Gremhog's Star Search

who knew

2012-01-26T07:05:00.000-05:00

Roshambo was another name for Rock/Paper/Scissors? Robert and I were watching Castle from Monday night and that's where we heard it. That is what I get for being a homebody and no kids. But now I know...and learned more when I looked it up:

Additional weapons

With an odd number of choices, each beats half the weapons and loses to half the weapons. No even number of weapons can be made balanced, unless some pairs of weapons result in a draw; there will always be some weapons superior to others.
An example of an unbalanced four-weapon game adds "dynamite" as a trump. Dynamite, expressed as the extended index finger or thumb, always defeats rock, and is defeated by scissors. Using dynamite generally implies that dynamite burns paper, but some claim that paper would smother the fuse. The fourth option of dynamite changes each gesture's odds of winning. For instance, scissors' odds improve from 33% to 50% while rock's odds decrease from 33% to 25%. Dynamite can be used to cheat by quickly raising or lowering the thumb on the downstroke once the opponent's play is recognized. Organized rock-paper-scissors contests never use dynamite.^[9]

Resolution and gesture diagrams for Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock

Similarly, the French game "pierre, papier, ciseaux, puits" (stone, paper, scissors, well) is unbalanced; both the rock and scissors fall in the well and lose to it, while paper covers both rock and well. This means two "weapons", well and paper, can defeat two moves, while the last two weapons can only defeat one of the other three choices.

One popular five-weapon expansion, invented by Sam Kass and Karen Bryla,^[10] adds "Spock" and "lizard" to the standard three. "Spock" is signified with the Star Trek Vulcan salute, while "lizard" is shown by forming the hand into a sock-puppet-like mouth. Spock smashes scissors and vaporizes rock; he is poisoned by lizard and disproven by paper. Lizard poisons Spock and eats paper; it is crushed by rock and decapitated by scissors. Adding new gestures has the effect of reducing the odds of a tie, while increasing the complexity of the game.

Personally, I'm sticking with the original 3..altho I like the idea of dynamite.

2012-01-25T06:56:00.000-05:00

I have had a great week so far and it's only Wednesday. Ever wonder what else will come?

Monday I had the joy of being with Emily and Lauren and teaching them to make bread. Actually we made cinnamon rolls. All by hand, no machines...in case you were wondering. And drat it all, I forgot to take pictures and I had planned on doing that. Oh well. I think there's a lot to be said for being shown how to do something, and making along with. Not just following along in a book. To this day, I bless Sister Lillian Juergens who first taught me to handle dough with her spectacular Braided Egg Bread recipe. I love breads that are homemade. I'm not as good as Hank is at the artesan style nor his pizza crust...and I might need to have him back for another lesson.

But back to Emily and Lauren. We met at Emily's home with her huge, marble-topped island. As the bread dough rose, we sat and chatted. The rolls were formed. Emily was more into LARGE rolls, more like Cinnabons...but only by accident, I think. Lauren's were more my size but I assured her they would be just as good. I think even she was surprised at how they rose so large while baking. And naturally, the rolls were slathered with icing when done.

Yesterday was the setup day for the library book sale. I am secretary of Friends of Domonkas library and was on hand to help. 2 books caught my eye and I was stunned that they were even out on the table for sale. One was
Alton Brown, the early years. I have taken this book out in the past, and copied a few recipes but I couldn't copy all the recipes I wanted. It was brand new, looked never to have been opened. I love this man!

Then from LorainSouth Library, (and who knows why they dumped this gem?) there was
Now this is the book I've taken out a couple of times. All the pictures are on the front/back covers. But the diagrams on the inside are incredible! Betsy shows bakers how to 'braid' all sorts of types of breads. I am happy that Friends get a preview sale, early chance to see the books and buy them. Worth the $5 to be a Friend.

I think the best part of the library, besides the books, is the chance to serve the library in small ways. Our family have lived at the library. We have visited there at least weekly when the kids were young, attended story and craft time. Years ago, I was in one of their promo videos, harking the praises of library use. Last year I attended the Make Perogis Night and got featured in an online video story for our local newspaper. One of the girls serviced the library by cleaning off all the sticky due date stickers on the back of the books...and that took work. It's fun to see the patrons, we love the librarians, and the Friends is a fun group. And again, it's another blessing of living in Paradise (aka Sheffield Lake) and learning to serve those with whom you live/work/play/laugh/cry.

We were at the Y at 5 this morning to work out on the machines. Now I have a few piano lessons today plus the Book Club meets tonight. We are discussing The Fortunate Fall this month and I'm bringing dessert. Dawn suggested something with apples. Now I need to hope no one has a peanut allergy. Tomorrow I work at the Book Sale...and who knows what else will come my way.

Would you stop by and visit...that's the best way to 'come my way'.

The Wonder of it All

2012-01-20T07:12:00.003-05:00

Jocelyn always blogs about "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". Today I thought to record an incident here even though Robert ought to be doing it himself on his own blog, which he seldom does. Sad, that! But it came up again last evening.

So about 5 years ago or more, Robert walked through an area of work that he doesn't normally. There, under the glass on a desk, was 'installed' a copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Robert was stunned to find it there, in a grimy steel mill office. There weren't many LDS workers there and certainly none who would have been in that area He asked around. Asked Vince (not LDS)...where did this come from? No one knew. But throughout these intevening years, Robert has often commented on that moment of discovery.

Fast forward to the present day. Robert is now ASSIGNED to that area, his office now a stones' throw away. Vince is retiring very soon. Robert happened to walk through that particular area yesterday and guess what is still under the glass on that desk? You guessed it. The Proclamation to the World. I think I probably thought much the same unspoken thoughts Robert did. How could such an important piece of truth still stick around the mill. Why had not the 'world' of mill workers, not have tossed it out years ago? Perhaps, there is a physical feel about this document that allowed it to remain. Who knows who read it, or will read it? Who cares. It stands as a witness to all in that one work area. We probably will never find out who was the worker smart enough to place it there originally. But we are grateful that we have that piece of truth every day. I'm not one to make art out of it...I want the truth of it to be read and reread, scanned, glanced at...but eventually I want it to sink into the hearts of all and for families to be made stronger, no matter what religion you are, what God you believe in.

zentangle

2012-01-19T20:04:00.002-05:00

Snowstorm...and I just didn't feel like doing much. I made pasties for dinner....but while I was starting the pie dough, Patsy called and I forgot to mix in the Crisco....ugh! The insides were fine...the crust was like playdoh that had hardened. I could not believe I had done that.

But I enjoyed doing some Zentangle. I have done this sort of scribbling since I don't know when Upper right corner type was always my favorite)...not as compact as Zentangle is but all the same.... Lin's friend is teaching a class, she's trying her hand at it and I thought I'd post my drawing done today. It was rather fun doing these compact designs. I actually enjoyed shading this time, which doesn't show up very well on this scan. Now, do you think I can go to bed?