Cuddling During the IMAX 3D Experience: Good Luck Trying

Confession: I'm a cuddle fiend. I'd be happy snuggling all day and night if I had no life (and my boyfriend didn't need to breathe every once in a while). So when I go to the movies on a date I go into female mode and want to cuddle there as well. Too bad the two movies we've seen so far have been on IMAX and that place is not at all conducive to canoodling. Why? Well...

1. The screen is so big it hogs up your entire field of vision. Add booming surround sound and incredible 3D effects and for the next couple of hours it is all about you and that movie. No one and nothing else exists.

2. Even if you wanted to see who was next to you, it's hard when you have huge, dorky glasses blocking your peripheral vision.

3. The 3D glasses are polarized just so that if you tilt your head slightly to one side, the screen goes blurry. So resting your head on his shoulder is out of the question. I had to settle for holding hands while my head was fixed dead center. How romantic.

4. Do you even know how much an IMAX movie ticket costs?! You better believe we're going to be paying some serious attention on top of that.

5. Many theaters have armrests that lift up. The ones at the AMC Lowes Lincoln Square IMAX theater most certainly do not. Evil little barriers...

6. I don't know about you, but a trip to the IMAX theater means a treat to a better-be-good-as-hell box office hit. Therefore, the odds of getting the theater to yourself or even scoring a dark, desolate corner for some alone time is slim to none.

So sit back, enjoy the show and catch up on your cuddle time later...like when the credits are rolling and everyone's up and left.

Scary Movie

Now what's so terrifying about Babies? Maybe it's the fact that I'm starting to respond to stuff like this. Ugh, why must they be so darn cute?!

Monday Giveaway: Sonia Kashuk

If you're looking to upgrade your makeup brushes, then you're going to like this week's giveaway: a Sonia Kashuk Hidden Treasure Brush Set that will give your collection a splash of color for spring. The compact bag is perfect for traveling and its fun coral design extends right to each brush handle. Just leave a comment below and a random winner will be chosen on Friday!

CONGRATULATIONS: Amy is this week's winner!

Image: fashion.elle.com

How to Train Your Dragon

Well if I thought Alice in Wonderland was a cool piece of 3D work, that certainly took a hit when I saw How to Train Your Dragon. The graphics were amazing, the story line was incredibly good and, of course, now I want a pet dragon.

In the movie, a scrawny Hiccup would do anything to show his fellow Vikings that he has what it takes to fight off the local threats - dragons. Too bad his efforts usually end up worsening the situation. His status as an outcast is only made worse by the fact that his burly dad, named Stoick no less, is the town's chief and embarrassed by his son. But in his attempts to prove that he can kill with the best of them, Hiccup befriends a wild dragon and discovers that what he and the Vikings know about the creatures is completely wrong.

This was yet another film I had no intention of seeing, but for some reason A. really did (something about good reviews or whatever.) Well I was captivated from the get-go. You quickly get wrapped up first in a boy's wish to belong and then in the bond between him and his dragon as if it were any other domesticated animal. The climax had me on the edge of my seat, freaked and clutching onto A.'s arm (dragons are no joke, people), but that's when I understood why Alice just wasn't up to par with work like this. This was what good 3D looked like; the movie truly came to life. It sucked you in and the flames engulfed you. The only trouble I had was that I had to wear my prescription glasses under my 3D glasses and constantly adjust them to see the movie well, which gave me a slight headache and some cross-eyed action, but trust me it was worth it.

Another quick point: after the movie A. and I brought up the same observation. Toothless, Hiccup's fire-breathing pet, reminded us an awful lot of another misunderstood creature: Disney's Stitch. Can you see the resemblance?
They're each feared and seemingly ferocious, but inside both is a cuddly monster with a toothy grin just waiting to come out and play. And come to think of it, Lilo and Stitch shared a similar bond: just two lonely souls looking for some understanding and friendship. Although if I had my pick, I'd totally go with the dragon. Way cooler.

How to Train Your Dragon (on IMAX 3D): 5/5 Toasties



Images: howtotrainyourdragon.com, liveforfilms.wordpress.com and disney-clipart.com

It's My Freakin' SITS Day!

Can you say finally?! Squeee!

Ok, some background for the non-SITS peeps: The Secret is in the Sauce is a cool little blog community where you can meet a bunch of other fun blog peeps (like moi), leave comments, enter giveaways and gather tips to improve your site.

Intro for the Dry As Toast newbies: Hi! What's up?

It's true, I'm a born-and-bred New Yorker and a freelance magazine writer who covers health, lifestyle, love and sex and money. Before you ask, no, my life is not like Sex and the City (though I must say it's received a total upgrade in the love department the last few months.) Thanks for stopping by on my featured day and I hope you'll come back around soon :)

Also, sorry this is rushed but it's 7:30 AM, I just woke up to 30 something e-mails and wondered what the hell was going on. Surprise for me, huh?

For a way more composed taste of Dry As Toast writing check out my recent posts or these three faves of mine:

Secret Agent Man
An Assignment from Codename S.A.M.
Saw My Old Crush on the Train Last Night

And for a taste of NYC randomness and pictures, check out my NYCentric section!

Happy Friday indeed! And to think I wasn't going to bother with the computer today...

Don't Live Like You're Dying

Live like you have something to live for.

Sometimes I feel like I'm shyly shuffling through this existence instead of busting moves; at a constant conflict between believing I can do something great in my lifetime and doubting my ability to create any significant change. So the following list is not just for you, but for me too. It's to remind me that life shouldn't be lived in fear, but rather with intention.

1. Do you truly love what you do? (I do.) If not, why are you spending a single second cultivating your unhappiness? Find your passion, fiercely believe in it and do it. Ditch the self-doubt.

2. Aim to leave the world better than how you entered it. If you could incite action, what would you have us do? Whatever it is, remember it starts with you.

3. Find inspiration around you. Devour life. Celebrate that you've made it this far. Remember that "life is f-ing beautiful" with all its mind-boggling complexities.

4. Would you rather tell or be told? We only have but so much time so put it to good use. Step away from the computer, go outside and experience the world firsthand.

5. Learn something new if not everyday, then every week. See things from a different perspective. Avoid monotony. Allergies aside, it won't kill you to try something new on the menu.

6. Make no room for toxicity. Be it a substance, person, place or idea, decide you deserve better than that and fight hard to move on. Be unbelievably wonderful to yourself.

7. Recognize your limits, but don't let them define you. Need help? Then ask for it! Just remember to pay it forward by helping someone else rise along with you.

8. Laughing is just as important as the rest of your fitness regimen. Find the funny.

9. If someone breaks your heart, pick up the pieces and fall in love again and again. Be fearless. Stop beating around the bush, say what you feel and make sure you're heard.

10. "Nothing will work unless you do," says Maya Angelou. So what are you waiting for?

Image: flickr.com via (oh, hello friend) you are loved

Movie Shorts to Make You Smile and Think

Last night I was clicking through my Google Reader and came across three little videos. The first inspirational clip will make you think, "Huh?" at first, but just keep watching for the awesome twist... (via Curious Girl)



Odessa always has sweet movie shorts on her blog and I really enjoyed this one. It's so simple and lovely. I really felt for the guy in the beginning and laughed through the antics even though there is practically no dialogue. (via Freefalling Me)



Ok, this last one is called Plastic Bag and it is in fact about a discarded plastic bag trying to find its place in the world. While I was watching it I kept thinking, "Why the hell am I watching a film about a bag?" but by the halfway mark, I was...semi-attached. Call me crazy, but watch it and tell me if that last line isn't great, sad and true.



P.S. Just saw this cool canvas "Thank You" bag on [BB-Blog]. Genius, don't you think?

World Water Day and Free National Geographic Issue

Even though yesterday was World Water Day, I still wanted to bring your attention to the United Nation's push to improve water quality worldwide. Did you know that although 3/4 of the Earth is covered in water, only 2.5% of it is freshwater and of that, 1% is available for our use? It's easy for us to run to the fridge and grab a glass, but for nearly one billion people, clean water is much harder to access. And according to UNICEF, lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation contribute to approximately 2.2 million deaths worldwide. Visit US World Water Day to find out how you can help the cause.

The National Geographic Society is also spreading the word on this year's theme - "Clean Water for a Healthy World - by providing a digital edition of their April 2010 "Water: Our Thirsty World" for free download until April 2nd. This interactive issue will not only have everything in the print edition, but animated features, rollover graphics, video profiles and extra photo galleries as well. Hopefully it will open your eyes and inspire you to act. (via Boston.com)

Image: boston.com

Alice in Wonderland

Maybe it's because I finally learned the story or because the IMAX 3D experience blew my mind, but I loved Alice in Wonderland! I'll admit I wasn't really dying to see it mainly because Johnny Depp in costume and makeup weirds me out, but I couldn't turn down a chance to catch my first IMAX movie since an elementary school field trip. (To further prove how uncool I am, I was wondering why my 3D glasses weren't red and blue.)

So I'm sitting in the 600-seat theater oohing and aahing at the sheer size of the screen and concerned that I'd be schizzing out and dodging "objects" coming straight for me. That never happened, but then it begged the question: what was the point of making the film in 3D? It added a little extra oomph to the film perhaps, but I think I would have enjoyed it just as much in old-school 2D...as long as the screen was still 75 x 97 feet.

As for the movie, I have no idea how much it deviated from Lewis Carroll's series, but in Tim Burton and Linda Woolverton's version, a feisty 19-year-old Alice returns to Wonderland (Underland, really) after delaying a marriage proposal and taking off after the White Rabbit. Turns out she first encountered the fantastical place as a child and grew up believing it was all a dream, but upon her return, old friends remind Alice of the journey destined for her: to end the Red Queen's cruel reign. As simple as the plot was, I was completely lost in it: the costumes, the creatures, the CG landscape. In fact, this was the first time A. and I hit the movies together and I could very well have sat next to a total stranger; I paid him no mind whatsoever. And bonus: the movie is only 108 minutes long, which was wonderful for my attention span.

Alice in Wonderland (on IMAX 3D): 3.5/5 Toasties



Image: disneydreaming.com

For My Little Soul Sister

If there's someone I can count on to try her best to cheer me up when I'm having a rough time, it's my sister. Even though she's four years younger and even when she has her own issues to deal with, she will quickly assume her role as my rock if I ever need her.

Dama, now that you're months away from finishing grad school and currently stressed out, I just wanted to tell you how unbelievably proud I am of you. I can't wait to see you donning your cap and gown (yet again).

So here's your song. I hope it brings a smile and a breath of fresh air. We could both use it right now.

Train - Hey, Soul Sister (Official Music Video) - Watch more top selected videos about: Trains

Have You Ever Been on Either Side of Child Abuse?

Last weekend, after a frustrated A. started cursing out his Internet service provider, I wondered if he'd ever physically hurt me in a fit of rage. And after he quickly squashed that idea, he asked, "Were you ever hit as a child?"

Oh was I.

I think I was a good kid, but that didn't really matter. If you so much as rubbed Mom the wrong way, made too much noise, a mess, or God forbid broke something, you were hit - hard. And with a family of five living in a one-bedroom apartment, her fuse was unbelievably short. There was constant yelling, fighting and punishing. My Latin mom never had a cute little "naughty corner." There were no time outs. Grounded? What's that? You simply got the crap beat out of you, cried your eyes out, maybe fell asleep from the exhaustion and then life continued.

If I ask her now she'd probably say I'm exaggerating, that she never treated us that harshly. She'd laugh it off and say, "¡Ay, Dorkys, please!" I know because I've asked and have come to the conclusion that she will never remember things as I do.

Crazy thing is my friends, siblings, cousins and I can all exchange war stories and laugh about it now. Most of us have suffered under the wrath of a mom wielding la correa (belt), la chancleta (house slippers), the remote or just about anything she can grab and throw. And they get creative, too. My most memorable punishment was kneeling on a cheese grater for what felt like forever. I can't remember the lesson or what I even did to deserve that. Maybe I broke another plate while trying to wash the dishes, ¿quien sabe?

I don't know what makes a parent totally lose it and hit her child mercilessly until her hand hurts...and then hitting the child because he made her hand hurt. What I do know is that I'm terrified of doing the same with my own and perpetuating a cycle that's generations old because when you grow up under physical, mental and emotional abuse, the tendency to do so is unbelievably strong. I'm scared that one little spank will be the gateway drug that unleashes some sleeping monster within and that once he's out it'll be a hell of a fight to tuck him back in.

Image: dalhartpolice.com

Celebrate Good Times

Adult toy shop Good Vibrations turns 33 today and it's breaking out the bday cake and champagne at its four retail stores from 6-9 PM. Or you can restock your sex drawer with a 25% discount on vibrators through March 21. Tell them I sent you and receive absolutely nothing in return.

Image: blog.taragana.com

How to Fix Five Exercises You're Probably Doing Wrong

Are you sure you're doing those push-ups correctly? What about squats? Developing proper form for all fitness routines - even the basic ones - will lower your risk for joint aches and injuries while ensuring that you're getting a complete workout. Find out how your technique stacks up and how to improve them!

Image: rd.com

Happy St. Patty's Day

Any fun plans for the day?
And isn't this little guy adorable?
(These clovers are cute, too!)

Image: flickr.com

Cupcakes on Wheels

How genius is this: a mobile bakery that serves yummy cupcakes around Manhattan? The CupcakeStop Truck parks in different locations each day and then tweets its whereabouts along with the day's menu. It's like playing Where's Waldo?...if Waldo were a white truck that carries freshly-baked goodies to sugar-obsessed New Yorkers. Latina's new intern first told me about this weeks ago and today I finally got to check it out. Her Red Velvet and my Drunken Raisin were delish - especially after we popped them in the microwave for 10 seconds to warm them up!

When A. Met the Fam

Well I'm happy to report that everything went well with A.'s Meet the Parents test. He managed to get there on his own (in that crazy hurricane weather) without getting lost and, language barrier aside, he and the parentals seemed to hit it off. I was really anxious that it'd turn out to be an awkward mess, but both sides tried their best. And yes, Anonymous, mom definitely threw down in the kitchen for the occasion. She made arroz con vegetales, pollo al horno, lasagna, batata y ensalada. (Sorry, but I refuse to translate any of this. Averiguensela.) Shoot, we even had A. eating platanos maduros. Yum!

All in all it was fun (for me anyway):

- Dad kept trying to fatten the kid up Latino-style by offering him more rice every five minutes. Afterward, it was all about the wine. A. thinks he was just trying to loosen his tongue.

- Because she knows much less English than Dad does, Mom mostly kept to the sidelines. Well except to chime in with a story about helping a drunk guy who'd fallen on his face in the courtyard. She found the incident so amusing, she just had to tell it several times over the course of the night...each recount more dramatic than the last.

- I'm glad my sis was around as she was the only one A. had met before. She'd swoop in to see how he was holding up and tease Mom about her wonderful storytelling. Plus, it was just nice to see her since we don't hang out as much as I'd like thanks to our busy schedules.

- I wasn't sure if my brother would be up for socializing with a stranger so I brought something to draw him in: UNO cards! Mind you he's 18, but I figured a little ice-breaker couldn't hurt. Turned out A. and I (but mostly me) kept winning and the kid wouldn't let us stop until he finally won. That took at least six rounds.

- I don't think A. knew what to expect. I think he was mostly concerned with communicating with my parents, but I'm giving him an A for effort:

Earlier that day...
"How do you say 'Nice to meet you?'"
"'Encantado.' We'll keep it simple."

As we're washing our hands before dinner...
"How do you say 'This tastes good'?"
"'Sabe bueno.' But don't you want to taste the food first? What if it tastes like crap?"
"No! I don't even want that in my head!"

Dad and him talked about life back home, Mom was clapping and dancing around after he complimented her cooking skills and A. even managed to wow my brother with some magic tricks. (I can't lie. I was impressed that he could pull them off with UNO cards.)

"I survived," A. said with a smile as soon as we reached my place. "Now I have to learn some Spanish to please them."

Well here's lesson #1: La hija de ustedes es maravillosa! Es un honor estar con ella. ;)

P.S. I didn't take a single picture that night so instead here's a pic we took a week before in Central Park and the cuddly dolphin he bought me!

Monday Giveaway: Bake Me a Wish

Imagine a brownie cake covered in chocolate, then blanketed with dark chocolate shaves and finally drizzled with milk and dark chocolates. Yes, it tastes as moist and rich as it sounds. When I tried this Triple Chocolate Enrobed Brownie Cake, just one bit was enough for my sweet tooth (others who shall remain nameless went for much more than that though).

With Bake Me a Wish, not only do you get a gourmet cake (topped with a Belgian chocolate plaque of your choice) carefully packaged in a pretty little box, but you can also send a personalized card along with your gift. And you can be sure the cake will reach its destination in one piece. My cake went through two failed delivery attempts, but it didn't suffer one bit!

The company also donates 5% of your order towards their Operation: Birthday Cake where they partner up with Soldier's Angels to send cakes to soldiers stationed overseas.

So this week one of you will win a Triple Chocolate Enrobed Brownie Cake! Just leave a comment below to enter. And because Dry As Toast just gained its 200th follower this weekend (even though it lost one a day later), followers and e-mail subscribers gain extra entries. (Just include your e-mail in your comment so I can verify.) A winner will be announced on Friday.

CONGRATULATIONS: Dariany is this week's winner!

The Honeymoon Stage

You know that place in a relationship where everything - even watching each other eat eggs for breakfast - is incredible? When you love that ginormous grin he has on when he meets you in the crowded street and then pulls out a stuffed dolphin from behind him? When seeing and hearing her squeal in delight makes waiting all day for the UPS guy totally worth it? When the short and sweet e-mail he sends you in the morning makes you smile the entire day? "Lovely." "Dear." "Babe." Shoot, even your own name sounds infinitely better coming from their lips. Yeah...I'm so there.

This has been a total "Whoosh!" It's obviously not perfect, but I like how right now it feels pretty close. I'm trying not to wonder how long this stage will last and just enjoy the fact that A. and I fit. Fantasies, fears and dreams are easy to share. I can be my weirdest self, singing and twirling around his apartment, and not care (too much) what he thinks. I can pretend to be mad and feign disinterest just to be contrary and he will still give me a "Hey, cutie" with a wink on top. And if I do get annoyed for some petty reason, I just look into those blue, green, brown (just pick a color already, will you?!) eyes and quickly realize that dammit, I still kinda like him.

So even though in the beginning I had no interest in doing so for a good long while, tomorrow I'm finally taking A. to meet my parents.

"So you've got plans for me, huh?" he asks.

"Yeah, at least 'til April anyway."

Image: flickr.com

Wizard People, Dear Reader

Last night, I went to a girl's-only movie night and saw the funniest thing ever: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Yes, Harry freakin Potter! Let me explain. While I've seen the movie and thought it was good and all that, what made yesterday's viewing a million times more awesome was Brad Neely's unauthorized, alternative soundtrack. While the muted movie plays, listen to Neely (a comic book artist who never read any of the books) narrate the film and add his take on what's really going on. I was dying on the couch. Loud snorts were coming out left and right. I couldn't breathe. It was a beautiful thing, really. If you like Harry Potter, you'll enjoy this new take (even if it did come out six years ago). If you hate the series, you'll love the mockery. Either way, go ahead and download Wizard People, Dear Reader for free or buy the 2-CD set. In the meantime, here's a taste:

Happy 101 Award

Rebel Cinderella awarded me this sweet award yesterday and we all know how much I love cupcakes so I just had to post it. As with all awards around these parts, it comes attached with rules and whatnot:

1. When you receive this award you must thank the person that awarded you this in the new post.
2. Name 10 things that make you happy.
3. Pass this award on to 10 other bloggers and inform the winners.

My current list of happy:

1. Consecutive days of 50+ degree weather
2. Strolling through Central Park and hanging out at Barnes and Noble with A.
3. Wearing my jungle green H&M jacket again
4. Spending time with the sis...even if it is to do her bf's linguistics homework
5. A little brother who's no longer ashamed to talk to his older sisters about anything
6. Working in the office (and talking to people!) for a week to cover for my friend
7. Now that it's warm, taking Toby for a walk
8. Sending random letters and little goodies to friends
9. As frustrating as it is sometimes, the fact that I have a career I enjoy
10. How much volunteering with kids makes me want to be a mom someday (let's go ahead and list this under scary as well)

Passing it on to:

1. Sugarlens
2. Not Your Average Ordinary
3. Joy De Vivre Design
4. I Hate So Much...
5. How About Orange
6. A Peek at Karen's World
7. Circling the Square Table
8. Freefalling Me
9. The World is My Oyster
10. Starbucks Break

I Am Woman...Hear Me Roar!

International Women's Day is when the world celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of present women, those who walked before us and the little girls who will one day carry our torches. Today, be Proud of what we've accomplished, Dream of the things we can and will do and then Act on those goals you've pushed aside.

To celebrate, check out the festivities near you, view Reuters' wonderful slideshow of Women Living In Extraordinary Times or honor your own special lady by adding her to the International Museum of Women's map and then reading the inspiring stories pouring in from around the world.

P.S. Am I the only one who didn't even know there was an International Museum of Women?!

Image: internationalwomensday.com

Naked Bliss: Take 2

High school gym locker rooms are some kind of hell. So much so that I played a secret game by myself just to cope with the torture: Get Undressed and Dressed In Record Time Without Exposing Skin. I hated gym if only for the fact that after the fun was over, I'd be corralled into a room surrounded by pretty - and fully developed - girls strutting about in their underwear. They sure didn't look as mortified as I felt.

Although my body image improved a bit in the coming years, it took a nose dive after my breakup two years ago. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's turned inward when a relationship goes south. "Maybe if I were taller...Maybe if my hair were longer, straighter, my body curvier..." Even though I know that was never the case with him, my mind still went there. "Maybe if I were prettier, he wouldn't have let me go."

My how that mentality's changed. These days I'm so hyped after a workout that I can't wait to get back to the locker room, say, "Off with these clothes!" and jump in the shower. It's only been two weeks since I started exercising, but once I'm in there washing off I can't help but think, "DAMN! I look mad good!" (Hey, I'm allowed to be completely self-absorbed for a few minutes each day.) I'll admit that part of it is because I managed to catch another boyfriend without undergoing plastic surgery, but getting that adrenaline pumping gives off such feel-good vibes that how can you not feel like a rock star? So when I step back out into the hectic NYC streets, I could look like a hot mess, but in my mind I've got a soundtrack going and my hair is blowing in the wind. And yes, it looks mad good, too.

Image: sizewise.co.in

Clever Minimal Logo Designs

I'm not a design fiend, but I can appreciate a good graphic (or type) when I see one and last night, Web Design Ledger's roundup took me right back to grad school design class and being fascinated by the power of a simple yet awesome logo. You don't know how enlightened I felt when my professor pointed out the white arrow in FedEx or the meaning behind Amazon's arrow when I thought it was just a smirk. Yes, I know. I'm so easily amused.

Images: webdesignledger.com

Photo-realism Via Ballpoint Pen

Can you believe that Spanish artist Juan Francisco Casas, 33, recreates these incredibly realistic portraits with only blue Bic pens? The popular drawings measure up to 10 feet high, use up to four 14p ballpoints and can take weeks to draw. I can't even fathom how much pain his wrist must be in once he's finished a piece, but if those wild snapshots are any indication of the life he leads, I bet he doesn't mind suffering for his art one bit.

Images: juanfranciscocasas.com

Learning Attempting the "Single Ladies" Dance

I don't know what I was thinking dancing along these little pros, but when my cousins came by for a visit recently, I just couldn't resist attempting that infamous video! I should mention that my 27-year-old cousin studied dance and taught my younger cousins the routine for one of their quinceañeras late last year.

I obviously didn't stand a chance.

Boston Named Best City for Single Women

Listen up single ladies, a study conducted by SingleMindedWomen.com claims that Beantown is the place for you. Career opportunities, male to female ratio, cost of living and entertainment options were among the factors considered for the site's list of Top 10 Cities for Single Women. Not only is Boston home to major job opps in publishing, health care, bio-tech and finance, but its reasonable cost of living and nightlife make it a satisfying place to mingle. Boston might have more women than men (52% vs 48%), but approximately 32% of its residents are unattached.

Interesting tidbits about the analysis:

- Because career advancement is such a driving force, cities with an unemployment rate above the national average (10% at the time) were immediately disqualified. This meant peace out to Chicago, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta among others.

- Since single people love to travel (and everyone else I'm sure), an international airport was a must.

With that said, the other cities that made the cut are: Washington, D.C., New York, Seattle, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Denver, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Austin. I have to add that NYC didn't get the top spot because it costs so much to live here and our employment situation is in major need of improvement.

So do you agree with the chosen cities? How friendly or cruel is yours towards the single peeps?

Image: depts.washington.edu