, and the definition pops up.
8. You save a lot of trees.

Disadvantages of a Kindle

1. Yeah, it's not a book. For the most part this isn't a problem, but you can't "thumb through" a Kindle, and in some ways it's harder to do research. (Although the search feature can make it easier in some ways.)
2. You can't read it in the tub. (Well, I suppose you could, but you'd need to be careful not to drop it.)
3. Photos are only black and white at this stage. (I don't think I'll be buying The Meaning of Icons for Kindle.
4. It's harder to lend books to people. They are developing a feature where you can give a copy to someone for two weeks, while that book is absent from your Kindle . I guess that has the advantage of getting the book back after you lend it out, but it's still not the same. And it's especially a problem for a family. It's a lot easier to just keep a book on the shelf and everyone can read it when they want instead of wondering whose Kindle has the book now.

Still interested?  You can order a Kindle below:



I also recommend a cover, to protect your Kindle:

Early Summer is Mulberry Season

Eating mulberries is one of my favorite summer memories. My brother and I knew where all the mulberry trees were in our neighborhood, and every June we’d make the rounds, collecting the sweet, juicy fruits. I’m not sure what we did with the berries we collected. I do remember putting them on ice cream. Perhaps that’s because most of them ended up in our mouths instead of in the bowl.

I’ve passed on the love of mulberries to our children. While most people “diss” mulberry trees because they don’t like the purple stains from the berries, we actually planted a tree in our yard. Eating the first mulberry is the sign of summer in our house.

We still eat many of the berries straight off the tree, but we also manage to save some for future use. Mulberries freeze easily in little baggies and add a sweet taste and appealing color to fruit smoothies (simply mix nonfat yogurt and fruit in the blender to make a smoothie).

We also love the taste of freezer jam made with mulberries. Freezer jam is easy to make and preserves the freshly-picked flavor much better than canning. Just buy a box of pectin, lots of sugar, and follow the enclosed directions for raspberry freezer jam .

I love mulberries so much that I even wrote a couple of articles about them. You can see them here:

Collecting, Preserving, Using, Planting and Growing Mulberries

Mulberry Recipes for Jam, Syrup, Fruit Smoothie & Whip

What about you? Do you love or disdain mulberries? What are your favorite mulberry memories? Feel free to leave a comment.

Controlled Burns on Grassland and Prairie

This year I got to watch two controlled burns: one as a participant and one as an observer. The Plains Indians burned the prairie regularly. The black absorbed the sun, which made the grass grow faster, attracting bison.

Controlled burns (at least in Nebraska) are typically performed in grassy areas to reduce the thatch and/or get rid of unwanted weed trees. The soil and underlying seeds and roots aren’t affected. In fact, the ash covers over the seeds, making a better bed for the new growth.

The first burn I participated in was at an acreage west of town. The owners (friends of mine) wanted to rid their fields of the little Eastern red cedar trees (common weed trees in our area). The second burn happened at the University of Nebraska East Campus, where a one-acre plot has been left to its natural state, allowing a mini tall-grass prairie of native plants to spring up. (Quite a wonderful place in the middle of the city.) Every spring the range management class participates in the burn as part of their studies, and occasionally we come and watch the process. The photos are from this burn.

The tools for a controlled burn include a drip torch to start the fire, fire swatters and/or fire brooms, coupled with water hoses, to control the fire. When I helped, we used a hose attached to a large water tank. The tank was mounted to the back of a pick-up, which slowly encircled the field, as I followed behind and sprayed the perimeter with water. (I also got to take a short stint at operating the torch – fun for a pyromaniac.) The east campus burn was easier to control, because the tall grass differed from the vegetation that surrounded it, so students carried backpack water pumps to use if the fire got out of hand.

Controlled burns require a permit, and the local fire department must be notified. In our area, regulations state that all burns must be completed by May 1st. A burn should not be attempted on a windy day.

Fields burn quickly, and it’s amazing to watch, especially a tall-grass prairie, where the flames leap high and the air around becomes very hot. Little mammals scamper away in fright. On east campus, the professor directing the burn made sure to leave escape routes for the mammals.

After a burn, the field seems silent, almost eerie, with smoke rising from the blackened field. But soon enough the green grasses sprout up, and the field becomes healthier than it was before the burn.

Just two weeks after the burn:

Removing the Burled Arch from the Iditarod Finish Line in Nome, Alaska

It's a sad day for Iditarod fans when the Burled Arch in Nome, Alaska, comes down. It signals the end of a race for nearly another year. Through the wonders of the internet, we can watch this process. In spite of our sorrow, it's interesting watching the huge machines remove the snow and cart away the famous Burled Arch that marks the finish of "The Last Great Race on Earth."

This year, I captured a series of shots on the Nome Cam and asked my husband to record some sad music to go with it. I present a montage of Front Street in Nome Alaska starting the day after the Iditarod finish:

Poem: Those Darn Pink Shingles (Dedicated to the Nome Cam)

This year, through the wonders of the internet, Iditarod fans were able to access a camera on Front Street in Nome, Alaska, to watch the finishers of the race. Not only could we access it, but we could actually steer it. This caused much frustration at times, especially because if we steered it too far, all we saw were pink shingles on a building in Nome.

When a favorite musher was due to finish, the fans would gather in a chatroom to fellowship while we waited. But while we chatted and snacked, often we'd end up yelling at the computer because some incompetent camera operator (who sometimes was yours truly) would turn the camera to face "those darn pink shingles."

So in honor of those shingles, I wrote a poem:

Those Darn Pink Shingles

We’ve got the Nome cam, the gang’s all here,
With plenty of cookies, brownies and beer,
Tea and lemonade, pretzels and Pringles,
But all we can see are those darn pink shingles.

How can I see all the users in chat?
Just click the little man, can you see that?
I don’t have a man, does that mean I’m single?
Oh, no! Now the cam’s on those darn pink shingles.

Look under the arch, see the big mob.
Now gee the camera, that’s a good job.
A musher is coming, I’m starting to tingle.
Aargh! Move the cam off those darn pink shingles.

Look down the street. Is the dog team in sight?
I think I see them. All right! All right!
I can hear the dogs panting, can hear the tags jingle.
But now all I see are those darn pink shingles.

Who’s that leaning against the burled arch?
Is that Lance or Libby or Paul Gebhardt?
Look at the mushers and fans, how they mingle
But now all we see are those darn pink shingles.

A Poem for Pat Moon

Pat Moon has encouraged many people with his story. After riding as an Iditarider in 2006, he decided he would like to race in the Iditarod someday. This goal proved more difficult for Pat, since he had ulcerative colitis, and then was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a type of cancer. Still he pressed on, and this year he stood on Fourth Avenue in Anchorage, this time as a musher. Unfortunately, he had to scratch after running into a tree in the infamous Dalzell Gorge.

I always feel a sense of loss when a musher has to scratch, but I was especially sad when I heard about Pat's scratch. So I wrote a poem in his honor:

The Dream
by Marcia Claesson
Dedicated to Pat Moon

A dream took flight on a chilly day
For a young man crouched in a sled
That he would return as a musher one day
With a lead dog at the head.

The dream soared high in the next few years,
But the challenges did too.
Still the man pushed on through his doubts and fears
Till he stood on Fourth Avenue.

The dream that he kept through sickness and pain
Ended far too soon
In a tree-lined gorge with a rough terrain
‘Neath the cold Alaska moon.

But the dream lives on in the young man’s heart
Even with a different tune.
Though he may not stand ‘neath the burled arch,
He’s one tough Chicago Moon.

Student Poems for the 2010 Iditarod

I’m teaching a unit on the Iditarod for a small group of homeschooled kids (grades 4 through 8) in our city. One of the assignments was to write a free-verse poem about the Iditarod using at least three of the following poetic elements: simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, repetition, unusual words together, and using the five senses. While not all the students included three elements, I thought they did an awesome job on their poems. Here they are:

Alaska’s Big Race
By Jeremiah
Alaska is cold
The mushers are starving
The dogs are barking and ready to go
The first one to Nome gets the titanic truck
They don’t care what the color is
They just want the cheers

The Starting Line
By Jessica
Trembling, I step into the light, the cheerful sun welcoming me.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
My boots tread on the awakening snow.
Time ticks with the beating of my anticipating heart.
I am caught in the chorus of chaos as the countdown begins.
Five . . . hearing the chirping of songwriters singing to the Creator . . .
Four . . . feeling the tingling thrill of mushing through mayhem . . .
Three . . . seeing the sun rise after riding in dreary darkness . . .
Two . . . the aromatic smell of pine trees, their branches waving me on as I rush past them . . .
One . . . the joy of crossing the finish line . . . Go!
I awaken from my dream as my dogs mush on to be swept into a veil of needles and snowflakes.
Will I win?
I cannot think about that now.
I only hope to soon see the welcoming sign to congratulate my long journey.

Snow Shadows
By Alexa
The trees brush their arms against the snow.
Images dance around, then disappear.
Murmurs sound wherever you go.
As stops come and go
You fall into the deep shadows of snow.
Snow sparkles wherever you go.
Don’t slow
Let’s go, go, go.

All About Lance
By Simon
Lance is in Takotna
There’s thirteen stops to go
Until he reaches the Safety
Of the finish line in Nome.
He’s not wearing 13 like the three years before now.
He’s wearing 49, a way off from three years ago.

Iditarod Race
By Nathan
I am an Iditarod racer.
I duck and dodge obstacles that don’t exist.
I yell to others who disappear into thin air.
The finish is coming, the finish is coming,
I know it, I know it, I know it.
Whoosh-my panting pals run faster.
I see the amazing aurora borealis.
I see a looming figure, it looks like safety.
I start again. My dogs see the finish line. They bark joyously.
I finish the Iditarod race.

The Iditarod Race
By Kaitlyn
The snow is cold.
Dogs run fast.
My hands burn and are as red as a raspberry.
I’m scared as I see this hill upon me.
I speak “Lord, be with me as I face this hill of burning cold snow.”
My dogs, my faithful friends.
I trust them when they speak to me with their eyes.
I whoosh as I go over this hill.
Crunch, crunch, crunch goes the sound of my dogs and sled as they run through the snow.
My darling dogs with their pulling paws.
Cheers, cheers, cheers, I hear them call from city to city.
I catch them all.
We cross the finish line.
Hurray ! Hurray! We did it!
Hurray!

Mushing in the Iditarod
By Emma
Mackey won last year,
The year and the year before.
There are lots racing,
Young and old,
Veterans and rookies,
Girls and boys.
All in hope of covering
The finish line together
With their beloved dogs.

Iditarod Poem - The Dogs - A Parody on The Bells by Edgar Allen Poe

It's almost time for the Iditarod, and that means I suddenly get inspired to write epic poems about my obsession. Yesterday, after a friend wrote a parody of "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe, I got inspired to do a parody of Poe's "The Bells." So I present my first full-length Iditarod poem of 2010:

The Dogs
See the start gate with the dogs,
Eager dogs,
With the fans decked out in parkas from their Lands End catalogs.
See the waiting sled dogs jump
And their wagging tails thump
On the icy Willow Lake.
You can tell they’re really pumped,
As their harnesses they shake.
How they tug, tug, tug,
While the musher gives a hug
To each friend and family member
With advice and dialogs.
Oh the dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs,
Dogs, dogs, dogs,
Oh, the barking and the yipping of the dogs.

See the happy, running dogs,
Racing dogs,
Bounding over ice and tundra,
Through the blizzards and the fogs,
And the cold Alaska night.
How they bark out their delight.
Oh, the lovely howling sound,
All in tune,
While the wind blows all around
To the moon,
And the rippling Northern Lights,
A breathtaking Arctic sight,
As they run, run, run,
You can tell they’re having fun,
While the musher poles and jogs.
Oh, the dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs,
Dogs, dogs, dogs,
Oh the running and the pulling of the dogs

See the fans who follow dogs,
Husky dogs,
While they doublecheck the tracker
And the many mushing blogs,
As they click, click, click,
Checking out their top ten picks,
And their eyelids start to droop
After chatting with the group.
There’s the Anchorage Daily News
And the awesome Mushing Loon,
Sled Dog Central and the Nome cam and Backstage Iditarod,
Iditarod Insider and of course Iditablog.
But the BSSD Forum is the best website of all.
Oh the dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs,
Dogs, dogs, dogs,
Oh the rooting and the cheering for the dogs.

See Nome city with the dogs,
Winning dogs,
As they start to run down Front Street while the musher gees and haws.
Ah, the cheering of the crowd
Makes the winning musher proud.
Hear them bark, bark, bark
Underneath the burled arch.
Panting tongues and icy noses.
They just ran across Alaska.
No one did it any faster.
So the happy musher poses,
As they wear the wreath of roses,
Giving love and fond affection to their dogs.
Oh, the dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs,
Dogs, dogs, dogs,
So amazing, so inspiring,
Oh the dogs.

How to Play the Party Game "Mennonite Manners"

This crazy game is fun for all ages and is sure to be a hit at your next party.

Like many folk games passed from friend to friend, Mennonite Manners goes by different names. Some call it “Mennonite Madness,” or even “Midnight Madness” (probably because of confusion about the original name). Whatever you call it, this party game will keep you laughing, moving and shouting. Be careful that you don’t disturb the neighbors when you play this game!

Any number can play, but the game works best for 4-12 players. It’s really quite simple. All you need is an 8 ½ by 11-inch sheet of paper for each player, one pencil and one die (that’s singular for dice). Sit or stand around a table and place the pencil in the middle of the table. Clear the space, because it’s going to get crazy.

Everyone takes turns rolling the die. When someone rolls a 6—let’s say it’s John—he grabs the pencil and begins writing numbers from 1 to 100 on his sheet of paper. At the same time, everyone else continues to roll the die as fast as they can, because now the pressure is on.

If Sarah rolls a 6 next, she grabs the pencil from John and begins writing numbers from 1 to 100 on her sheet of paper. But watch out! She may only write one or two numbers before someone else rolls a 6 and grabs the pencil from her. Everyone (except the person with the pencil) keeps trying to roll a 6 and grab the pencil. When John finally gets the pencil back, he picks up writing numbers where he left off, trying desperately to be the first one to get to 100.

By now it’s turning into a frenzy, as fingers are flying and stress builds. John is tempted to just scrawl his letters, but that won’t work. Numbers must be legible for a winner to be declared.

One wonders why this game is called “Mennonite Manners,” since there is nothing mannerly about it, and many Mennonites don’t play games with dice. Perhaps “Midnight Madness” is a better name, because it’s a great game to play late at night, and it often resembles madness, especially when the shouting begins.

But the competition is all in good fun, and though you may feel like enemies while playing, evenings around a game table are the stuff of lifetime memories.

Four Easy and Delicious Ways to Cook Vegetables

Enjoy a variety of vegetables every day with these simple tips.

Everyone knows vegetables are packed with vitamins and fiber. Nutritionists tell us we should eat a variety of different colors and types of veggies to make sure we get appropriate nutrients and disease-fighting benefits, but it can be a challenge to find easy and yet tasty ways to fix them. Here are some simple ways to include veggies in your meal.

Vegetable Stir Fry
Choose fresh, raw veggies such as onions (green, white or yellow), peppers, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, and eggplant. Wash and chop finely. Heat three or four tablespoons of canola oil in wok or large frying pan on high. Test the temperature by dropping a small piece of onion into the oil. When it sizzles, the oil is ready. Drop the vegetables into the oil all at once and stir constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon until tender crisp, about five minutes. Add a few shakes of stir fry sauce. A variety of sauces are available in the Asian food section of the grocery store or in an Asian food store. Stir fry makes a great side dish, or you can combine it with meat and serve with rice for a complete meal.

Oven Roasted Vegetables
Root vegetables, such as turnips, carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, are commonly used for this delicious dish, but you can also use other veggies you commonly keep on hand, such as onions, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Cut veggies into fairly large pieces and place into a large bowl with a lid. In a separate bowl, mix about a half a cup of olive oil and two tablespoons of mixed seasonings. Several spice mixes are available, and you may wish you keep several jars on hand for variety. Drizzle the oil and seasonings over the vegetables, cover bowl, and shake well. Spread the vegetables on a large jelly roll pan or cake pan and bake at 425 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

Vegetable Soup
This is a great way to use up all kinds of vegetables in your fridge. Start this in the morning and let it cook all day, or fix it on the stove in about an hour. Empty one 46-ounce can of tomato or vegetable juice into large cooking pot or crock pot. Fill the can with water and add to the juice. Add a variety of chopped raw veggies, such as potatoes, celery, onions, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, okra, peas, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, or green beans. If you wish, add one-half cup raw barley. If using a stove, bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer for an hour. If using a crock pot, simmer on low for eight hours or high for four hours. NOTE: If frozen vegetables are used, cut cooking time in half and use quick-cooking barley.

Salad
Say the word salad, and most people think of iceberg lettuce, grated carrots and chopped tomatoes drenched in dressing. For a healthier alternative, start with Romaine or green leaf lettuce and add a variety of chopped raw vegetables, such as carrots, green onions, celery, green pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, and peas. To further increase your nutritional variety and enhance the taste, add fruit such as apples, raisins, berries, or mandarin oranges, and garnish with nuts or cheese. For a healthy dressing high in Omega-3’s, mix together two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice.

What Do Squirrels Eat? A fun experiment that teaches kids observation and the scientific method

Observing what squirrels eat is a fun way to teach even the youngest kids principles of scientific observation; plus, the experiment is perfect for homeschoolers or a school science fair project.

If you’re like many people, you consider squirrels pests and would rather they not take up residence in your yard. Why not take advantage of these backyard residents by creating a fun science experiment for your kids?

For this experiment, kids will answer the question: What kind of food do the squirrels in my yard like the best? Kids learn the basic principles of observing and recording data, and you may discover the best way to keep these furry creatures out of your birdfeeder.

Step One: Research Squirrels’ Eating Habits
Check out books from the library about squirrels and use the internet to research what squirrels like to eat. Make notes from your research in a notebook. List several foods you want to test. Some foods to choose from include peanuts, corn, apples, bread, sunflower seeds, millet, or other grains or fruit. (Note: do not use nuts in the shell, because squirrels will steal these for their cache; use shelled nuts only.) What do squirrels NOT like to eat? Brainstorm some foods that squirrels typically do not eat, such as safflower seed or pure suet.

Step Two: Construct a Hypothesis about Squirrels’ Eating Habits
What do you think the squirrels will like to eat the best? Choose five that you would like to test, and have your child list the foods in order of preference. Then choose one food that squirrels do not like to eat, as a control for your experiment. In your notebook, make a list of the foods in order of what you think the squirrels will prefer, starting with the one you think the squirrels like best and ending with the control.

Step Three: Set up your Squirrel Food Experiment
Fill six identical containers with the foods you want to test and place them outside where squirrels can easily get to them and you can observe clearly from a window. In your notebook, make a chart listing the foods you are testing and leave plenty of space for tally marks.

Step Four: Observe and Record Your Data
For several days, spend about an hour each day by the window. Watch at different times of the day. Whenever you see squirrel, watch to see what it eats and mark a tally mark on your chart. If it eats corn first, then sunflower seeds, and then corn again, you would put two marks by corn and one mark by sunflower seeds.

Step Five: Compile Your Data and Make Conclusions
List the totals in your notebook. You might want to make a bar chart showing your results. Did the results match your hypothesis? Why or why not? Write your conclusions in your notebook. Write down any questions in your notebook. If you repeated the experiment, what would you do differently? What are some other foods you can test? What else would you like to learn about squirrels? Can you think of more experiments about squirrels?

Now that you’ve learned about the scientific method, you can use these principles to create other experiments and discover exciting things about the world around you.

Now That's Singing: Our Local Homeschool Choir

These videos will amaze you. Our local homeschool choir sounds more like a college choir. The music they perform is complex and challenging. No pop songs here. My daughter is in the high school choir and performed three awesome songs at a recent concert. Take a few minutes to enjoy good music.

Be Thou My Vision, my favorite hymn (really my favorite song), an old Irish folk melody with meaningful words, arranged by John Ritter:



Gloria Patri, a reverent Renaissance piece, sung in Latin:



Holy Ghost With Light Divine, a beautiful modern classical piece:

To see the entire playlist, including all three choirs, click here.

Our Family Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving at my sister's house. I love the way our family all gets together. In addition to her family and our mother, we had my mother-in-law, my sister's parents-in-law and brother-in-law. The afternoon included traditional Thanksgiving food, a walk through a surprisingly "wild" area in the middle of the city, a rousing game of Taboo, and viewing the space station and shuttle passing overhead.

For pictures, click here.

From Kooser to Buser: Famous People I've Met

Throughout the past year, I've met several famous people - famous to me, at least. It occurred to me that the first person I met was named Kooser and the last one I met was named Buser. Hopefully the fact that the two names rhyme is NOT a sign that my "streak" is over.

Click here to see the photos.

Logic Puzzle: Missionaries and Cannibals

This is a great logic puzzle. I keep figuring it out and then forgetting how I did it. But I've been successful several times, so I guess that's a good sign. Have fun:

Click here for the puzzle.

Irish Hard Shoe Dance at Church

Our girls recently participated in a special church service. The entire service celebrated Psalm 150. The story of redemption was told through the arts, including pottery, modern dance, music, and a very moving visual display in which a beautiful picture was covered in black paint to depict our sin. Later the paint was washed away to symbolize the forgiveness we have in Christ. At the end of the program, the worship team played an instrumental version of "Praise Him with the Dance." Our girls were part of a group of Irish hard shoe dancers who praised God with dancing throughout the song. Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFNahD5xo3M

Comments are back

I'm happy to report that the comments are back! My computer nerd husband figured out the problem. Now that you can read the comments, you can see the answers to the riddles (and the incorrect guesses too). And I guess that means I can post riddles again. That means I'll need to find some new riddles. I'd basically depleted my storehouse of riddles and was reaching the bottom of the barrel when the comments mysteriously disappeared. No promises, but I'll consider it.

Psalms Coffeehouse

Recently a local church put on a coffeehouse where they encouraged people to sing original songs based on a psalm. Our girls used their talents in a unique way. Carmen composed a piano piece based on Psalm 42. She took the emotions of the psalm and expressed it through music. Here's a video of it:



Monica choreographed a modern dance to the song "Oh God You are My God" by Fernando Ortega. The song's lyrics are taken directly from Psalm 63. The dance expresses the emotions of the psalm. Here it is:

Johan's Visit

My husband's nephew from Sweden came to visit us. We'd never met him before, so it was a special treat to get to know him and show him the sights. We hit the Farmer's Market, Runza, the state capitol, saline wetlands, Sunken Gardens, East Campus, Nine Mile Prairie, a random farm and the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. We also fixed him some good old Nebraska barbecue, complete with corn on the cob that we bought from the back of a truck, we took him to church, and we met some friends for dinner at Skeeter Barnes, followed by dessert at their house, with group games and much laughter. Although Johan's English was excellent, he didn't understand our idioms, which made some of the games even more interesting.

Here are some pictures from his visit:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=109299&id=629661480&l=19dc003492

The Garden Behind Our House

I love walking in the garden behind our house. It's an experimental garden, where the University of Nebraska tests different kinds of plants to see how well they grow in our climate. Take a look at some of my favorites:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=107035&id=629661480&l=506c0e2162

Barns, llamas and kitties

Yesterday, an unusually cool July day, I went for a photo jaunt with my daughter. We drove north of town to take photos of old barns, but got a bit distracted by the animals. Along the way we met some nice farm families. Take a look at our photos:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=106680&id=629661480&l=32484986a1

After meeting in a school for nearly four years, our church is ready to build. We found some land in north Lincoln, right where we wanted to be, and we will be sharing a parking lot with a business complex. On a pleasant June afternoon, we held a ceremonial ground breaking. I took some pictures and my husband took some video and combined it with original music to make this montage:

No comments! No riddle!

For some reason my blog won't let people comment. I'm still trying to figure out what caused this change. Until I get the problem figured out, I will not be able to post riddles.

My writing blog

I have created a blog to showcase my writing. You can find it at: http://marciaswritingsonline.blogspot.com/

Less Spam, and now I know why

Have you noticed that you've been getting less spam e-mail lately? I noticed it and it had me worried. What happened to the spam? If I'm not getting spam, does that mean I'm also not getting some important e-mails? Are my e-mails getting lost in some black hole? As a writer, I depend on e-mail to communicate with editors and clients and I can't afford to miss any e-mails.

A little googling turned up the following article: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=network_security&articleId=9134147&taxonomyId=142&intsrc=kc_top
It appears there was a takedown of a couple of big name botnets,which has drastically reduced spam.

Now why was this news buried where I had to search for it? This should be big news: to set our minds at ease, if nothing else. Or am I the only one who got worried when I stopped receiving Viagra ads and requests for mystery shoppers?