...particularly for all you engineering folks out there. I suppose it might apply in other fields, but this is where I thought of it.
The difficulty of a new solution is not always measured in its execution, but in its conception.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Suggested Business Model
A lot of my clothes don't fit well anymore. It's a side-effect of losing 30 pounds that I have to admit I'm not all that worked up about...but it is sort of annoying, particularly since some of these clothes are pretty new. So I had this idea...and if any of you read this and get into retail, feel free to steal my idea.
The idea is this: Dieter's Insurance.
You pay a little extra up front when you buy your new clothes...say, 10% or 15%...to get weight-loss (or weight-gain, technically) insurance. If in the next year, you outgrow (ingrow? shrink out of?) your clothes, bring in the still usable garment - and they HAVE to be in good shape - to trade in for the same or similar garment in your new size.
Now what does the store do with your used clothes? I'm glad you asked! They set up a "gently used" section... kind of like Hastings does with new or used books, yes? If you bring in new clothes, you can get, say, 50% off of new clothes or trade in your gently used item for another gently used item at no extra cost.
I think it would work brilliantly. Think of the implications, too, for children who grow quickly, for pregnant women, etc, etc...
The idea is this: Dieter's Insurance.
You pay a little extra up front when you buy your new clothes...say, 10% or 15%...to get weight-loss (or weight-gain, technically) insurance. If in the next year, you outgrow (ingrow? shrink out of?) your clothes, bring in the still usable garment - and they HAVE to be in good shape - to trade in for the same or similar garment in your new size.
Now what does the store do with your used clothes? I'm glad you asked! They set up a "gently used" section... kind of like Hastings does with new or used books, yes? If you bring in new clothes, you can get, say, 50% off of new clothes or trade in your gently used item for another gently used item at no extra cost.
I think it would work brilliantly. Think of the implications, too, for children who grow quickly, for pregnant women, etc, etc...
Officially a Modern Hippie
So last night I was watching a show on my local PBS affiliate about, um...it was Phillipino Tarsiers, a secretive little primate with hugely adorable eyes. And I realized I'd crossed a new threshold... watching PBS at night, listening to NPR during the day (complete with paid membership during the last pledge drive!), frequenting the public libraries... all I needed was freakin' canvas tote bag.
Okay, FINE! I HAVE the canvas tote bag. Dammit. Shut up.
Okay, FINE! I HAVE the canvas tote bag. Dammit. Shut up.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Abbott & Costello go Modern
The names are a bit outdated, but it's still too funny to not distribute far and wide...
(The Oval Office)
George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China .
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China .
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China ?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China .
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China .
Condi: Hu.
George: The Chinaman!
Condi: Hu is leading China .
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you Hu is leading China .
George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China ?
Condi: That's the man's name.
George: That's who's name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China ?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China ? I thought he was in the Middle East .
Condi: That's correct.
George: Then who is in China ?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir is in China ?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China . Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don't want Kofi.
George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. And then get me the U.N.
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N?
Condi: Hu is the guy in China .
George: Will you stay out of China ?!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of the Middle East ! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.
(Condi picks up the phone.) Condi: Rice, here.
George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we should send some to the guy in China . And the Middle East . Can you get Chinese food in the Middle East ?
(The Oval Office)
George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China .
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China .
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China ?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China .
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China .
Condi: Hu.
George: The Chinaman!
Condi: Hu is leading China .
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you Hu is leading China .
George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China ?
Condi: That's the man's name.
George: That's who's name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China ?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China ? I thought he was in the Middle East .
Condi: That's correct.
George: Then who is in China ?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir is in China ?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China . Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don't want Kofi.
George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. And then get me the U.N.
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N?
Condi: Hu is the guy in China .
George: Will you stay out of China ?!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of the Middle East ! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.
(Condi picks up the phone.) Condi: Rice, here.
George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we should send some to the guy in China . And the Middle East . Can you get Chinese food in the Middle East ?
Friday, September 7, 2007
Fragmented Memory -
Can anyone help me place this? Please? It's driving me crazy!
I have a fragment of a scene in my head. It's probably from a book, though it's possible it's from a movie or TV. There's a man and a woman arguing -- I think they're husband and wife, though they're at least connected somehow. There's another person involved... most likely a younger girl (not a child, though, late adolescence at the youngest). Her relationship to the couple is fuzzy in my mind. That at some point, she may have been dependent on them? Perhaps an adoptee? Or maybe she's their daughter, but was raised by someone else and is only now meeting them. Either way, their situation in life is different. The couple is poorer now, has probably come from more to less. The young girl is comfortably well off.
Anyway, in this scene the man has just offered her something, probably something valuable or expensive. Maybe even money.
The girl offers to give something in return or to pay him back.
The woman begins to accept. She's a stingy person, and not very nice.
The man explodes angrily, saying something like, "I said it's a gift!"
The woman offers a sullen, muttering reply along the lines of how the girl could certainly afford to help them out.
That's all I remember. And no amount of clever Googling has been able to distill this half-forgotten scene into the title I seek. Hell, it's even possible I dreamed this scene. But I really think it's from a book. I see it like it was a book. If it had been TV, I think I'd be able to see the people more clearly. Anyway, I could sure use some help if any of you out there in Internet-Land recognize any part of this scene.
I have a fragment of a scene in my head. It's probably from a book, though it's possible it's from a movie or TV. There's a man and a woman arguing -- I think they're husband and wife, though they're at least connected somehow. There's another person involved... most likely a younger girl (not a child, though, late adolescence at the youngest). Her relationship to the couple is fuzzy in my mind. That at some point, she may have been dependent on them? Perhaps an adoptee? Or maybe she's their daughter, but was raised by someone else and is only now meeting them. Either way, their situation in life is different. The couple is poorer now, has probably come from more to less. The young girl is comfortably well off.
Anyway, in this scene the man has just offered her something, probably something valuable or expensive. Maybe even money.
The girl offers to give something in return or to pay him back.
The woman begins to accept. She's a stingy person, and not very nice.
The man explodes angrily, saying something like, "I said it's a gift!"
The woman offers a sullen, muttering reply along the lines of how the girl could certainly afford to help them out.
That's all I remember. And no amount of clever Googling has been able to distill this half-forgotten scene into the title I seek. Hell, it's even possible I dreamed this scene. But I really think it's from a book. I see it like it was a book. If it had been TV, I think I'd be able to see the people more clearly. Anyway, I could sure use some help if any of you out there in Internet-Land recognize any part of this scene.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Dreams of Flying
Everyone's had flying dreams. And if you just talk with people about "dreams where you're flying," most folks know what you're talking about and have similar stories about how they feel during that or how they with they could really do it.
But I got to talking with a group of people on Friday about the specifics, and it turns out we were wildly different! So I want to hear from you -- YES, you -- leave comments -- about your flying dreams.
1) How do you take off? Do you jump and hover? Are there multiple jumps? Do you fall forward? Do you have to jump off of something?
2) How do you fly? Are you upright or on your stomach? What are your arms doing -- superman? airplane? at your side?
3) How do you propel yourself? How do you navigate yourself?
4) How high off the ground are you? One way to refer to this is how much of the ground you can see below you: the street? A city block? A city? the world?
5) Why are you flying? Is it usually for travel/transportation? To escape? Just b/c you can?
Try to remember all you can; I'm really curious about this!
But I got to talking with a group of people on Friday about the specifics, and it turns out we were wildly different! So I want to hear from you -- YES, you -- leave comments -- about your flying dreams.
1) How do you take off? Do you jump and hover? Are there multiple jumps? Do you fall forward? Do you have to jump off of something?
2) How do you fly? Are you upright or on your stomach? What are your arms doing -- superman? airplane? at your side?
3) How do you propel yourself? How do you navigate yourself?
4) How high off the ground are you? One way to refer to this is how much of the ground you can see below you: the street? A city block? A city? the world?
5) Why are you flying? Is it usually for travel/transportation? To escape? Just b/c you can?
Try to remember all you can; I'm really curious about this!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Chicks and IQ
Went to the library last night for a community forum about energy policy. It was a terribly interesting conversation, and stimulated us to walk to the grocery store later that night rather than drive. That's not what I want to talk about, though.
After the grocery store, we watched an episode of Eureka. For those who don't know, it's a Sci-Fi Channel original series about a secret government-run town full of geniuses who do crazy & awesome research...which occasionally goes badly and makes for a good episode. The main character is Sheriff Jack Carter, a former US Marshall who ends up in town. He's pretty much an everyman, and watching him struggle in a town full of geniuses is a lot of the comedy of the show. In the last episode, one of the side plots is that the high school students were given IQ tests. Carter tells his daughter Zoe not to worry about -- the genes run well in the family: "I got a 111. Didn't even study. Got better than 100%."
At the end of the episode, Zoe gets her results. Carter assures her he loves her no matter what her IQ. She got a 153 (way, way above genius level -- and something like 4 std deviations from the norm, Eric tells me, meaning in the top 100th of 1% -- anyway), but she tells her dad she got a 112. He hugs her, tells her "great job! You did your dad one better."
I don't mind Carter's character here...he's everything he should be: supportive, loving, not pissed that his daughter is smarter than he is. But the more I think about this, the more it bugs me. The TV producers create a female character...who's clearly smart and also has a ton of personality and interest... who deliberately dumbs herself down in an attempt to fit in better and gain acceptance.
Wow, if that's not exactly the story of "Why There Aren't More Girls in Math and Science"... and I just think it's an irresponsible way to play her story. I guess that was a lot of build up for very little rant, but I'm not furious about it...just... a bit distressed that they went there.
After the grocery store, we watched an episode of Eureka. For those who don't know, it's a Sci-Fi Channel original series about a secret government-run town full of geniuses who do crazy & awesome research...which occasionally goes badly and makes for a good episode. The main character is Sheriff Jack Carter, a former US Marshall who ends up in town. He's pretty much an everyman, and watching him struggle in a town full of geniuses is a lot of the comedy of the show. In the last episode, one of the side plots is that the high school students were given IQ tests. Carter tells his daughter Zoe not to worry about -- the genes run well in the family: "I got a 111. Didn't even study. Got better than 100%."
At the end of the episode, Zoe gets her results. Carter assures her he loves her no matter what her IQ. She got a 153 (way, way above genius level -- and something like 4 std deviations from the norm, Eric tells me, meaning in the top 100th of 1% -- anyway), but she tells her dad she got a 112. He hugs her, tells her "great job! You did your dad one better."
I don't mind Carter's character here...he's everything he should be: supportive, loving, not pissed that his daughter is smarter than he is. But the more I think about this, the more it bugs me. The TV producers create a female character...who's clearly smart and also has a ton of personality and interest... who deliberately dumbs herself down in an attempt to fit in better and gain acceptance.
Wow, if that's not exactly the story of "Why There Aren't More Girls in Math and Science"... and I just think it's an irresponsible way to play her story. I guess that was a lot of build up for very little rant, but I'm not furious about it...just... a bit distressed that they went there.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
CNN pissing me off again
So I walk by to wash my oatmeal bowl, and the headline on CNN is "Chris Rock: Not the Boy's Daddy"
...
First: Why is Chris Rock's paternity on CNN?
Second: Why is the headline not something more like "Chris Rock: Not the Boy's Father"
you know what this means to me? It means that CNN is less than a year from
"Chris Rock: Not Her Baby Daddy"
...which is, interestingly enough, the 5th Horseman of the Apocalypse.
...
First: Why is Chris Rock's paternity on CNN?
Second: Why is the headline not something more like "Chris Rock: Not the Boy's Father"
you know what this means to me? It means that CNN is less than a year from
"Chris Rock: Not Her Baby Daddy"
...which is, interestingly enough, the 5th Horseman of the Apocalypse.
Monday, August 6, 2007
They don't get it...
I was taking one of my frequent ZoomPanel surveys and was asked this question:
Which of the following kinds of media do you spend the most time with? (Select one)
- TV
- Magazines
- Newspaper
- Internet
- Radio
- iPod/mp3
Well, I selected "Internet," but the question made me realize how much the older generation really -- and STILL -- doesn't quite get this whole Internet thing. In a typical day, I watch some YouTube videos, maybe some posted clips of TV shows, catch up on my news reader, listen to Pandora and/or NPR. In other words...
- I watch TV...on the Internet.
- I read magazines... on the Internet. (Newsweek, particularly!)
- I read newspapers... on the Internet.
- I surf the Internet.
- I listen to radio... on the Internet.
They just don't get it.
Which of the following kinds of media do you spend the most time with? (Select one)
- TV
- Magazines
- Newspaper
- Internet
- Radio
- iPod/mp3
Well, I selected "Internet," but the question made me realize how much the older generation really -- and STILL -- doesn't quite get this whole Internet thing. In a typical day, I watch some YouTube videos, maybe some posted clips of TV shows, catch up on my news reader, listen to Pandora and/or NPR. In other words...
- I watch TV...on the Internet.
- I read magazines... on the Internet. (Newsweek, particularly!)
- I read newspapers... on the Internet.
- I surf the Internet.
- I listen to radio... on the Internet.
They just don't get it.
Monday, July 30, 2007
A Nation in Peril
Oh my goodness. This country really is spiraling into decline. What happens when news channels stop broadcasting news and start airing entertainment television? This we know. But what happens when they even manage to spin real issues into some sick parody of Entertainment Tonight?
This is what's being "analyzed" on CNN right now.
"Cleavage Controversy: Clinton Clothes Coverage"
I think I particularly like the use of the word 'coverage' here... like it's breaking news that they're going to stay with for us.
...and the other silly thing? The clothing in question is nothing but a jacket with a scoop neck shell underneath... a rather modest shell, I might add.
This is what's being "analyzed" on CNN right now.
"Cleavage Controversy: Clinton Clothes Coverage"
I think I particularly like the use of the word 'coverage' here... like it's breaking news that they're going to stay with for us.
...and the other silly thing? The clothing in question is nothing but a jacket with a scoop neck shell underneath... a rather modest shell, I might add.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
It is 7am here, and I've finished the book. I received my copy at 12:40am, got home to start shortly before 1. That's not bad speed. Now, I do have a few comments on the book -- there will BE NO SPOILERS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS -- but I do want to comment on the book as a whole. So if you don't want to know anything at all, don't keep reading.
I am...emotionally wrung out. I was crying off and on for most of the second half, sometimes with sadness, sometimes with happiness. I think Rowling has REALLY stepped up the writing on this one. It's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I love the way everything came together, and how all the loose ends got tied up. And it's written so well, it really is... the emotion, the drama... my pulse (resting rate in the mid-70s) was over 100 -- from sheer text on a page.
[What follows is a bit more detailed information that might be construed as "spoilers". I'm writing it in text that shouldn't show up on the page -- highlight below with caution]
I didn't care as much for the Epilogue. Struck me as cheesy. Would rather have seen what happened a couple months or a year after the action to more people. Thought the climax was brilliant, though I must admit I was hoping for a more redemptive ending. When Hermione talked about ways to remend a Horcrux-torn soul (person must feel remorse, painful, probably wouldn't survive) I thought it was a PERFECT way for Voldy to exit. Right. Saving any further details for more than 7 hours after release...
I am...emotionally wrung out. I was crying off and on for most of the second half, sometimes with sadness, sometimes with happiness. I think Rowling has REALLY stepped up the writing on this one. It's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I love the way everything came together, and how all the loose ends got tied up. And it's written so well, it really is... the emotion, the drama... my pulse (resting rate in the mid-70s) was over 100 -- from sheer text on a page.
[What follows is a bit more detailed information that might be construed as "spoilers". I'm writing it in text that shouldn't show up on the page -- highlight below with caution]
I didn't care as much for the Epilogue. Struck me as cheesy. Would rather have seen what happened a couple months or a year after the action to more people. Thought the climax was brilliant, though I must admit I was hoping for a more redemptive ending. When Hermione talked about ways to remend a Horcrux-torn soul (person must feel remorse, painful, probably wouldn't survive) I thought it was a PERFECT way for Voldy to exit. Right. Saving any further details for more than 7 hours after release...
Friday, July 20, 2007
Potter-Mania is getting ridiculous
And yes, I know I'm part of the problem.
But here's the other problem: Spoilers. I don't want 'em. Can't stand 'em. So my very lifestyle and habits are changing.
- Changed my alarm clock to not play 96.5 in the morning since their DJs are known blabbermouths (Lazlo dished the end to Book 6 last time).
- Won't do web surfing other than highly targeted sites. No blogs, no general forums, no user comments... hell, I won't even read any comments about THIS post until after I've finished the book.
- Radio is NPR only: they've already said they aren't going to talk about the book. Others? Hm, not so sure.
- My Google news feeds are quickly skimmed for troublesome key words first.
- I'm only watching DVDs or TiVo recorded programs from last week.
...it's getting bad. Fortunately, by the time I sleep next I will be well into the book. :)
But here's the other problem: Spoilers. I don't want 'em. Can't stand 'em. So my very lifestyle and habits are changing.
- Changed my alarm clock to not play 96.5 in the morning since their DJs are known blabbermouths (Lazlo dished the end to Book 6 last time).
- Won't do web surfing other than highly targeted sites. No blogs, no general forums, no user comments... hell, I won't even read any comments about THIS post until after I've finished the book.
- Radio is NPR only: they've already said they aren't going to talk about the book. Others? Hm, not so sure.
- My Google news feeds are quickly skimmed for troublesome key words first.
- I'm only watching DVDs or TiVo recorded programs from last week.
...it's getting bad. Fortunately, by the time I sleep next I will be well into the book. :)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Peru Blog: 6/6 - 7:36 am
We now return to diaries from Peru...
It's been a long couple of days, and I've neglected my writing terribly.
June 4:
Today was a more "normal" sort of day for our vacations. We had to check out of the hotel at 9am, and kill time until our train left Aguas Calientes at 4:45pm (hora Inka, not hora peruana). There was an optional 2nd day up to MP, but we hadn't bought it, we were on our own for the day. AC (calld Pueblo de MP by the locals) is a chill little place that reminds me a lot of Jacó. It's full of pizzerias and hostels, tourist trinket shops (artesanía) and abarrotes [little grocery shops]. Despite the abundance of tourists, locals can be found, too, and at night, they take over the Plaza Central. Adults watch while children run or play soccer or catch.
This town loves a parade. Some religious festival was going on today, and we saw at least four separate parades of girls in traditional costume, men in white masks, and people carrying religious icons and crosses. There are a lot of stray dogs here, which I expected. What surprised me was the number of stray children. Children of 3,4..6,7...years old running around alone, playing with stray dogs or rolling in the street were everywhere, even during the school day (and we saw kids in uniform, so it was a school day).
The restauranteurs and vendors are active and persistent, but I wouldn't say aggressive. They come out to you, 2 or 3 at a time offering menus, coupons, hats, sweaters, water bottle holders...
[At this point I interrupt my narrative about what happened two days ago with some observations on the present...]
[Cusco is interesting in its outlying regions. Homes of adobe sprout right out of the dirt, so it appears that the buildings just sprouted right from the ground.]
...It gets hard to be polite after awhile. I can't fault them for trying to make a living - or for trying to do something to make their establishment stand out from the 471 others just like it. The handicrafts really are pretty much the same. We figure there are probably a few factories (sweat shops?) making all of these "hand made" goods.
Eventually we wandered into the non-tourist areas of the pueblo, which were much more interesting. Pizzerias gave way to an open air market of produce and meat. Excuse me for a moment - gringa moment coming - RAW, UNREFRIGERATED MEAT! EW!
Gringo moment over. And the artesanias gave way abarrotes, soccer fields, schools, and darker skin. Really a very nice little town.
Then we took the train back to Ollantay and a heinous bus ride to Cusco. Eric was nearly sick.
It's been a long couple of days, and I've neglected my writing terribly.
June 4:
Today was a more "normal" sort of day for our vacations. We had to check out of the hotel at 9am, and kill time until our train left Aguas Calientes at 4:45pm (hora Inka, not hora peruana). There was an optional 2nd day up to MP, but we hadn't bought it, we were on our own for the day. AC (calld Pueblo de MP by the locals) is a chill little place that reminds me a lot of Jacó. It's full of pizzerias and hostels, tourist trinket shops (artesanía) and abarrotes [little grocery shops]. Despite the abundance of tourists, locals can be found, too, and at night, they take over the Plaza Central. Adults watch while children run or play soccer or catch.
This town loves a parade. Some religious festival was going on today, and we saw at least four separate parades of girls in traditional costume, men in white masks, and people carrying religious icons and crosses. There are a lot of stray dogs here, which I expected. What surprised me was the number of stray children. Children of 3,4..6,7...years old running around alone, playing with stray dogs or rolling in the street were everywhere, even during the school day (and we saw kids in uniform, so it was a school day).
The restauranteurs and vendors are active and persistent, but I wouldn't say aggressive. They come out to you, 2 or 3 at a time offering menus, coupons, hats, sweaters, water bottle holders...
[At this point I interrupt my narrative about what happened two days ago with some observations on the present...]
[Cusco is interesting in its outlying regions. Homes of adobe sprout right out of the dirt, so it appears that the buildings just sprouted right from the ground.]
...It gets hard to be polite after awhile. I can't fault them for trying to make a living - or for trying to do something to make their establishment stand out from the 471 others just like it. The handicrafts really are pretty much the same. We figure there are probably a few factories (sweat shops?) making all of these "hand made" goods.
Eventually we wandered into the non-tourist areas of the pueblo, which were much more interesting. Pizzerias gave way to an open air market of produce and meat. Excuse me for a moment - gringa moment coming - RAW, UNREFRIGERATED MEAT! EW!
Gringo moment over. And the artesanias gave way abarrotes, soccer fields, schools, and darker skin. Really a very nice little town.
Then we took the train back to Ollantay and a heinous bus ride to Cusco. Eric was nearly sick.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Starting to Hate Apartment Life
I get home last night from work to find a couple of guys from the landscaping company in our front "yard" ...they tell me that I have no water right now. K, that's fine. Just getting back from the gym, about to go out with some friends. We get home from that, there's still a big hole in the yard and plumbing detritus scattered around, but hey -- we have water.
Fast forward a few hours.
Alarm goes off. Buh buh buh... flush. Shower on. Ah. Warm. Shampoo...soap... gurgle hiss hiss --
and gone.
And I'm standing in my shower covered with shampoo and facial scrub without one hint of water coming in through the pipes. Fortunately, I read webcomics, and I knew what to do. But hey, with a start like this to the day, it can only get better...
..right?
Fast forward a few hours.
Alarm goes off. Buh buh buh... flush. Shower on. Ah. Warm. Shampoo...soap... gurgle hiss hiss --
and gone.
And I'm standing in my shower covered with shampoo and facial scrub without one hint of water coming in through the pipes. Fortunately, I read webcomics, and I knew what to do. But hey, with a start like this to the day, it can only get better...
..right?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
A movie review
*** Warning: Contains spoilers about the movie and the book. ***
Overall, I thought it was a very good movie. They started with the longest book (about 870 some pages in the US hardcover edition) and made a movie that was a "mere" 2 hours, 15 minutes (or so). By and large, the edits they made were good. I felt that, for the first time since the first book, they didn't cut anything crucial. Now, a great many people and things didn't get nearly as much screen time as I would have liked. Being a big fan of the books, though, I'd want all my favorite characters to have lots of screen time, and it just didn't happen.
The two people who got massive amounts of screen time were Harry and the new professor, Dolores Umbridge. This isn't a bad thing; they're both REALLY central to the book. However: (1) Harry's time absolutely dominates. Ron and Hermione are relegated from secondary characters to darn near extras. I felt these two were particularly neglected. (2) Umbridge's time is essential, and the few changes they made from the book (for example, 10's of educational decrees instead of about 5-10) worked really well. But she still is just a one book character, and some of her development could have been used to making other people and ideas develop better.
Great parts:
- I loved Grawp in the movie, where in the book I could have taken or left him.
- Luna Lovegood is spot on.
- The finale sequence at the Ministry of Magic is very well done. It is faster than in the book, but honestly, I think the scene in the book drags on a bit. Putting it all in one room works.
- Special effects are terrific. I LOVE the look of the Order and the Death Eaters dueling in the last battle.
- Radcliffe's acting is absolutely wonderful. Gone are the days in "Prisoner of Azkaban" where his crying makes me cringe. He really runs the emotional gamut here, and pulls it off beautifully.
Major beefs:
- The first 10-15 minutes are pretty bad. The plot the way it's been cut works well, but there is almost NO emotion. You're not terrified by the dementors, Mrs. Figg gives no sense of urgency, the anger of the Dursleys isn't pronounced, you're not worried by Harry's expulsion... things don't stop being scene-scene-scene-scene until Harry arrives at Hogwarts.
- Bellatrix avada kedavra's Sirius into the veil; this is a major flaw since in the book he's only stunned before falling through, leaving us to wonder if he's really quite dead or not.
- Fred and George's escape scene is not nearly as delightful as in the movie...and it really wouldn't have taken any more minutes to do it right. Part of the fun is seeing the other professor's not trying to help and watching Umbridge try to magic them away. While seeing her squeal is cute, it loses a lot.
- Harry's scene in Dumbledore's office at the very end has lost nearly all of its emotional depth. We see a calm chat versus Harry's true rage and guilt and sorrow at losing Sirius. Still, we get plenty of angst at other times, so maybe this isn't a huge deal.
I would say that if you haven't seen this yet, you may want to reread or rewatch book or movie 4, but don't reread book 5 just before going, or your brain will be tallying up every little discrepancy. :) Still, fabulous movie. I'll be seeing it again before it leaves theaters.
*** Warning: Contains spoilers about the movie and the book. ***
Overall, I thought it was a very good movie. They started with the longest book (about 870 some pages in the US hardcover edition) and made a movie that was a "mere" 2 hours, 15 minutes (or so). By and large, the edits they made were good. I felt that, for the first time since the first book, they didn't cut anything crucial. Now, a great many people and things didn't get nearly as much screen time as I would have liked. Being a big fan of the books, though, I'd want all my favorite characters to have lots of screen time, and it just didn't happen.
The two people who got massive amounts of screen time were Harry and the new professor, Dolores Umbridge. This isn't a bad thing; they're both REALLY central to the book. However: (1) Harry's time absolutely dominates. Ron and Hermione are relegated from secondary characters to darn near extras. I felt these two were particularly neglected. (2) Umbridge's time is essential, and the few changes they made from the book (for example, 10's of educational decrees instead of about 5-10) worked really well. But she still is just a one book character, and some of her development could have been used to making other people and ideas develop better.
Great parts:
- I loved Grawp in the movie, where in the book I could have taken or left him.
- Luna Lovegood is spot on.
- The finale sequence at the Ministry of Magic is very well done. It is faster than in the book, but honestly, I think the scene in the book drags on a bit. Putting it all in one room works.
- Special effects are terrific. I LOVE the look of the Order and the Death Eaters dueling in the last battle.
- Radcliffe's acting is absolutely wonderful. Gone are the days in "Prisoner of Azkaban" where his crying makes me cringe. He really runs the emotional gamut here, and pulls it off beautifully.
Major beefs:
- The first 10-15 minutes are pretty bad. The plot the way it's been cut works well, but there is almost NO emotion. You're not terrified by the dementors, Mrs. Figg gives no sense of urgency, the anger of the Dursleys isn't pronounced, you're not worried by Harry's expulsion... things don't stop being scene-scene-scene-scene until Harry arrives at Hogwarts.
- Bellatrix avada kedavra's Sirius into the veil; this is a major flaw since in the book he's only stunned before falling through, leaving us to wonder if he's really quite dead or not.
- Fred and George's escape scene is not nearly as delightful as in the movie...and it really wouldn't have taken any more minutes to do it right. Part of the fun is seeing the other professor's not trying to help and watching Umbridge try to magic them away. While seeing her squeal is cute, it loses a lot.
- Harry's scene in Dumbledore's office at the very end has lost nearly all of its emotional depth. We see a calm chat versus Harry's true rage and guilt and sorrow at losing Sirius. Still, we get plenty of angst at other times, so maybe this isn't a huge deal.
I would say that if you haven't seen this yet, you may want to reread or rewatch book or movie 4, but don't reread book 5 just before going, or your brain will be tallying up every little discrepancy. :) Still, fabulous movie. I'll be seeing it again before it leaves theaters.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Peru Blog: 6/3 5pm, Aguas Calientes
Dude. Machu Picchu. Wow. "Majestic" is really all there is to say (though I'm sure I'll say more). The whole place makes the most wondrous photographs and memories. I took 133 photos today (Still below my daily quota of 170!)
We arrived at about 10 am (no sunrise rush here!), wandering a bit at first. We knew from the guidebook that it was possible to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain behind the town in all the photos, so we were headed that direction. Hiked it. About an hour up. It was very steep -- in one place, there were just stone stairs as wide as my shoulders and steep like a ladder. We were on all fours a good part of the last part up. It was also VERY worth it. That trek really made the trip to MP for me. Just... breathtaking views of MP (the city). Once at the top, everyone was part of this great community of sweaty, smelly, tired hikers and amateur photographers. Find a rock and have a seat - you've earned it. Only 400 are allowed up per day, so it's one great way to avoid the ~3000 people in MP at a time.
While there are a lot of people, it's not very dense. So, no, you don't get the place to yourself, but I wouldn't say it was crowded. Plus, there are so many individual rooms, nooks, terraces, and backside staircases, it is possible to feel isolated. So yes. Arrive early (I'm sure sunrise would be great), stay late, climb Huayna Picchu, take a guided tour...it's great. Amazing. Truly.
Ali, our guide, took us around in the afternoon to see the sights and explain. The sad...and impresive... thing is hot little there really is to explain. We just don't know that much! Archaeologists have excavated, studied, surmised, and conjectured. But since the Inca themselves have left no records of the place, the sad truth is we'll probably never know.
We arrived at about 10 am (no sunrise rush here!), wandering a bit at first. We knew from the guidebook that it was possible to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain behind the town in all the photos, so we were headed that direction. Hiked it. About an hour up. It was very steep -- in one place, there were just stone stairs as wide as my shoulders and steep like a ladder. We were on all fours a good part of the last part up. It was also VERY worth it. That trek really made the trip to MP for me. Just... breathtaking views of MP (the city). Once at the top, everyone was part of this great community of sweaty, smelly, tired hikers and amateur photographers. Find a rock and have a seat - you've earned it. Only 400 are allowed up per day, so it's one great way to avoid the ~3000 people in MP at a time.
While there are a lot of people, it's not very dense. So, no, you don't get the place to yourself, but I wouldn't say it was crowded. Plus, there are so many individual rooms, nooks, terraces, and backside staircases, it is possible to feel isolated. So yes. Arrive early (I'm sure sunrise would be great), stay late, climb Huayna Picchu, take a guided tour...it's great. Amazing. Truly.
Ali, our guide, took us around in the afternoon to see the sights and explain. The sad...and impresive... thing is hot little there really is to explain. We just don't know that much! Archaeologists have excavated, studied, surmised, and conjectured. But since the Inca themselves have left no records of the place, the sad truth is we'll probably never know.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Peru Blog: 6/2 5:25 pm, Yucay
Continuing with the Peru logs...
I wasn't in Urubamba before.
This hotel used to be an hacienda -- a town within walls -- before it was a fancy tourist town within walls. But that's what it is; there's a restaurant, two bars (w/live music), a church, a museum, and even our own handicraft market. There's another "unsanctioned" market outside the hotel featuring very insistent saleswomen and girls. They tend to swarm, and we've had to be quite firm.
I particularly remember one little girl selling these awful finger puppets. She was the most insistent of the lot...
We started in Pisac, a huge handicraft market. There are hundreds of stalls, but really much less variety of goods. We did all find some nice gifts and souvenirs, though. I'm disappointed that it was all we did in Pisac. My guidebooks tell me there are some great ruins just beyond the city.
I was very put off by the hard sale tactics. It's difficult to get used to; I guess it's what they feel they have to do. They can be so plaintive, so desperate. There was one fellow who offered to sell me "real, original Inca pottery"! It was adorable, really. He walked to the back of the shop, crouched under the counter, moved aside some rags to show... The Secret Trove! Sadly, after talking to Bob it seems he reveals his secrets to everyone, not just his special friends like us.
We then went to Ollantay (the town) and Ollantaytambo (the fortress). It's amazing how much of the Inca town has survived - not just the archeology and ruins, but the town itself. Many of the homes are built on Incan foundations and the aqueduct that waters the town, too.
The Inca aqueducts are still present and running, but they count on ice and snow runoff from the Cordillera Blanca. Want disturbing evidence of climate change? It hasn't snowed in those mountains for 25 years. (I should note here that Eric heard what our guide said differently. He heard that the quantity of snow had been diminishing for 25 years. Caveat lector).
The Ollan. fortress, in my experience, is pretty much a bunch of stairs. This altitude is murder. 20 stairs and my heart was pounding. Eric said the interesting thing was that your muscles don't ache, but your heart is racing and you're gasping for air.
Speaking of hiking, Machu Picchu is tomorrow.
I wasn't in Urubamba before.
This hotel used to be an hacienda -- a town within walls -- before it was a fancy tourist town within walls. But that's what it is; there's a restaurant, two bars (w/live music), a church, a museum, and even our own handicraft market. There's another "unsanctioned" market outside the hotel featuring very insistent saleswomen and girls. They tend to swarm, and we've had to be quite firm.
I particularly remember one little girl selling these awful finger puppets. She was the most insistent of the lot...
We started in Pisac, a huge handicraft market. There are hundreds of stalls, but really much less variety of goods. We did all find some nice gifts and souvenirs, though. I'm disappointed that it was all we did in Pisac. My guidebooks tell me there are some great ruins just beyond the city.
I was very put off by the hard sale tactics. It's difficult to get used to; I guess it's what they feel they have to do. They can be so plaintive, so desperate. There was one fellow who offered to sell me "real, original Inca pottery"! It was adorable, really. He walked to the back of the shop, crouched under the counter, moved aside some rags to show... The Secret Trove! Sadly, after talking to Bob it seems he reveals his secrets to everyone, not just his special friends like us.
We then went to Ollantay (the town) and Ollantaytambo (the fortress). It's amazing how much of the Inca town has survived - not just the archeology and ruins, but the town itself. Many of the homes are built on Incan foundations and the aqueduct that waters the town, too.
The Inca aqueducts are still present and running, but they count on ice and snow runoff from the Cordillera Blanca. Want disturbing evidence of climate change? It hasn't snowed in those mountains for 25 years. (I should note here that Eric heard what our guide said differently. He heard that the quantity of snow had been diminishing for 25 years. Caveat lector).
The Ollan. fortress, in my experience, is pretty much a bunch of stairs. This altitude is murder. 20 stairs and my heart was pounding. Eric said the interesting thing was that your muscles don't ache, but your heart is racing and you're gasping for air.
Speaking of hiking, Machu Picchu is tomorrow.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Some predictions
Right-o. I've been rereading Harry Potter books 5 and 6 in preparation for Movie 5 and Book 7. I'd like to record some official predictions now before the book is released so that when they're true, I can say I told you so. Now, these are *original* predictions, though they are not unique. That is, I came up with them myself (or in conversation with others), and didn't read them off the Internet, though I'm sure I'm not the only one to have come up with them.
Rowling has confirmed that two major characters will die.
I'm fairly confident one of them will be Hagrid, and that he will die protecting one of the Big Three (Harry, Ron, Hermione).
I don't think any of the Big Three will die. Rowling said in an interview "like I'd kill Harry's best mate" and "Hermione is really me." If any of the three must die, I think it will be Harry. Ron & Hermione are an item, and she just couldn't split that up. Plus, Harry really has to die. The whole savior archetype thing. It would probably be most fitting if Harry and Voldemort killed each other and died together at the end. They're just that tied together. And ALSO, what on earth would Harry do with his life without the dark side around? Just go off and have a job? Have kids? Doesn't fit. That said, I still don't think she'll actually kill any of them off.
Still, that leaves me one more major character death to account for. She's said it will be someone big, someone important. That the bad guys here are truly evil, and that they don't just go after extras. I think one of the Weasley parents is a likely candidate here, or maybe Bill Weasley. Cho Chang or Neville Longbottom also seem possibilities. Or Lupin. Major, likable, but not TOO major. I'd count most of the rest of the Weasley family (the twins and Ginny) as being hopefully too major to really bump off. I know it's getting darker and all, but seriously, this is a kids' book, and you can't go 'round wiping out the good guys TOO much!
Other predictions...
After rereading book 5 and most of 6, I think Snape will be redeemed. No idea how. But we've all been led down the "Snape is evil!" path too many times...and been proven wrong at the end every time (except 6 where we're kind of left in the dark). I know Dumbledore isn't into making yourself a slave to prophecy or anything, but I bet there was some sort of good reason he had to die. Still sucks.
This one's sort of random, but if it happens, I'll be most proud, since I haven't read it anywhere else and have been calling it for years. Draco will attempt to go to the good side. Not sure what his provocation for that will be. He'll try, but be tragically unable in the end (who's ever managed to leave Voldemort's side and lived?). In fact, and here's the best part, I think it'll be his dad who kills him -- accidentally, of course, and Lucius will have to live with the horrible guilt of killing his traitor son. Or he might not feel guilty. In any case, though, Lucius kills Draco, who's trying to go good. Now, that might count as a second major character... little loss, though.
So Harry has to manage to kill or destroy Voldemort. Now let's face it: Harry hasn't KILLED anyone (Quirrell died on a technicality, and the baselisk isn't a person). None of the children has. I think that's important, keeping them unsullied. So the big weapon that Dumbledore kept insisting that Harry has over Voldemort is love. Somehow Harry has to destroy Voldemort with love. We also remember from book 4 that when Harry tells Dumbledore that once Voldemort got some of his blood (protected by Lily's sacrifice), V could touch H again. Dumbledore's eyes flashed with something that looked like a "gleam of triumph". I think this fits in with V's end. Somehow... not quite got this figured out yet... Harry's gift of love from his mother will end up being V's final undoing (again). What, Harry's just gonna look at him and go "I love you, Tom Riddle"... and Voldemort vanishes in a pink puff of heart-shaped smoke?
Percy will quit being a prat and come back to fight with his family and the rest of the Order.
I'm such a freaking nerd...
Rowling has confirmed that two major characters will die.
I'm fairly confident one of them will be Hagrid, and that he will die protecting one of the Big Three (Harry, Ron, Hermione).
I don't think any of the Big Three will die. Rowling said in an interview "like I'd kill Harry's best mate" and "Hermione is really me." If any of the three must die, I think it will be Harry. Ron & Hermione are an item, and she just couldn't split that up. Plus, Harry really has to die. The whole savior archetype thing. It would probably be most fitting if Harry and Voldemort killed each other and died together at the end. They're just that tied together. And ALSO, what on earth would Harry do with his life without the dark side around? Just go off and have a job? Have kids? Doesn't fit. That said, I still don't think she'll actually kill any of them off.
Still, that leaves me one more major character death to account for. She's said it will be someone big, someone important. That the bad guys here are truly evil, and that they don't just go after extras. I think one of the Weasley parents is a likely candidate here, or maybe Bill Weasley. Cho Chang or Neville Longbottom also seem possibilities. Or Lupin. Major, likable, but not TOO major. I'd count most of the rest of the Weasley family (the twins and Ginny) as being hopefully too major to really bump off. I know it's getting darker and all, but seriously, this is a kids' book, and you can't go 'round wiping out the good guys TOO much!
Other predictions...
After rereading book 5 and most of 6, I think Snape will be redeemed. No idea how. But we've all been led down the "Snape is evil!" path too many times...and been proven wrong at the end every time (except 6 where we're kind of left in the dark). I know Dumbledore isn't into making yourself a slave to prophecy or anything, but I bet there was some sort of good reason he had to die. Still sucks.
This one's sort of random, but if it happens, I'll be most proud, since I haven't read it anywhere else and have been calling it for years. Draco will attempt to go to the good side. Not sure what his provocation for that will be. He'll try, but be tragically unable in the end (who's ever managed to leave Voldemort's side and lived?). In fact, and here's the best part, I think it'll be his dad who kills him -- accidentally, of course, and Lucius will have to live with the horrible guilt of killing his traitor son. Or he might not feel guilty. In any case, though, Lucius kills Draco, who's trying to go good. Now, that might count as a second major character... little loss, though.
So Harry has to manage to kill or destroy Voldemort. Now let's face it: Harry hasn't KILLED anyone (Quirrell died on a technicality, and the baselisk isn't a person). None of the children has. I think that's important, keeping them unsullied. So the big weapon that Dumbledore kept insisting that Harry has over Voldemort is love. Somehow Harry has to destroy Voldemort with love. We also remember from book 4 that when Harry tells Dumbledore that once Voldemort got some of his blood (protected by Lily's sacrifice), V could touch H again. Dumbledore's eyes flashed with something that looked like a "gleam of triumph". I think this fits in with V's end. Somehow... not quite got this figured out yet... Harry's gift of love from his mother will end up being V's final undoing (again). What, Harry's just gonna look at him and go "I love you, Tom Riddle"... and Voldemort vanishes in a pink puff of heart-shaped smoke?
Percy will quit being a prat and come back to fight with his family and the rest of the Order.
I'm such a freaking nerd...
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Peru Blog: 6/1 5:43 - Urubamba, I think
I'm not totally sure this is Urubamba. It also seems to be called "Yucay." Part of the Uru. metro area?
Anyway.
Miami Int'l Airport is not my favorite place - though I admit midnight may not be its finest hour. Baggage claims has no signage, no indication of which flights go to which carousels, and no employees with a clue.
"You... wanna pick up your bags...???"
"Uh, yeah" Hence, 'baggage claim' ?
The English saturation pretty well stopped at the LAN terminal in MIA. Flights were uneventful, which is about the best you can say for flying.
There have been a lot of Gate 1 people to cross our path. Apparently we won't get just one guide for the week. Jorge met us in Lima, and helped us check in for Cusco and meet up with the rest of our group. Another woman had been with them, and she shepherded us through departure taxes -- then left. Willy drove with us from Cusco to Urubamba, and Teddy took us on our tour tonight. Figuring out tipping is somewhat stressful with so many people and so few small denominations of currency.
Our group: There are eight of us. Bob & Judy, Michie & Emiko, David, Nafia, and the two of us. Bob & Judy are Californian. He is extensively well-traveled; I have high expectations that he will play the obligatory role of the Tour Group Know-It-All to the hilt. She doesn't travel as much because, in her own words, she's a princess who prefers her creature comforts. Michie and Emiko are Japanese. [Though currently living in Virginia with his company.] Nafia is Swiss, and also very well traveled. [[It is so quit here. I can hear people upstairs walking, but apart from that, nothing but a silence to make you think you'd gone deaf.]] David is also Californian. So far, I like him the best. He's very open and friendly.
The country: Limited 1st impressions. We've been in an airport most of our time in the country. Cusco looked like pictures of Middle Eastern cities... brown, poor, adobe. The airport was mildly chaotic; really just a lot of people trying to earn a tip by "helping" you with your bags. (Dude, I packed lightly so I wouldn't need your help!) The mountains between Lima and Cusco looked like just the dry parts of the Rockies; it's hard to believe they're part of the same range.
The Sacred Valley is like nothing I've seen before. I can make comparisons, but only to individual pieces. It's dry and scrubby, but mountains are in view. In one view, I see the Palouse of Washington -- but I look up to snow-capped peaks behind green, terraced mountains. Parts of it remind me of the mountains and vegetation of Chloride, only its no desert.
The tour: Tonight we saw Maras and Moray. Maras is the "salt mines." One, tiny stream of warm saltwater is ejected from the mountain. It's then irrigated into 100s of shallow pools. These are allowed to evaporate so the salt can be collected. They're so efficient, by the time this rivulet drains into the river, it's no longer salty. What's really incredible is that this scheme was cooked up by ancient peoples...but modern science still hasn't explained where the salt comes from. The pools are run separately by many groups of nearby families. To them, it is another way to supplement subsistence farming during the dry season. During the wet season, the terraces become unusable mudfalls.
Maras is a series of terraces in which pre-Inca and Inca peoples created different biomes for many kinds of crops. Research is still out about whther it was an early ag. research facility or a holy site sacred to Pachamama, the Earth goddess. [Probably it was both.] Today, it is an active archaeological site, primarily funded by tourist dollars.
Anyway.
Miami Int'l Airport is not my favorite place - though I admit midnight may not be its finest hour. Baggage claims has no signage, no indication of which flights go to which carousels, and no employees with a clue.
"You... wanna pick up your bags...???"
"Uh, yeah" Hence, 'baggage claim' ?
The English saturation pretty well stopped at the LAN terminal in MIA. Flights were uneventful, which is about the best you can say for flying.
There have been a lot of Gate 1 people to cross our path. Apparently we won't get just one guide for the week. Jorge met us in Lima, and helped us check in for Cusco and meet up with the rest of our group. Another woman had been with them, and she shepherded us through departure taxes -- then left. Willy drove with us from Cusco to Urubamba, and Teddy took us on our tour tonight. Figuring out tipping is somewhat stressful with so many people and so few small denominations of currency.
Our group: There are eight of us. Bob & Judy, Michie & Emiko, David, Nafia, and the two of us. Bob & Judy are Californian. He is extensively well-traveled; I have high expectations that he will play the obligatory role of the Tour Group Know-It-All to the hilt. She doesn't travel as much because, in her own words, she's a princess who prefers her creature comforts. Michie and Emiko are Japanese. [Though currently living in Virginia with his company.] Nafia is Swiss, and also very well traveled. [[It is so quit here. I can hear people upstairs walking, but apart from that, nothing but a silence to make you think you'd gone deaf.]] David is also Californian. So far, I like him the best. He's very open and friendly.
The country: Limited 1st impressions. We've been in an airport most of our time in the country. Cusco looked like pictures of Middle Eastern cities... brown, poor, adobe. The airport was mildly chaotic; really just a lot of people trying to earn a tip by "helping" you with your bags. (Dude, I packed lightly so I wouldn't need your help!) The mountains between Lima and Cusco looked like just the dry parts of the Rockies; it's hard to believe they're part of the same range.
The Sacred Valley is like nothing I've seen before. I can make comparisons, but only to individual pieces. It's dry and scrubby, but mountains are in view. In one view, I see the Palouse of Washington -- but I look up to snow-capped peaks behind green, terraced mountains. Parts of it remind me of the mountains and vegetation of Chloride, only its no desert.
The tour: Tonight we saw Maras and Moray. Maras is the "salt mines." One, tiny stream of warm saltwater is ejected from the mountain. It's then irrigated into 100s of shallow pools. These are allowed to evaporate so the salt can be collected. They're so efficient, by the time this rivulet drains into the river, it's no longer salty. What's really incredible is that this scheme was cooked up by ancient peoples...but modern science still hasn't explained where the salt comes from. The pools are run separately by many groups of nearby families. To them, it is another way to supplement subsistence farming during the dry season. During the wet season, the terraces become unusable mudfalls.
Maras is a series of terraces in which pre-Inca and Inca peoples created different biomes for many kinds of crops. Research is still out about whther it was an early ag. research facility or a holy site sacred to Pachamama, the Earth goddess. [Probably it was both.] Today, it is an active archaeological site, primarily funded by tourist dollars.
Peru Blog: 5/31 9:54 - Atlanta
The next several entries are reproduced from the journal I kept while in Peru. Any comments from the current day will appear in italics.
For the next leg of the race, teams must fly themselves to Lima, Peru, where they will continue on to Cusco, Peru, center of the "Sacred Valley of the Inca." There, they will meet a Gate 1 attendant, who will give them their next clue.
Sometimes I amuse myself. Sometimes I even amuse others.
In this Detour, teams must choose between two tasks commonly performed in an airport: "Hurrying Up" and "Waiting."
We spent the first 20 hours of our vacation in an airport. We arrived at KCI on the 31st at about 11am or so, and didn't leave the Cusco airport until the 1st at 3-4pm. Bleh! And I do know that these next tasks aren't that good...humor me.
In "Hurrying Up" teams will take on the maximum allowed baggage weight of two 50-lb suitcases each. They must run from one end of the terminal to the other and pass through a security checkpoint as quickly as possible. Teams arriving at the gate after their designated boarding time may be assessed a penalty. Upon passing security, a TSA employee will hand them their next clue. In "Waiting" teams will simulate a layover by sitting motionless for 15 minutes. Motion or wiggling will restart the clock. Once completed, the airline attendant will hand them their next clue.
For the next leg of the race, teams must fly themselves to Lima, Peru, where they will continue on to Cusco, Peru, center of the "Sacred Valley of the Inca." There, they will meet a Gate 1 attendant, who will give them their next clue.
Sometimes I amuse myself. Sometimes I even amuse others.
In this Detour, teams must choose between two tasks commonly performed in an airport: "Hurrying Up" and "Waiting."
We spent the first 20 hours of our vacation in an airport. We arrived at KCI on the 31st at about 11am or so, and didn't leave the Cusco airport until the 1st at 3-4pm. Bleh! And I do know that these next tasks aren't that good...humor me.
In "Hurrying Up" teams will take on the maximum allowed baggage weight of two 50-lb suitcases each. They must run from one end of the terminal to the other and pass through a security checkpoint as quickly as possible. Teams arriving at the gate after their designated boarding time may be assessed a penalty. Upon passing security, a TSA employee will hand them their next clue. In "Waiting" teams will simulate a layover by sitting motionless for 15 minutes. Motion or wiggling will restart the clock. Once completed, the airline attendant will hand them their next clue.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Loneliness.Hmph.
I miss Eric. Now, I don't want to sound all lonely and codependent and needy or anything. It's not like food tastes like ashes or I'm not sleeping well (actually, I am sleeping quite well -- sprawled out on BOTH sides of the bed. Ha!) But I do miss his company. He's in Wichita for the week with NFL Nationals. Whoo Derby-freaking-Kansas. The apartment is sort of empty. It's too big for just one person and an anti-social snake. Pythy's really lousy company. It's also sort of like going cold turkey on something you enjoy. Week before last we spent on vacation, and so in each other's company 24x10. So yeah, I can enjoy myself. I'll probably get a lot more done, both around the house, at the gym, and so on. But there's no one here to talk with as I'm not doing things. And if there's one thing I learned in Costa Rica, it's that I don't need him around to have a good time. I just have a better time when he is.
At least next Saturday will come quickly.
At least next Saturday will come quickly.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Back!
Back from Peru. I ended up taking 575 pictures, and I have stories galore. I journaled the whole time I was there, so those'll end up on here as blog entries. And the photos (some, anyway) will go to my Webshots account. All of you who'd like to live vicariously through my fun are more than welcome. :-D
It's just a matter of time; I finished labeling them all last night. Eric's going to print a few today.
Last night was the KC Corporate Challenge bike race. I did really well! I think Eric said there were only 9 in my age group, and the top three will medal. I did pass three people, so I don't really expect to medal, but it wouldn't really surprise me either. In any case, it was REALLY fun. I love KCCC! Already did the 5K Run for them and pool (last minute sub; I'm not any good at it!). Swimming is coming at the end of the month; that's the one I'm really excited about. Would have probably done some track events or a triathlon but that's when we were traveling.
Later!
It's just a matter of time; I finished labeling them all last night. Eric's going to print a few today.
Last night was the KC Corporate Challenge bike race. I did really well! I think Eric said there were only 9 in my age group, and the top three will medal. I did pass three people, so I don't really expect to medal, but it wouldn't really surprise me either. In any case, it was REALLY fun. I love KCCC! Already did the 5K Run for them and pool (last minute sub; I'm not any good at it!). Swimming is coming at the end of the month; that's the one I'm really excited about. Would have probably done some track events or a triathlon but that's when we were traveling.
Later!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Countdown: 6
Dude, Peru in just *6* days!!! It's getting to the "okay, do I have a toothbrush...check" stage. We have our tickets, our passports, any power adapters we need...4 GB worth of space for pictures...
And I get to go wedding dress shopping tomorrow with Kristen! It's very exciting. All the fun of shopping for dresses, and none of the stress of actually having to pick one out and buy it. ;-p
And I get to go wedding dress shopping tomorrow with Kristen! It's very exciting. All the fun of shopping for dresses, and none of the stress of actually having to pick one out and buy it. ;-p
Monday, May 21, 2007
It's not quite Knight-Errant
but I'm working on becoming a Bike-Errant! Last week was Ride Your Bike to Work week. So most of the week, I was trying to use my bike for shorter errands that I'd normally drive...about 1-2 mile trips, say, to a local Chinese buffet, or the drug store, grocery store, liquor store or hardware store. On Friday, I stepped it up and actually biked to work (~6.5 miles each way). It took roughly a half hour...I need more practice, but I really only had one driver look pissy at me. So that's okay. And then on Sunday, I explored a new way to get to 95th & Quivira, which is about 4.5 miles away. This route was really great, so I think it'll open up whole new avenues (no pun intended) for exploration and errand-running.
Now, what I'd love to see is some website out there that brings community to bike-errantry. It should be based on the Google Maps API, and allow users to highlight sections of road to color-code (or weight) them with some sort of code about how bike friendly it is. Maybe green means very bike friendly, yellow means not bike unfriendly, and red means bike unfriendly. Maybe you could even have blue highlighting to indicate pedestrian-friendliness. Then -- and this is the best part -- the route-finding functionality + the friendliness weighting could be combined to find the most bike-friendly route between point A and point B. A user could enter hir comfort on street riding or maybe indicate a preference between "shortest route" and "safest route" and the search would map the best bike route! It'd be so cool. And the neatest part is that I'm sure Google's got it all published already!
I mean, it also helped that gas has now officially hit an all-time high, but really, I'm enjoying the exercise and environment-friendly behavior just as much.
I am so hardcore. :-p
Now, what I'd love to see is some website out there that brings community to bike-errantry. It should be based on the Google Maps API, and allow users to highlight sections of road to color-code (or weight) them with some sort of code about how bike friendly it is. Maybe green means very bike friendly, yellow means not bike unfriendly, and red means bike unfriendly. Maybe you could even have blue highlighting to indicate pedestrian-friendliness. Then -- and this is the best part -- the route-finding functionality + the friendliness weighting could be combined to find the most bike-friendly route between point A and point B. A user could enter hir comfort on street riding or maybe indicate a preference between "shortest route" and "safest route" and the search would map the best bike route! It'd be so cool. And the neatest part is that I'm sure Google's got it all published already!
I mean, it also helped that gas has now officially hit an all-time high, but really, I'm enjoying the exercise and environment-friendly behavior just as much.
I am so hardcore. :-p
Worst thing ever?
So I was digging around on Facebook, and this REALLY made me laugh. Clicking that link might well be the worst way EVER to hear that your spouse is leaving you.
Email from: Facebook
Notice: You have a new alert!
Yeah.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Join a Sport, See the World
...or at least the upper Midwest.
Back in the good ol' days of Crew (March 16, 2003 and September 23, 2002), we traveled to such exotic locations as... Omaha! Iowa City! Indianapolis! Madison! Quad Cities of IA! Having driven to Chicago recently, I can basically confirm that I know every notable Subway, rest stop, and truck stop off of I-80.
And now, ladies and gents, having rejoined a swim team... guess where we're going for the Zones meet this weekend? Cedar Rapids, IA! I could not be more excited to add this tropical locale to my list of destinations, or to add the rest stops of I-380 to my collection.
Lest anyone be tempted to ask... Iowa does NOT make me smile. Though the fact that they raised the speed limit does make me smile a bit.
I have photos of last week's toga party at work to post. I'll do that when I get home on Sunday.
Back in the good ol' days of Crew (March 16, 2003 and September 23, 2002), we traveled to such exotic locations as... Omaha! Iowa City! Indianapolis! Madison! Quad Cities of IA! Having driven to Chicago recently, I can basically confirm that I know every notable Subway, rest stop, and truck stop off of I-80.
And now, ladies and gents, having rejoined a swim team... guess where we're going for the Zones meet this weekend? Cedar Rapids, IA! I could not be more excited to add this tropical locale to my list of destinations, or to add the rest stops of I-380 to my collection.
Lest anyone be tempted to ask... Iowa does NOT make me smile. Though the fact that they raised the speed limit does make me smile a bit.
I have photos of last week's toga party at work to post. I'll do that when I get home on Sunday.
Friday, April 20, 2007
n00bs and the Internet
Why is it that the first thing people do when they initially get access to the internet (or should I say "the internets -- a series of pipes) is send out ancient forwarded emails ...that somehow are still circulating after at least 10 years... ? Why is this? And why are there so few people that bother doing any fact-checking first? OMG-- watch your kidneys!
Anyway, I think I've found a fairly reliable way of getting people to STOP. It's worked twice, and I'm currently working on a third. For every stupid urban legend / phony photo / OMG-look-at-this email, I go hit Snopes.com to find out its status. Then I send a link and some commentary about the email back to the sender. The way I figure it, it's a mild shame technique. Either the sender gets the point and stops sending forwards out (presumably doing hir own research), or just gets pissed off and me and stops sending *me* forwards. Either way, no more clutter in my inbox, thank you very much.
And on a totally unrelated note, this pretty well illustrates why I don't like people:
Anyway, I think I've found a fairly reliable way of getting people to STOP. It's worked twice, and I'm currently working on a third. For every stupid urban legend / phony photo / OMG-look-at-this email, I go hit Snopes.com to find out its status. Then I send a link and some commentary about the email back to the sender. The way I figure it, it's a mild shame technique. Either the sender gets the point and stops sending forwards out (presumably doing hir own research), or just gets pissed off and me and stops sending *me* forwards. Either way, no more clutter in my inbox, thank you very much.
And on a totally unrelated note, this pretty well illustrates why I don't like people:
Monday, April 2, 2007
As promised...
Ugh. Watched the end of the national championship game... didn't care a bit about the rest of the game. Didn't really care about the game. You know it's a bad season when (if I had had to choose) I'd rather watch the Royal's home opener than the NCAA-BB championship game.
Anyway, as promised here's some photos of our trips. First, samples from the Columbia / Jeff City trip:
Check out the rest on my Webshots page. And the winners from Chicago:
And yes, that's TOTALLY Kirk Hinrich.
Life here is totally dull and normal. 59 days until Peru.
Anyway, as promised here's some photos of our trips. First, samples from the Columbia / Jeff City trip:
Check out the rest on my Webshots page. And the winners from Chicago:
And yes, that's TOTALLY Kirk Hinrich.
Life here is totally dull and normal. 59 days until Peru.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
I love March!
1) Texas REALLY needs to remember that they are the 4-seed and NMSU the 13. If Texas loses, how will they be the National Champion*, as my bracket predicts??? Ugh. I find myself in the awkward position of having to cheer for Texas.
{*void where Kansas-Texas is the for the national championship}
2) I'm going to Chicago! On Sunday! For the game!! Tickets through work. It's freaking sweet. Be jealous.
3) I LOVE MARCH!!!
4) Photos from this past weekend in Columbia and upcoming in Chicago coming soon.
{*void where Kansas-Texas is the for the national championship}
2) I'm going to Chicago! On Sunday! For the game!! Tickets through work. It's freaking sweet. Be jealous.
3) I LOVE MARCH!!!
4) Photos from this past weekend in Columbia and upcoming in Chicago coming soon.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Road trip!
Release coming next week. Stupid developers keep changing stuff, which makes me change stuff, too. Don't wanna change stuff. Release coming next week. Stress. I have no fingernails.
But fortunately, I've got a mini-break planned for the weekend. Va-cay! Road trip! Heading to Columbia and Jeff City, meeting up with Elie, who has graciously agreed to act as our tour guide of central Missouri. Y'know,it isn't much, but it's better than no trip or vacation at all.
Oh, hey -- do you live in the KC area? Want to play dodgeball? I'm still looking for a couple team members for our Dodge for a Cause team...or you can form your own! Check it out.
But fortunately, I've got a mini-break planned for the weekend. Va-cay! Road trip! Heading to Columbia and Jeff City, meeting up with Elie, who has graciously agreed to act as our tour guide of central Missouri. Y'know,it isn't much, but it's better than no trip or vacation at all.
Oh, hey -- do you live in the KC area? Want to play dodgeball? I'm still looking for a couple team members for our Dodge for a Cause team...or you can form your own! Check it out.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
doing my part!
First of all, let me say that I really like this bumper sticker:
There's a story here. On Sunday, we were at the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Union Station in KC. It's a neat exhibit. If you're remotely interested in archeology or the history of Middle East, including pre- and early Judaism and Christianity, it's really done well. If you're not at all familiar, the essence of this whole thing is that these scrolls are some of the earliest copies known of most of the books of the Hebrew Bible (aka, the Old Testament). They've got them dated to, oh, I can't remember precisely, but somewhere between the third century BCE to about 70 CE. Important historical note: At this time, any followers of Jesus were Jews. Christianity as we know it didn't exist yet. And the New Testament certainly hasn't been set to paper yet. Now as far as who did the scrolls, they're pretty sure the scrolls were related to and created by a Jewish Essene sect that was living in the area. Okay, enough history.
Well, we get done, and as you might expect, there's a gift shop at the end. The gift shop has all kinds of crap... stuffed camels, pottery shards for kids to do their own archeology project, mineral spa whatsits from the Dead Sea, and all kinds of Jewish paraphernalia... Star of David neckties, books about Judaism, the history of... yadda yadda yadda (to quote one famous Jew). And tucked into a jewelry case with some other Israeli crafts and whatnot... are a few gold crosses on necklace.
Me (to Eric): Well that pretty much has nothing to do with anything.
Random lady behind us (at me):{Offended gasp} Uh! Yes it does! It's in the Bible!
Yes, folks, my work here is done.
There's a story here. On Sunday, we were at the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Union Station in KC. It's a neat exhibit. If you're remotely interested in archeology or the history of Middle East, including pre- and early Judaism and Christianity, it's really done well. If you're not at all familiar, the essence of this whole thing is that these scrolls are some of the earliest copies known of most of the books of the Hebrew Bible (aka, the Old Testament). They've got them dated to, oh, I can't remember precisely, but somewhere between the third century BCE to about 70 CE. Important historical note: At this time, any followers of Jesus were Jews. Christianity as we know it didn't exist yet. And the New Testament certainly hasn't been set to paper yet. Now as far as who did the scrolls, they're pretty sure the scrolls were related to and created by a Jewish Essene sect that was living in the area. Okay, enough history.
Well, we get done, and as you might expect, there's a gift shop at the end. The gift shop has all kinds of crap... stuffed camels, pottery shards for kids to do their own archeology project, mineral spa whatsits from the Dead Sea, and all kinds of Jewish paraphernalia... Star of David neckties, books about Judaism, the history of... yadda yadda yadda (to quote one famous Jew). And tucked into a jewelry case with some other Israeli crafts and whatnot... are a few gold crosses on necklace.
Me (to Eric): Well that pretty much has nothing to do with anything.
Random lady behind us (at me):
Yes, folks, my work here is done.
the poor crickets!
Petsmart sucks.
So I have three things to get on my way home from work today: vegetables for my lunch, goggles, and a live mouse to feed Pythy (he was quite unimpressed by the frozen food we presented him on Wednesday). Sounds like three stops, but fortunately there's a Big Box Store strip on Shawnee Misison Pkwy (same street as my office) that's pretty much on the way home. So I'm able to take care of the first two and head for Petsmart, the last store in the strip and the last stop on my way home. Hurray!
I find a clerk. Tell her I need to buy an adult mouse.
"Is it for a pet?"
"It's for a pet's food..." I say, somewhat flippantly.
"We don't sell mice for food. It's policy."
You've got to be kidding me. It's a mouse. What difference does it make what happens to it. I don't expect Pythy to be terribly inhumane about it. I mean, I really hope that the CEO is a vegetarian, or else this is just a bunch of crap. Is it more humane what they do to cows and chickens before killing them for our dinner? Hardly. I'm not going to torture this animal!
And, really, I don't mean to sound careless about the whole thing, either. This isn't particularly easy for me... I do happen to think mice are cute. But I also am quite found of my little ball python. And he eats mice. That's how things are. I can't help it that most people find rodents cute while very few people find snakes cute. "Cuteness" is a stupid factor upon which to set store policy. Do you think they sell crickets for the lizards they sell there? Crickets might be cute, too! What about the crickets?
It just really pissed me off. Part of was just that I was terribly inconvenienced. And part of it just seems so inane! It's so... biased, so preferential.... what about my poor Pythy? Ya sell dog food, doncha? You think any animals that went into the "animal products" of that were treated well? I don't.
So, in summary. Petsmart sucks. If you want reptile food from there, lie. Here's how the next conversation will go:
"Is it for a pet?" (Meaning: Are you planning to keep the mouse as a pet?)
"Yes, it's for a pet." (Meaning: Yes, the mouse is intended for my pet...snake.)
Petco rocks
"I'd like to buy a mouse."
"Male or female?"
"Doesn't matter. One of the smaller ones."
"Okay, I'll ring you up over here."
Nya.
So I have three things to get on my way home from work today: vegetables for my lunch, goggles, and a live mouse to feed Pythy (he was quite unimpressed by the frozen food we presented him on Wednesday). Sounds like three stops, but fortunately there's a Big Box Store strip on Shawnee Misison Pkwy (same street as my office) that's pretty much on the way home. So I'm able to take care of the first two and head for Petsmart, the last store in the strip and the last stop on my way home. Hurray!
I find a clerk. Tell her I need to buy an adult mouse.
"Is it for a pet?"
"It's for a pet's food..." I say, somewhat flippantly.
"We don't sell mice for food. It's policy."
You've got to be kidding me. It's a mouse. What difference does it make what happens to it. I don't expect Pythy to be terribly inhumane about it. I mean, I really hope that the CEO is a vegetarian, or else this is just a bunch of crap. Is it more humane what they do to cows and chickens before killing them for our dinner? Hardly. I'm not going to torture this animal!
And, really, I don't mean to sound careless about the whole thing, either. This isn't particularly easy for me... I do happen to think mice are cute. But I also am quite found of my little ball python. And he eats mice. That's how things are. I can't help it that most people find rodents cute while very few people find snakes cute. "Cuteness" is a stupid factor upon which to set store policy. Do you think they sell crickets for the lizards they sell there? Crickets might be cute, too! What about the crickets?
It just really pissed me off. Part of was just that I was terribly inconvenienced. And part of it just seems so inane! It's so... biased, so preferential.... what about my poor Pythy? Ya sell dog food, doncha? You think any animals that went into the "animal products" of that were treated well? I don't.
So, in summary. Petsmart sucks. If you want reptile food from there, lie. Here's how the next conversation will go:
"Is it for a pet?" (Meaning: Are you planning to keep the mouse as a pet?)
"Yes, it's for a pet." (Meaning: Yes, the mouse is intended for my pet...snake.)
Petco rocks
"I'd like to buy a mouse."
"Male or female?"
"Doesn't matter. One of the smaller ones."
"Okay, I'll ring you up over here."
Nya.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Events
Oh, Pythy was so cute tonight! We got him out to change the substrate in his cage (he pooped on the Astroturf, and BOY! it's amazing how pungent the little fellow can be) and he was quite active and squirmy. It's a welcome change considering how shy he's been with us. He was doing a little exploring of the floor and our legs and whatnot. He certainly doesn't get free run of the house -- it's not safe! -- but we figured a little exploring where we could watch would do no harm. It's amazing how active he gets once the mouse is gone. You know how tired you are after a big meal? Yeah, that's about a five day ordeal for him. We figure he's about 20" now. At 30", he'll be considered an adult, and we can feed him just once every two weeks.
We went out to Carino's tonight for the wine tasting dinner. Now THAT was nice. I'm totally convinced now that there is such a thing as the right pairing of wine and food. Four course dinner, four different wines (all you can drink, I might add!) and at a very reasonable price. They do it quarterly. I think we'll be back. Anyone else interested?
We're making plans with Elie to go do a road trip of Columbia and Jeff City early in March. It's kind of a poor man's road trip... not really poor in money, so much, but poor in time. This vacation to Peru (sweet as it will be) is gonna wipe me out of vacation days. I have a serious case of spring fever, and desperately need to "travel" on "vacation," so I think this'll fulfill the need.
And, lastly, KU basketball rocks. Thank you, that is all.
We went out to Carino's tonight for the wine tasting dinner. Now THAT was nice. I'm totally convinced now that there is such a thing as the right pairing of wine and food. Four course dinner, four different wines (all you can drink, I might add!) and at a very reasonable price. They do it quarterly. I think we'll be back. Anyone else interested?
We're making plans with Elie to go do a road trip of Columbia and Jeff City early in March. It's kind of a poor man's road trip... not really poor in money, so much, but poor in time. This vacation to Peru (sweet as it will be) is gonna wipe me out of vacation days. I have a serious case of spring fever, and desperately need to "travel" on "vacation," so I think this'll fulfill the need.
And, lastly, KU basketball rocks. Thank you, that is all.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Baby's First Bath
Oddly enough, these are at my mother's "request," as she asked if we'd get pictures of the first bath...
It's too much...
Now, many a girl, as she starts to grow up, worries about becoming just like her mother. I can't say I'm an exception, either. Sometimes I find myself disturbingly like my mother. But this morning, as I was whistling Reveille in an attempt to get Eric out of bed, I realized it... I'm becoming my dad, too!
(btw, Dad, it worked about as well as it always has: he grumbled, rolled over, and kept sleeping)
(btw, Dad, it worked about as well as it always has: he grumbled, rolled over, and kept sleeping)
Friday, February 16, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Pythagoras
We brought Pythagoras home from the pet store today. He's fabulous. The clerk said he eats regularly (rare for a ball python, I hear), and I believe her b/c (1) she said the other one isn't and so she's keeping him in the back. We have seen said other. (2) I can see the mouse he ate today in his gullet.
It'll be a challenge b/c he just ate and he's about to shed, so we have to try to keep the heat and humidity up even higher than normal.
Oh, he's an adorable little thing, too. So inquisitive and active. Almost as soon as I put him in his new home, he started exploring...looking high, looking low, checking out every little crevice of his hide. I'm so excited for him to finish digesting and shedding so I can take him out and hold him.
I'll post photos next time I get him out of the cage or see him out of his hides. I don't want to bother him right after getting him in, though.
Yay pets!
It'll be a challenge b/c he just ate and he's about to shed, so we have to try to keep the heat and humidity up even higher than normal.
Oh, he's an adorable little thing, too. So inquisitive and active. Almost as soon as I put him in his new home, he started exploring...looking high, looking low, checking out every little crevice of his hide. I'm so excited for him to finish digesting and shedding so I can take him out and hold him.
I'll post photos next time I get him out of the cage or see him out of his hides. I don't want to bother him right after getting him in, though.
Yay pets!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Ice
Well, snow days are at least one good reason to go into the teaching profession. However, unlike SOME PEOPLE I had to work today.
(golly, this photo is almost as artsy as an Elie-photo!)
(golly, this photo is almost as artsy as an Elie-photo!)
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Commercials I don't get
Okay, so I really don't get these esurance commercials -- the ones that offer to sell you car insurance over the internet and you print your policy?
When I think of adjectives that describe my ideal insurance company, I start with 'inexpensive', true, but move quickly into 'reliable', 'trustworthy', and 'enduring.' As in, I want a company who's been around for awhile so that I know they'll be there when I get into trouble.
Somehow, Cartoon Network-style cartoon characters in Cartoon Network-style situations selling me... what, car insurance? just isn't working for me...
The other commercial that cracks me up for its "that's so wrong"-ness is the new one for ... oh, some big luxury SUV -- Lexus, maybe. They're playing this upbeat song in the background, and this song just happens be Morning Wood's self-titled track. It makes me wonder: in this company's target demographic, how many people would be offended by this? Bwar-har.
Okay, while I'm on car commercials, though, I really like the Kia Rondo's...if you haven't seen it, it's what would probably happen if Stephen Colbert got together with the Polyphonic Spree to make an ad.
To whoever thought up the Toyota truck commercial: the phrase "six-speed tranny" should probably have been reconsidered.
I'm done now; this is just proof that I watch too much TV.
Edit: Our snake's name will be Pythagoras.
When I think of adjectives that describe my ideal insurance company, I start with 'inexpensive', true, but move quickly into 'reliable', 'trustworthy', and 'enduring.' As in, I want a company who's been around for awhile so that I know they'll be there when I get into trouble.
Somehow, Cartoon Network-style cartoon characters in Cartoon Network-style situations selling me... what, car insurance? just isn't working for me...
The other commercial that cracks me up for its "that's so wrong"-ness is the new one for ... oh, some big luxury SUV -- Lexus, maybe. They're playing this upbeat song in the background, and this song just happens be Morning Wood's self-titled track. It makes me wonder: in this company's target demographic, how many people would be offended by this? Bwar-har.
Okay, while I'm on car commercials, though, I really like the Kia Rondo's...if you haven't seen it, it's what would probably happen if Stephen Colbert got together with the Polyphonic Spree to make an ad.
I'm done now; this is just proof that I watch too much TV.
Edit: Our snake's name will be Pythagoras.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Pure genius
Yes, I *am* a technical genius.
It's funny...despite "working in software" sometimes I feel like a real dunce, especially when it comes to network stuff. When it comes to...network stuff... I know about enough to fill, oh, a short blog post say. Really short. I've usually left this "setting up a home network" thing to the menfolk of my life.
But I was home the other day when the our new Linksys router arrived (Wireless-G! -- the old Netgear guy just wasn't connecting with TiVo...or either of our laptops...very well anymore). And dadgummit, I figured I could do something about this.
Setting up the router was easy. Run the Setup CD that the hundred or so stickers on the box said to Run First! So I got a LAN connection. Then I went to my TiVo and set up THAT connection easily, too. (Finally we get to stop stealing wireless access from our neighbors...) But I guess I'd never even tested my wireless connection until tonight.
All because I wanted to use the newest, sweetest encryption (WPA2)... got to download a KB patch from Microsoft, update my Intel Wireless card drivers, spend a few minutes chatting with a Linksys representative (whoo 24 hour tech support that speaks English!). So I'm proud of my troubleshooting skillz.
Well, it was probably time to update anyway. But the happy ending here is that I'm posting this over a wireless connection.
It's funny...despite "working in software" sometimes I feel like a real dunce, especially when it comes to network stuff. When it comes to...network stuff... I know about enough to fill, oh, a short blog post say. Really short. I've usually left this "setting up a home network" thing to the menfolk of my life.
But I was home the other day when the our new Linksys router arrived (Wireless-G! -- the old Netgear guy just wasn't connecting with TiVo...or either of our laptops...very well anymore). And dadgummit, I figured I could do something about this.
Setting up the router was easy. Run the Setup CD that the hundred or so stickers on the box said to Run First! So I got a LAN connection. Then I went to my TiVo and set up THAT connection easily, too. (Finally we get to stop stealing wireless access from our neighbors...) But I guess I'd never even tested my wireless connection until tonight.
All because I wanted to use the newest, sweetest encryption (WPA2)... got to download a KB patch from Microsoft, update my Intel Wireless card drivers, spend a few minutes chatting with a Linksys representative (whoo 24 hour tech support that speaks English!). So I'm proud of my troubleshooting skillz.
Well, it was probably time to update anyway. But the happy ending here is that I'm posting this over a wireless connection.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Pet Names
I need help coming up with a name for my (future) pet snake. He (She? Oh, who can tell anyway -- coolest name wins) is a ball python. I'm kinda liking hero names or other literary or historical references. I liked Agamemnon, but Eric rejected it 'cause it shortens to "Aggie" and we can't have one of THEM around in a Jayhawk house. I think Classical Greek has some real potential (Kathy, I'm looking at you, here). I kinda like "Achilles" too, but it makes me think of Ender's Shadow's AH-sheel, Bean's nemesis.
Anyway, if you have any ideas, leave them in a comment.
Edit:
Possible snake names:
Fibonacci, Mandelbrot, Archimedes, Leibniz, Riemann, Von Neumann, Bernoulli,
...or maybe something starting with 'O' so I could call him Big-O? Slartibartfast, Galileo
Names I'd save for a dog:
Escher, Fortran, Descartes, Kepler
Euler doesn't sound good, and I hate Newton (though a snake named Leibniz and a dog named Newton would be freakin' sweet)
Votes and new suggestions welcome.
Anyway, if you have any ideas, leave them in a comment.
Edit:
Possible snake names:
Fibonacci, Mandelbrot, Archimedes, Leibniz, Riemann, Von Neumann, Bernoulli,
...or maybe something starting with 'O' so I could call him Big-O? Slartibartfast, Galileo
Names I'd save for a dog:
Escher, Fortran, Descartes, Kepler
Euler doesn't sound good, and I hate Newton (though a snake named Leibniz and a dog named Newton would be freakin' sweet)
Votes and new suggestions welcome.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Vista
Y'know when you were little and your mom said, "Don't make me tell you twice!" ? Windows Vista makes you tell it twice. In the name of security. But really, it's just annoying.
More on Vista later. First impressions? Teh suxx0rz.
More on Vista later. First impressions? Teh suxx0rz.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
College? Pft!
People ask me sometimes if I miss college. And I still stand by the same answer I gave even during college. "Naah."
I was reading the backlogs of my Xanga, and found this little beauty from April 15, 2004:
"The calendar says Thursday, but really... this is the day that won't die. It all started at 5am Wednesday morning, you see. A mere hour later, in weather below 40 degrees, our (horrifyingly horrible) mixed 8 was attempting to row up and down the river. We're pathetic, we're frustrated by our patheticness, and let's just say that 6:30am is not the best time to try wearing on someone's patience. And we nearly swamped.
I was reading the backlogs of my Xanga, and found this little beauty from April 15, 2004:
"The calendar says Thursday, but really... this is the day that won't die. It all started at 5am Wednesday morning, you see. A mere hour later, in weather below 40 degrees, our (horrifyingly horrible) mixed 8 was attempting to row up and down the river. We're pathetic, we're frustrated by our patheticness, and let's just say that 6:30am is not the best time to try wearing on someone's patience. And we nearly swamped.
So then, because I have homework due the next day as well as a huge programming project (which I might add, is still not finished) I'm trying desperately to do two things at once all day: stats homework and whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing...such as, for example, class, tutoring, sleeping... And then I do my programming project. Which I will basically continue to do for the next...well, it's been close to 24 hours now. I got 1.5 hours of sleep last night. 4.5 the night before that. I am the walking dead.
This morning, crammed in between the programming, longish nap, aborted practice, programming, programming and class is the ergathon. Basically, it's a fundraiser that Crew does to try to promote ourselves and maybe earn a little money. We just keep an erg going from 8am to ..6? 7pm? don't really know... and invite other people to come try out a 500 m piece. It's actually something I really enjoy doing. Only I had to spend the first hour with a person who, I swear, must be the single most irritating person to spend a half hour with. Major know-it-all. And bossy. And self-centered. And aren't I being charitable today...
*sighs* I stop now. Get back to programming. As good for the soul as self-flagellation."
Now, tell me why I'd miss that? I have more free time, more sleep, more money, less that has to be done and more that I want to do. My health is generally better because I can eat right, even if I don't exercise quite as much as during crew season. I don't see my friends quite as often, but when I do, it's with less stress. And I live with my best friend. Yeah, college was a lot of fun in its time and place, don't get me wrong, but kick me if I ever start getting nostalgic!Locks of Love
I went and did my Locks of Love donation last night. Here we have before and after photos! (No, the color didn't change, just the lighting)
Before:
After:
Before:
I'm reading a book right now called 'A Short History of the World,' and I've reached the part discussing civilizations of the Americas. About the Maya, it says that three of their books have survived, and from this they have learned something of the civilization.
I don't doubt that they have. But think about our world today. What if only three books survived to tell future millennia who we are? What if they were the wrong three? Could there be any right three? Could there be three books that give an accurate picture of who we are as a global civilization today? Who we are as a people because of our history? What would those three books be? Is there any way future researchers could ever know us, really?
Of course, it's all academic. I can't imagine that a culture like ours could ever leave behind *only* three books. There's so much here that would be left behind in even a cataclysm... but it's interesting to think about.
Any nominations for the three books?
I don't doubt that they have. But think about our world today. What if only three books survived to tell future millennia who we are? What if they were the wrong three? Could there be any right three? Could there be three books that give an accurate picture of who we are as a global civilization today? Who we are as a people because of our history? What would those three books be? Is there any way future researchers could ever know us, really?
Of course, it's all academic. I can't imagine that a culture like ours could ever leave behind *only* three books. There's so much here that would be left behind in even a cataclysm... but it's interesting to think about.
Any nominations for the three books?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The Snow Bride
I've been meaning to post this photo somewhere for awhile, just b/c I'm so proud. She's probably about the coolest thing I've ever made. Also, I've posted new photo albums on my Webshots. Check it out. Also, quit trying to reach me using Facebook. I never use the thing. You have enough other ways to reach me.
And even though I was a little sad to see her start to melt, I thought this last was a neat picture because it reminded me of Classical ruins. See it as a marble bust, not a half-melted, uppity snowman.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Looking ahead
Okay! Exciting week coming up... at least, exciting as my life goes. KU at Nebraska tonight -- and boy are they doing great. Tomorrow is the debate banquet for ONW. "Debate attire required." ... I hate to tell 'em, but my suit SO doesn't fit anymore. :) But the Lt. Governor of KS will probably be there, which is definitely something neat. And on Wednesday, I'm getting my hair cut ... I mean VERY cut. Locks of Love, so probably about 10 - 12". I'm thinking I like these photos...ignore the crappy color.
but it's hard to tell. Could just be that Meg Ryan is really cute. Any thoughts?
Work is stressful right now. I'm being buried under installers.
Ooh, I just watched "An Inconvenient Truth" last night, so I'm all gung-ho for the environment. I've also been getting more involved with this ...activist /community group called New American Dream. Go check out the webpage....go! I would say that their core tenets are simplifying life, making more of less, buying wisely and responsibly, creating community, and protecting the Earth. And what good hippie isn't into that stuff?
Their latest schtick is attempting to pass a Do Not Junk registry, similar to the Do Not Call one that got passed last year. So if I actually get off my lazy butt on weekends, I should start meeting with Important People who can Do Things.
But now, more basketball.
but it's hard to tell. Could just be that Meg Ryan is really cute. Any thoughts?
Work is stressful right now. I'm being buried under installers.
Ooh, I just watched "An Inconvenient Truth" last night, so I'm all gung-ho for the environment. I've also been getting more involved with this ...activist /community group called New American Dream. Go check out the webpage....go! I would say that their core tenets are simplifying life, making more of less, buying wisely and responsibly, creating community, and protecting the Earth. And what good hippie isn't into that stuff?
Their latest schtick is attempting to pass a Do Not Junk registry, similar to the Do Not Call one that got passed last year. So if I actually get off my lazy butt on weekends, I should start meeting with Important People who can Do Things.
But now, more basketball.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Writers block
Okay, so now that I'm moved in here, like my layout, like the additional elements of the page, I guess it's time to get to the real heart of the matter... writing stuff.
Oh, everyone should go out to Feedburner and create a feed link for a reader on their page (credit to Elie) -- it makes it so I can put your blogs on my Google homepage for reading. Quite convenient.
Anyway, we just got back from the KU game. One of Eric's students offered him a pair of tickets. Quite good seats in the first tier. Awesome student. I like that kid. Whoever he was. And now I'm going to go do a workout. Then make hummus. Then go to my parents' house for an evening fun, food, and games. Awesomeness will ensue.
Oh, everyone should go out to Feedburner and create a feed link for a reader on their page (credit to Elie) -- it makes it so I can put your blogs on my Google homepage for reading. Quite convenient.
Anyway, we just got back from the KU game. One of Eric's students offered him a pair of tickets. Quite good seats in the first tier. Awesome student. I like that kid. Whoever he was. And now I'm going to go do a workout. Then make hummus. Then go to my parents' house for an evening fun, food, and games. Awesomeness will ensue.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Welcome you!
I almost wrote that this was my first Blogger entry. But it isn't. I had one back in 2000 that I apparently used once...
and another that I guess I started in 2001 and used only a few times...never mind where that's at, I'm not pleased with those few posts. I'm sure you could find it with little effort, though.
Then I went on a Xanga kick, actually kept with that one for awhile...
And here I am! I keep hoping I'll post more, but I probably won't. In fact, I don't even have a good reason for switchin, other than the novelty, I suppose. If I don't post much here, check my Xanga. I probably won't make a full transition for awhile yet.
Anyhow, welcome all. I'll be looking around to see what's up on Blogger.
and another that I guess I started in 2001 and used only a few times...never mind where that's at, I'm not pleased with those few posts. I'm sure you could find it with little effort, though.
Then I went on a Xanga kick, actually kept with that one for awhile...
And here I am! I keep hoping I'll post more, but I probably won't. In fact, I don't even have a good reason for switchin, other than the novelty, I suppose. If I don't post much here, check my Xanga. I probably won't make a full transition for awhile yet.
Anyhow, welcome all. I'll be looking around to see what's up on Blogger.
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