http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin but better than a sharp stick in the eye Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:32:55 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en No, I didn't make that up to make fun of using science like a blunt instrument against our problems. It came from this article about the troubles of American bee colonies, a staggering quarter of which have died (just in the last year and a half, I think, although ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/07/25/we-need-an-urgent-call-to-arms-to-bring-as-much-science-as-we-possibly-can-to-bear-on-the-problem/ Of all the challenges I would face in college, I simply didn't expect to be so exhausted coming towards the end of all my classes. In fact, I rather doubt my vocation lately, because I have no energy to devote to being passionate or even interested in my ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/07/18/middle-summer/ Well, I'm back from Maine -- lobstered, crab-caked, cabined, oceaned and fished out. And, although I truly enjoyed the trip, I have to also say I am relieved to be in a largely bug-free environment again. For a few days, the ceilings of our cabin were swarming with flying ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/07/14/fleeting-vacation-or-the-maine-event-because-who-can-resist-a-pun-on-maine-even-the-locals-do-it/ First, on Friday afternoon, before the weekend even properly started, Greg's room flooded, due to summer thunderstorms, and now smells like mildew (don't worry, he lives off campus in a basement -- Messiah's dormitory rooms do not flood!) and. . . well, wet, dank basement. Greg was understandably distressed. ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/06/30/weekend-adventure-over-the-teacup/ If you're like me, every week contains a moment of evaluation, particularly since my literary analysis classes: is the way I'm living my life worth it? Are all these responsibilities ones I want to keep? For how long? What do I want my life to look like ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/06/26/there-once-was-a-man-he-lived-and-he-died-the-end/ The answer is: speak precisely, with words that really mean something. We'll communicate effectively. I know it sounds easy enough, and most of us claim to do that every day, but I recently stumbled across a BBC news article about the horrible business-speak that's killing language in our ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/06/17/and-people-wonder-what-well-do-with-english-degrees/ My friends, I gather you together with a sad tale. Peary Manilow has disappeared from our office. He's been missing for two days, and the pear police are not optimistic, since the first 48 hours are the most crucial in bringing back missing persons without harm. And Dan ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/06/13/dont-wake-me-i-plan-on-sleeping-in/ The awesome things about it are blogs or magazines filled with humor, recipe blogs, and photography blogs. On its best days, the internet really sparks my creativity and makes me want to find a way to create something poetic, profound, or playful (or alliterated). Today I fulfilled the ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/06/11/the-problem-with-the-internet-is-that-you-actually-have-to-remember-all-those-passwords/ I had trouble thinking of a good topic for blogging this week. So I decided to turn to my no-fail entertainment website: The BBC News. No, the state of the world is not generally entertaining. But after I read the BBC I feel informed, and it's just plain ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/06/05/yesterday-i-learned-that-you-can-purchase-coffins-from-costco-weird/ Dress shopping is a fascinating and personality-revealing phenomenon. You browse through store after store, finding all the dresses you think are beautiful. Then you try them on, one after another, discarding all the ones that don't fit quite right. Then you are left with the most difficult ... http://blogs.messiah.edu/mackenzie_martin/2008/05/30/in-which-i-write-a-girly-blog-post-about-choosing-a-career/