Blog

Category: Books

  • Mental models

    I’m currently reading Donald Norman’s The Design of Everyday Things, which I am thoroughly enjoying, both for the new knowledge and the written representation of instinctively gathered information. The following quote stood out in particular, as it seems to directly relate to my lengthy post from yesterday:

    The real point … is not that some people have erroneous theories; it is that everyone forms theories (mental models) to explain what they have observed. … In the absence of external information, people are free to let their imaginations run free as long as the mental models they develop account for the facts as they perceive them.

    Public representation as external information. I like it when things collide. Food for further thought.

  • Snow is good for…

    Maple Syrup Taffy

    I not-so-secretly love children’s books and series, especially ones that describe how things were done in another time or circumstance (Swiss Family Robinson, Little House on the Prairie). I always thought it was so cool that they did things like make balloons out of pig’s bladders or burned whale blubber in lamps. Anyway, thekitchn comes through with the method for maple syrup taffy, a la Little House in the Big Woods. Think it’s loose-diet friendly?

  • I’m a space cadet and I only say totes to Vivian

    The other half already blogged this, but I’m still giggling about it so here goes.

    me: so i was reading some lost recap type things
    and i realized that i am so not into this whole lost-ology shit

    Vivian: ugh me neither

    me: i mean i love lost
    but i don’t know what they are talking about sometimes

    Vivian: oh haha i don’t

    me: it’s a good show
    totally sucks you in
    alias-style

    Vivian: i’m more interested in shows that are heavier on the philosophical allegories
    rather than just twisty turny symbolism and suspense

    me: ah i guess i had never thought about lost as a religious allegory
    which is apparently what people keep talking about
    like here this whole time i’ve been calling a character “dude in the black sweater”
    but apparently the rest of the lost world has named him esau because his nemesis is jacob
    sigh

    Vivian: WHATEVS
    that was a great book by the way

    [about 10 seconds]

    me: the bible?

    Vivian: HAHAHAHA
    omg no

    me: HAHA

    Vivian: “jacob have i loved”

    me: sorry i was totes confused

    Vivian: i seriously LOL’d

    me: hahahahahaha i did too

  • Package day, part 2 (books)

    Bought the following from Amazon, after a long period of adherence to my “no more books” policy:

    The Joy of CookingThe Mixer Bible
    Little Black Book of WinePablo Nerudo Selected Poems
    Chronicles of Narnia Pop-up Book