Archive for December, 2007
Middle Eastern Food in Albuquerque
In: Albuquerque| Arabic| Eating Out
31 Dec 2007
If you’re in the Albuquerque, NM area and are looking for some really good, authentic Middle Eastern food then you’ve got to try the Sahara restaurant. It’s located just west of Nob Hill at 2622-A Central. They have everything from hummus to fattoush and falafel. They also have delicious lamb, chicken or beef shawarma as well as a good selection of middle-eastern desserts.
If you’re not sure what to get try one of their combo meals. They come with rice, salad, hummus, a dolma, a falafel ball and your choice of shawarma. Also, make sure to order one of their juices… they’re sooo good!
The staff is so awesome too! They’re all very friendly, and will help you out in deciding what to order (if you’re not sure).
If you love Middle Eastern food, or want to try it, this is the place to go! Oh yeah… did I mention how incredibly affordable it is?! Well, it is… amazingly priced!
Rubeus Hagrid
In: Family| Movies| Technology
29 Dec 2007
Celeste’s mom and dad got us a digital camera for Christmas this year. Granny Rose got me a Hagrid action figure and I used the camera we got to take this picture. I thought it was really good, so I thought I’d share it.
One cool thing about the camera is you can focus on one thing, then move it so that whatever it was focused on stays in focus but the other objects are out of focus. I know, most all cameras probably do that now, but you have to keep in mind we’ve not had a camera of any sort for a long, long time.
Happy iPhone!
In: Apple| Family| Funny Stuff| Shopping| Technology
17 Dec 2007
So Celeste and Jason bought me an iPhone for Christmas and gave it to me early… i.e. yesterday. I could not (and can not) believe it!
It really is more amazing than I had thought it would be. I mean, I had seen Jason’s, and even messed around on it a little, as well as some in the Apple store on display… but nothing compares to actually owning and using one!
Apple did such an amazing job of thinking, “What would be awesome to do on a cell phone?” and then doing it! They have changed the face of how I can (and will) do business as well as how I can (and will) keep in contact with friends and family.
The features are all amazing… being able to check email, receive calls, merge calls, go online (and really see websites) get the weather, take notes, listen to music and watch movies… that is all amazing, seriously amazing. But it’s the little things that are simply flooring me! The interface. The way I think, “I wish I could do this or that…” and then I CAN! Plus, it is so easy to use, and learn how to use!
So… with all these amazing features, and just being in such a euphoric state from having just been “handed” an iPhone (ask for the story sometime), I was a little surprised when I logged onto my new AT&T account and saw this image…
Notice just left of the little iPhone image… the option to “Upgrade Phone.” What? You mean there’s a BETTER phone than the iPhone?!
Of course there isn’t. I just thought it was funny… and seriously, how hard would it be for AT&T to change that little text out so that if their customer has an iPhone instead of saying “Upgrade Phone” it would say something like “Congratulations, you have the best phone on the planet!” Wouldn’t that be a great thing to see? Wouldn’t it be one more small bonus (much like all those I’m finding in the user interface) that would make someone so proud to own an iPhone?
Either way, it doesn’t matter really… I mean I, and all the rest of the people in the world that own an iPhone, know, without a doubt, that this is by far the best phone in the world… no upgrade needed.
Apple Store – ABQ Uptown
In: Albuquerque| Apple| Family
15 Dec 2007Here we are hanging out at the apple store while waiting on Jason to find out how to do some things on his iPhone.
And here I am with Jason…
Speaking Arabic… fluently
In: Arabic
13 Dec 2007
There’s a big difference between learning to say some things in a foreign language and becoming fluent in that language. I’m wanting to become fluent in Arabic… that’s my goal. To read it, write it, and think it was well as I do English. (I’m already dreaming I speak it… that’s a start!)
So how do you do that? How do you become fluent in another language, especially a “hard” language like Arabic? Well, first I’d say that thinking of a language as “hard” isn’t going to help. If you speak English you’re already able to use one of the most difficult languages in the world. We make up new rules every day… let alone words… and everyone seems to keep up just fine.
I found this interview with Dr. David Wilmsen, Director of Arabic and Translation Studies at the Center for Adult and Continuing Education (CACE) at the American University in Cairo. He’s talking about the 5 most important things someone learning Egyptian colloquial Arabic. One of the things he says is, “It is a language like any other, and you can learn to speak it and understand it by interacting with it.”
Interacting with it is crucial… the more I look at Arabic blogs on the internet, books at Barnes & Noble or Borders, think about Arabic, study it, even talk to people who know it, the more I understand it and the closer I come to being fluent. I’m still a long way off I know, but I am closer.
Similarities between Harry Potter & Star Wars
11 Dec 2007
Here are 10 ways Luke Skywalker is like Harry Potter.
10. Orphaned by a Dark Lord Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter both grew up wistfully curious about the parents they never knew.
9. As children, both Harry Potter and Luke Skywalker lived under the hidden protection of an aunt and uncle, longing for a better life.
8. The main villains of the Star Wars and Harry Potter universes often change their names, personalities and even appearances upon turning to the dark side.
7. The Emperor and Voldemort were both obsessed with immortality, eventually returning from death to continue their quest for eternal life and unlimited power.
6. Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter both had a male friend and female friend who initially annoyed each other and bickered often, but ultimately fell in love and got married after hiding their true feelings for years.
5. Being associated with either Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter can be hazardous — both had teachers who were murdered, both had friends who were frozen by the enemy and both had family members who were caught in the crossfire.
4. Harry Potter and Luke Skywalker, like their fathers before them, were both gifted pilots who displayed special talents long before they knew of their hidden abilities.
3. Both Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter suffered a string of physical injuries that left them permanently scarred.
2. Star Wars and Harry Potter both featured a wide variety of height-challenged characters and species — and Warwick Davis portrayed many of them.
1. Harry Potter and Luke Skywalker both received mystical heirlooms left behind by their late fathers, presented to them by elderly mentors.
(I didn’t think of these by the way, but I did make that graphic of Vader & Voldemort. You can read the whole thing on StarWars.com)
Meeting the 501st
In: 501st| Albuquerque| Costumes| Movies
10 Dec 2007We got to meet some of the local Mountain Garrison of the 501st today near Target. Don’t they look great?!
If you’re like me you know just what to buy for everyone in your family and all your friends for Christmas. Nothing! You make them something special and they cry and treasure it forever. But some of you are different and worry about what to buy people. Well, Gifts.com has a “Personality Profiler” that works (from Celeste and my experience) pretty darn well!
All you do is answer a few simple questions about the person you’re wanting to buy a gift for… and we were impressed by even the WAY you answer the questions. Then you’re shown a “profile” for that person. You’ll know right away if you’ve gotten it all wrong… but if you get it right then you’re presented with a slew of possible gift options!
I came up as “The Geek” (which is pretty much dead on) and Celeste came up “The Hipster” (which isn’t spot on but it DID know her Starbucks drink!)
So… if you’re wondering what to buy that certain someone, check out Gifts.com this year and get some ideas you probably wouldn’t have thought of before… I mean who knew they even made framed DNA prints!?
About
We are a Christian couple living and working in Albuquerque, NM. We own our own advertising and design agency called Park East, Inc.
We love the Lord, each other, reading, watching television shows on DVD and iTunes, Apple, Sci-Fi, friends, making costumes and dressing up, cooking together, and blogging.
If you'd like to get in touch with us you can email us at "us (AT) noelgreen (DOT) com".
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