Shadow Chair

Photo: shadow chair sculpture

One of my favorite new things at my office lobby is the shadow chair.  One day, they put this mangled mess wires on the wall.  It looked ugly.  The next day they put a light above the mangled wires, and VOILA! a SHADOW CHAIR!  Fascinating, right?  How do those wires know to produce a shadow chair?

Energy Bars Made out of Crickets

 

Chapul Cricket Bars: Chaco and Thai

Photo by J. Wohletz

Recently, the quote of the day on Mountain West News made me laugh.  

Quote of the Day

"It's About Time." 

- Florence Vaccarello Dunkel, associate professor of entomology at Montana State University, about a Utah company that is marketing an energy bar made with ground up crickets. Salt Lake Tribune, March 5, 2013.

This sounded bizarre, so I clicked on the link and found out it is true.  A Utah based company is selling energy bars made out of crickets!  I don't think I'll be trying these soon. 

Pr. Dunkel also added that "The insects are like mushrooms — they take on the taste of what you put with them." She calls insects "land shrimp," since they’re genetically cousins to ocean shrimp.

Link to story.

Lincoln's Failures

We know Lincoln as one of America's greatest Presidents, but I read an excerpt today that summarized his failures.  It surprised and inspired me.  

"For all his legendary success and greatness as a president, Lincoln lost all the time.  Lincoln failed in business.  He failed as a farmer.  He lost running for state legislature.  He had a nervous breakdown.  He was rejected for a job as a land officer.  When he was finally elected to the legislature, he lost the vote to be speaker.  He ran for Congress and lost. He ran for and lost a U.S. Senate seat.  He ran for vice president and lost.  He ran for the Senate and lost again.  And, when he was finally elected president, the nation he was elected to lead broke apart."  

- p. 98, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi 

Everything does not usually work out the way we want it to.  Lincoln's story is a great example to keep looking forward and pursuing achievements for the good of others.