Articles written by Barbara Armstrong

What is Helium

About me - Barbara Armstrong

Oh, my. Hi there! :)

I'm a graphic designer with 13 years of experience. (I also have a BA in Psychology. Don't ask. I know an awful lot about neuropsychopharmacology, though.) I don't write about graphic design much though, except for the occasional Photoshop

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Health & Fitness > Diet Programs Experiences with the Weight Watchers diet programs: 1 of 24
"Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." This was the mantra of our petite Weight Watchers leader. She repeated it ad nauseam, until every time she said it, I wanted to lob a rice cake at her. A rice cake made of lead. With delectable powdery arsenic topping. The meetings were held in a large, bright room on an upper floor of ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Behind the name: Clarissa: 2 of 11
ETYMOLOGY:Clarissa is the Latinized form of the English Clarice, meaning "famous." In Spanish and Italian, Clarissa is a diminutive form of Clara, meaning "clear" or "bright." Famous, bright, shining, and gentle are all valid interpretations of the name.ORIGIN & HISTORY:Clarissa is of Latin origin, and references to the name ... More..
Travel > North & South America Travel experiences: Mexico: 5 of 21
Day of the Dead, Cancun Style After several days of using Cancun as a base for travel along the Ruta Maya and to the glorious ruins of Chichen Itza, I spent a late October afternoon lounging on the beaches of Cancun and lazily exploring the town. One does not tire easily of handsome cabana boys fetching you margaritas as yo... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Behind the name: Anne: 3 of 11
ETYMOLOGY: The name Anne means "gracious" or "grace." It also means "merciful." In the original Hebrew, Anne (Hannah) means "God has favored me." ORIGIN & HISTORY: The name Anne is intimately linked with Christianity. Anne derives from the Hebrew name Hannah, which first appeared in the Old Testament: Hannah was the mothe... More..
Jobs & Careers > Getting Ahead Tips for excelling in a temporary job: 5 of 18
What's the most important tip for excelling at a temporary job? The answer may surprise you. Think about the typical office temping assignment. The secretary or receptionist has either quit suddenly or gone on vacation, and the company needs a warm body to fill the seat and perform basic tasks in the interim. This article ex... More..
Hobbies & Games > Role Playing & War Games Which is better: Online roleplaying games or tabletop roleplaying games?: 6 of 20
I have friends who LARP (Live Action RolePlaying). Dear, dear friends who LARP, friends whom I adore. I mention this for street cred, because LARPing is considered the geekiest, most extreme form of roleplaying, and because I'm about to tick off quite a few people:Tabletop roleplayers? NERDS!In college I was invited to a Dung... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Energy Issues Is capturing and extracting carbon dioxide the key to solving our energy crisis, as Shell's Danish CEO touts?: 2 of 5
CO2. Carbon Dioxide, the real solution?No. Energy, expended. Stealing.ideas.research. Free energy to claim words of others. As her own.This is her.her pattern. Win the race of herself, by copy toil. Hard work. Of other people. The beauty!O the search the sky! Love, in theft. The catburglar in black shoes. Sneak in, turn prose... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Behind the name: Ravi: 3 of 7
ETYMOLOGY:Ravi is used as a synonym for "sun" in Sanskrit and several other Indian languages.ORIGIN & HISTORY:The name Ravi comes from Hinduism, and literally means "fire bird." It's another name for the Hindu sun god Surya ("the supreme light").POPULARITY:Ravi is one of the most common names in the south of India. It remains... More..
Health & Fitness > Allergies Ways to allergy proof the house: 2 of 4
We spend one-third of our lives in the bedroom: eight hours a day, in bed, sleeping. Reducing allergens in this one room will have a tremendous impact on your quality of life. You'll sleep better and wake up more refreshed. You'll be less congested. Follow these six simple steps to banish dust and other allergens from your be... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Behind the name: Rochelle: 2 of 4
ETYMOLOGY:The name Rochelle is of French and Teutonic origin. It's inspired by nature, meaning "little rock" - roche means rock in French. Rochelle is also the feminine form of Rocco, from the Teutonic hrok, meaning "rest."ORIGIN & HISTORY:The precise origin of Rochelle is unknown, but it is thought to derive from the French ... More..