Friday Distractions -- Random Links & Recipes Bookmarked

Ready for the weekend? To help you pass your Friday here are the highlights of what distracted me this week online, what I bookmarked that I hope to one day eat, and a picture.   

"The ball itself isn't what was important. All of the memories I relayed in this article I conjured up without it. The ball is now in the trash bin; the memories and emotions of that day are in me. When I realize the ball is chewed, or my life is short, I’m reminded every moment with it was precious." A lesson on impermanence from a ruined baseball

Rodney the Ram has been revamped for the A10. I hope he is better than the Air Rodney they tried out back in my undergrad days. Go VCU!

I'm usually all about scientific advances of this nature, but for some reason this creeps me out. Perhaps because it makes me think of Never Let Me Go? "In what could be the ultimate in personalized medicine, animals bearing your disease, or part of your anatomy, can serve as your personal guinea pig, so to speak. Some researchers call them avatars, like the virtual characters in movies and online games." Seeking Cures, Patients Enlist Mice Stand-Ins. I much preferred the other fascinating articles in this series: One Day, Growing Spare Parts Inside the Body and Human Muscle, Regrown on Animal Scaffolding.

Ever wonder what pattern an upholstery featured? Here's a resource that identifies them all. (via 101 Cookbooks)

"Taking a pill to feel normal, even a pill sanctioned by the medical profession, led to a strange situation: it made people wonder what 'normal' really was. What does it mean when people feel more like themselves with the drug than without it? Does the notion of 'feeling like themselves' lose its meaning if they need a drug to get them there?" Valium’s Contribution to Our New Normal

Recipes Bookmarked
Mangalore Salmon Braised with Coconut Milk at Epicurious
Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy at Epicurious
Tarragon Oil at 101 Cookbooks (want to do it with basil!)
Quick Shrimp Tacos with Spicy Mango Salsa at Always Order Dessert

Briante Weber's got the look. VCU's win over VUU in the exhibition game was a great start to the season. November 2012, Richmond, VA