Random Access

Friday – 31 December 2010
Snow falls on the ground.
The broom sweeps away the snow.
The driveway is clear.

BOOM!  Just like that: Two days of haiku!

It snowed again last night, with very light snow falling this morning. This time, it was the light, powdery snow for which Utah is know. Thus, I was able to literally sweep away the snow. Today’s snow removal music was 2112; I finished in the time it took to listen to “2112” (the A-side) and “A Passage to Bangkok,” so… 24:08.  Not too shabby.

Last night, SaraRules! and I went down to Abravanel Hall to hear – and see – The Blue Planet Live! We went with Logan and Sanaz, and wound up running into and Jeff, as well as Mickey and Sammie . The performance was narrated by Utah Senator Orrin Hatch. It was a good production. It was made more amusing by the woman sitting behind us who was amazed/fascinated by practically everything on-screen. (Seriously… you’d think that she didn’t use her television for anything but watching The Young and the Restless and maybe Martha Stewart Living.)

I was originally planning on heading up to The Wonderful World of Trains with today, but his schedule won’t allow it. I may still head up on my own, as I’m itching to get a look at the new location of The Bookshelf… and it’s three blocks from WWoT.

Chew on This: Food for Thought
Today is the last day of 2010. It’s been a year of ups and downs, but mostly “ups”:

• SaraRules! and I bought a house (…and discovered a great little neighborhood espresso shop)!
• My mother retired.
• I lost another good friend.
• I got back into model railroading after a nearly 30-year absence.
• I celebrated my first anniversary.
• I turned 40… and, thanks to the coolest wife ever, got to race cars for my four-hour mid-life crisis!
• My third niece was born.
• We got to host Thanksgiving in our new home.
• We had my family come out and celebrate Christmas with us.

…and, as I said last year: “…these are all part of ‘life.'”

On the whole, 2010 was a good year. I am thankful for the many new people I met and I am grateful for the many wonderful things that I got to experience. If you were part of my year – no matter how big or small a part – thank you for the pleasure of your company and for being a part of my journey.

I wish you a very happy and prosperous 2011 and beyond.

Stray Toasters

• I think that I like sweeping snow far better than shoveling it.
• The Sartorialist
• 
• John Ridley’s Top 7 ‘Nontroversies’ of 2010
• GeekDad, meet GeekMom
• Nyx is dealing with ever-increasing levels of monkeydom. I think that she should keep a dead-blow hammer handy, for just such occasions.
• 
• DC Women Kicking Ass – The most memorable moments in DC history for women: Nominee #21
• I believe that I’ve solved the “problem” of streets in my model railroad: SuperStreets
• Demolition of the Paris Metro
  • Berlin – The Metro
    
• The Style Guy’s 15 Rules to a Sharper, Smarter Life
• How to Take Better Pictures with Your Smartphone’s Camera

And with that…

Be well and be good to yourself and to others.

Namaste.

Thursday – 30 December 2010
NBN Thursday
Falls silently upon us.
Like new-fallen snow.

That’s right. I just busted out a haiku.  Just. Like. That!

What’s more, the haiku references a few pertinent things:

1. It’s Thursday;
2. I have declared it a “No Bad News ” Thursday; and
3. There is snow on the ground.

And you got all of that information in seventeen syllables.

Yesterday, I visited The Train Shoppe. In itself, not too out-of-the-ordinary. However, this trip was made a little different by the fact that I was joined by my father-in-law and grandfather-in-law, both of whom have a soft and warm spot in their hearts for model railroads. I picked up a package of earthen bumpers and a half-curve of O36 track.

I came back home just as snow started to fall last night. By the time SaraRules! got home, about an hour later, a couple of inches of snow had fallen. We decided to stay in for the night and watched Seven Pounds. It was a good movie, although there was something in the pacing and the way the story was told that was a little “off.” I definitely felt that it was more of a “watch at home” movie than a “sit in the theatre” one. But, as I said: It was good; it was also a bit unexpected.

After the movie, SaraRules! and I bundled up and went outside to shovel the driveway and sidewalks. We were done in about twenty minutes. It’s amazing how quickly it goes when there are two shovels at work!

We woke up this morning to find another 3-4″ of Mother Nature’s frozen, mocking laughter blanketing the ground. *sigh*

Stray Toasters

• I don’t have the background in economics, history or politics to refute the information within, but I found this to be an interesting read: Bill Moyers: Welcome to the Plutocracy
• Thanks to for pointing out: Kawah Ijen by night
• Something for (and possibly Meliko): How to Open a Champagne Bottle with a Saber
• 
• Pianist Billy Taylor, Jazz Ambassador and NPR Host, Dies
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” and “Eww, creepy!” files: Muppets with People Eyes
• Julie Taymor Withdraws from New York Times Event
• While reading friends’ blog posts, I found something in ‘s entry that reminded me of this:
• Top Scientific Breakthroughs of 2010
• Five days after Christmas and I’ve already added a bunch of stuff to The Covet List…
• Ew’s and Ah’s: Photos from a hospital medical museum

Okay, enough procrastinating… time to make the donuts shovel the snow.

Namaste.

Wednesday – 29 December 2010
It’s midweek… which means that it’s Comics Day! It is also rather windy here. According to The Weather Channel’s website, it’s 37F outside.  I haven’t seen any snow yet, but that’s not to say that it isn’t in the area.

I went to The Apple Store yesterday to have my BlacBook’s battery checked out – it was developing a couple of ugly bulges. I learned that my AppleCare warranty had expired 50 days ago. (Well, “51,” now…) Brad, the Apple Genius with whom I spoke, said that since I’d had no warranty claims with my MacBook, he’d just go ahead and replace the battery… at no charge!  WIN!

I left the store and dropped in to say a quick “Hi” to SaraRules! (Her office is close to The Gateway.) When I left there, I wasn’t ready to head home and wanted to check out a hobby shop or two. So, I headed north. I wound up in Layton and Clearfield. I checked out the Hobby Lobby in Layton; I was even more disappointed with their model railroad selection that I am with the store in Sandy. (And that’s saying something.) From there, I headed to Almosta Junction. That was (kind of) a mistake. They had A LOT of things that are going on The Covet List; foremost among them was:

These things are getting hard to find. They also had a selection of rolling stock, other accessories and a couple of books that I wouldn’t be ashamed to add to my collection.  Nevertheless, I walked out of the store empty-handed. *sigh* I considered heading up to Ogden and checking out The Wonderful World of Trains, but I think I’ll wait until Friday… assuming the weather holds up and that is interested in and available to go.

Once I got back home, I cooked dinner.  Last night’s fare was baked chicken, with seasoned collard greens and rice. SaraRules! and I watched the Vikings-Eagles game. I was expecting a “good” game, but got more than I had anticipated. Minnesota QB Joe Webb had a pretty outstanding performance… especially when you consider that he was drafted as a wide receiver! On the flip side, Philadelphia QB Michael Vick had a decent game, but his offensive line leaked like a sieve. He got sacked six times and was almost always under pressure.

After the game, SaraRules! and I went to the gym:

• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 165 lbs
• Squats: 2 sets/10 reps, 80 lbs (I think…)
• Flys: 3 sets/10 reps, 100 lbs
• Seated Row: 2 sets/12 reps, 100 lbs
• Push-ups: 2 sets/10 reps
• Step-ups: 2 sets/8 reps per leg, 25 lb dumbbells
• Jackknifes: 2 sets/15 reps

And, later in the evening (which really translates to: “Far too late at night/early in the morning”), I made good on my threat to tear out my railroad’s rail yard:

• Old and busted:

• New hotness:

Yeah… I’m pretty happy with it.  For now. I still want to add two more left-hand switches near the top of the yard: One for another spur, the other to complete a pass-through to the main line.

All told, I’d say that it was a pretty good day.

Now I need to figure out what I want to do with the rest of today…

Namaste.

Tuesday – 28 December 2010
It’s quiet around here again.  Things are returning to what passes for “normal” around here.

I just talked with my mother and uncle — they both made it home, although MUCH later than either of them had anticipated. Thanks to a three-hour delay getting out of SLC, my parents didn’t get home until almost 0100 AM EST. My uncle didn’t fare any better, as he made it into and out of Chicago with no problem… but couldn’t land in White Plains. At least, not the first time. His flight was re-routed to Hartford for refueling and then went back to White Plains. He got home after 0200 AM. But… everyone made it home safely.

Last night, I had dinner with my in-laws, before they took Meliko to the airport. We went for Mexican food at El Chihuahua. I had the beef enchiladas; they were good. After dinner, I met at MacCool’s for the last Monday Night Football broadcast of the season: The Saints at the Falcons. It was a very good game and pretty much came down to the last few minutes. Add to that a couple of Black and Pumpkin beers and an order of Finn’s Skins and it made for a good evening in good company.

Stray Toasters

• I’m thinking (seriously) about tearing out my rail yard and reconfiguring it. Again.
• 1980s cartoon intros in other languages
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” and the “People Are People” files: Harry Potter actress in hiding after death threats
• Coded American Civil War Message in Bottle Decoded
• 
• Big Bird Behind the Beak – A Look Behind the Feathers
• Infographic: Bad Science in Movies Chart
• Despite the fact that I left my old web hosting company nearly three months ago, I still get email from them.  (No, I’m not still getting billed by them.)

I should probably start getting ready to face the day.

Namaste.

Monday – 27 December 2010
It’s quiet around here. VERY quiet. It’s amazing how “quiet” it is, in fact. I guess that’s just one of the things you notice when you go from having five people in the house to being alone at home.

I had a fantastic Christmas. It was made even better by the fact that I was able to have (most of) my family here — we’re looking at ways to get Kris out here later in the season or this Spring/Summer.  We started some new traditions this year (Christmas Eve spaghetti dinner and Christmas morning mimosas) and incorporated some of our favorites as well. The man in the red suit did me a good turn this year; he brought me:

• A couple of really nice sweaters
• A pair of boots (…which I need to send back because they were both for the right foot)
• An overcoat and scarf
• A new pair of lounge pants… with the Ravens’ logo on ’em!
• A couple of passenger platforms for my railroad
• A LEGO Creator set
• Buckyballs
• A “gift certificate” to Dr. Volt’s or The Train Shoppe (Woo!)
• A Sawz-All
• A new train set

SaraRules! and I got a couple of very nice gifts as a couple, too.  So, I can honestly say that I had a very good Christmas this year.

Saturday, before heading to SaraRules!’ parents’ place for dinner, I took the family up to Brighton — I figured that since they had come all this way to visit, the least that I could do was take them for a drive up one of the canyons and let them see the mountains. I think that they were taken aback a bit at how truly “big” the mountains are here. They were also a bit surprised when I told them the elevation.

After the drive, we met up with SaraRules’ side of the family for dinner. We had a magnificent feast with all kinds of foods: brisket, ham, borscht, mixed vegetables, roasted root vegetables, breads, potatoes and more! All of it was wonderfully prepared.

Sunday, we got up and took my folks to Music and the Spoken Word. My mother has mentioned many times that she wanted to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but hadn’t been able to get out her to do so. But, with retirement comes time… and, fortunately, we were able to make it in to see this week’s recording.

After the broadcast, we went up to Park City for brunch at Cisero’s. It started to snow shortly after we arrived, but was coming down a little more heavily as we left Park City and headed down Parley’s Canyon. After we got in, we settled in for a relatively quiet afternoon at home. Later in the afternoon, we took my uncle down to the Cathedral of the Madeleine and picked up dinner.

This morning, SaraRules got up for work and I got up to take my family to the airport. It was really nice to have them here for the long weekend; I’m glad that they were able to come out.  (Now, I just have to get Kris out here…) We got everyone to their respective flights on time, although I got a call from my mother a little while ago saying that her plane was grounded because of a “mechanical problem.” I’m waiting to see if/when they get boarded on another plane and how that will affect their connection home.  My uncle, on the other hand, might not get out of Chicago – or at least not to his home airport – thanks to the snowstorm that hit the northeast over the weekend. We’ll see how everything shakes out.

Stray Toasters

• How was your Christmas?
• The Ravens beat the Browns and secured a spot in the playoffs!
• Five Best Resources for Free Games
• Teena Marie dies at 54; R&B singer-songwriter
  • Lovergirl
    
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Man Faces Five Years in Jail — for Reading Wife’s Emails
• I need to replace the battery on my MacBook. This one has developed a “bulge.”  You know, the “This battery has reached the end of its useful life cycle…” kind.
• Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

It seems as though my parents made it out of here… nearly three hours late.  But, they’re in the air.

Now, it’s time to find some trouble to get into.

Namaste.

Saturday – 25 December 2010
It’s Christmas!

Wait…wait, wait, wait…

That wasn’t a proper Christmas greeting, but it was fun. And, it’s one of my favorite non-traditional Christmas songs. But, let’s try that again:

There we go. That’s more like it.

I hope that everyone has a safe, fun and very merry Christmas. I count myself very blessed and fortunate to have such a wonderful group of family and friends.

Be well and be good to each other!

Namaste.

Friday – 24 December 2010
It’s Christmas Eve.
My uncle will be here in a few hours, as will Meliko; we’re still waiting to see if Kristen will be able to make it.

My mom and stepfather got into town about noon yesterday. We spent the afternoon and evening in; we had lunch and sat around and talked for a bit.  Later, Mom tagged Christmas gifts – she and Kris had shipped them here earlier in the week – and then we watched the Panthers take on the Steelers on Thursday Night Football. It was seriously like watching David take on Goliath… except this time, Goliath knew what was up and completely manhandled David. The final score was 27 – 3; I was just happy that the Panthers put some points on the board. After the ‘rents went to bed, SaraRules! and I watched the mid-season finale to Fringe and an episode of Burn Notice.

SaraRules! and I are heading to the gym in a bit; I think that my stepdad is going to join us… if he’s awake. (He and Mom were up at 0330 yesterday to make their first flight, so I can understand and appreciate that they’re “a little” tired.) Later, we’re all going to lunch with SaraRules!’ parents. Pat’s Barbecue.  Mmmm. I think that there will be a little shopping done and then it will be off to the airport to pick up Uncle Ronnie and Meliko – their flights gets in around the same time).

Workout
And…. we’re back. My stepfather didn’t join us, after all. The workout was short and sweet:

• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs
• Deadlifts (barbell): 2 sets/8 reps, 70 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell): 2 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Shoulder Press (dumbbell): 2 sets/10 reps, 35 lbs
• Lat Pulldown: 2 sets/10 reps, 110 lbs
• Lunges: 2 sets/8 steps per leg, 20 lb dumbbells
• Crunches (Swiss ball): 2 sets/15 reps

Stray Toasters

• It’s been fun having my parents here.  There… I said it.  (And meant it.)
• 
• America has a serious drug problem
• Hyperbole and a Half: The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas
• What Happens When You Steal a Hacker’s Computer
• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Pearl comes out of ear 41 years later
• Wright’s ‘Falling Water’ in gingerbread
• California beaches ‘contaminated’ after rain storms

And, just in case I don’t get back on here tomorrow (or later tonight): I hope that everyone has a safe and very merry Christmas.

Namaste.

Thursday – 23 December 2010
How did my NBN vacation Thursday kick off?
By picking up my parents at the airport!
Let the Christmas revels begin!

Yesterday, SaraRules! and I headed over to her parents’ house to make Christmas sugar cookies. Last night, we went back over to decorate those cookies with her parents, Sanaz and Logan. As part of the fun, I made a Green Lantern gingerbread man:

“In brightest day,
In blackest night,
No cookie shall escape my sight!”

His lantern symbol might not be awesome-looking, but it’s the best I could do with a toothpick.  I’m pretty proud of him.

Chew on This: Food for Thought
Yesterday, I had an item in my blog post that mentioned the outrage some groups are having about Idris Elba playing Heimdall in the upcoming Thor movie.  What I neglected to mention was that these same groups haven’t said ANYTHING about the fact that Tadanobu Asano was selected to portray Hogun the Grim (another Norse god)… despite the fact that Asano’s involvement was known – and fairly public – well before Elba’s.  So, let me get this straight:

1. Some people are getting bent because a black actor is portraying a Norse god in a movie based on a comic book…?!
2. The same people have nothing to say about an Asian actor also portraying a Norse god in the same movie based on a comic book…?

Isn’t that kind of saying,”Hey, we’re racists… sorry… “racial purist” bastards, but see, we’re only nitpicky when it comes to some people!” or am I wrong?

Stray Toasters

• I know what one thing that Santa’s bringing for is. How do I know? Mom delivered it for Santa…and I had to unbox it for her. WIN!
• 16 Holiday Movie Spoofs from ‘Rejecting Sobriety’
• Sorry, Kids. Fire Stations Are Ditching Fire Poles
• Thanks to for pointing this out: Remembering a jolly duet: When Bing met Bowie
• Photographer Bill Durgin’s unusual figure studies
• Jayson Weidel Colors His X-Men One at a Time
• 
• Miminalist effect in the maximalist market
• A Very Zombie Holiday (Zombie apocalypse advice for the holiday season)
• This has to be wrong on some level: I just saw something about the old Chuck Norris TV series, Walker: Texas Ranger… and in my head immediately reparsed it as Walker: Texas Power Ranger.

Yeah… that’s good for now.

Namaste.

Wednesday – 22 December 2010
It’s midweek.
Comics (and probably not-Sushi) Wednesday.
Sugar cookie-making with the in-laws day.
And, the day before my parents get to town.

Whew.
I’m already tired.

Tuesday saw a bit of errand-running. I went to the office to drop off Christmas presents to my team and then it was off to lunch with a few other coworkers. We went to Market Street Grill; the service was uncharacteristically slow, but the food was still good (for seafood in a landlocked state, that is!). Next, it was on to the Post Office to drop some Christmas cheer in the mail. After that, I did a little wandering before making it back home.

After dinner, SaraRules! and I went to an advance screening of The Green Hornet.  (Thanks to Melissa S. for the passes. I have been… leery… of the movie, especially when it was announced that Seth Rogen would be starring. My main concern was that it would be more along the lines of “The Green Hornet meets The Hangover.” While there was some camp and a few places where belief had to be suspended, it was a fun movie. I don’t see it as an Oscar contender, but it was definitely entertaining. As I told SaraRules!, “I was trying to put it on a scale between The Spirit (bad) and Superman (good), in terms of superhero movies.  It’s definitely more Superman than Spirit.”

(7) … possibly even (8)

Stray Toasters

• By now, I’m Ivory Soap sure that most people have seen the DeSean Jackson punt return that gave the Eagles the win over the Giants on Sunday… but have you seen it redone in Tecmo Bowl? Check it out:
• Pa. boy to be tried for murder as adult; historic sentence looms
• FCC Is Set to Regulate Internet Access
• ‘Flash mob’ results in California mall evacuation
• From another TED talk: Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders
• 
• This entry, from DC Comics’ The Source blog, may just contain three of the funniest Batman related pages that I have ever read. And, they are only made funnier given the fact that Aquaman is delivering the lines. Yes… that Aquaman.
• I saw this a few days ago, but let it ride.  Then I started thinking about it and decided to add it to this morning’s ‘Toasters: Racists Totally Freak Out Over Idris Elba Playing Norse God in ‘Thor’
  • In a Quote of the Day-worthy note, my brother-in-law,, had this to say:
    

    “Let me get this straight: Douchebags are upset because a black dude is playing a completely fictional character from Norse mythology.  Is that correct?  Glad to know our country’s capacity for getting upset over totally inane bullshit hasn’t waned any…”

  • Related note: if you have a chance, watch the Penny Arcade TV “Racist Clock” video, mentioned in this article, as well. It’s doesn’t really take off until about 2 minutes in, but it’s worth it.
  • Additional related note: All I have to say is “Wow…” about the Council of Conservative Citizens. While I don’t agree with their ideology, I support their right to think and believe what they will…. with the notable exception of Item #2 in their Statement of Principles. Chalking this one up to the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file.
• From the “Yes, these were parts of our history…” files:
  • Discussing Civil Rights Era, a Governor Is Criticized
  • Charleston’s ‘secession ball’ a contentious start to Civil War’s 150th anniversary
• Cartoon Network’s ‘Young Justice’ to Begin Regular Rotation on January 7

I’m sure that there are a lot of other things I could add to this post, but I’ll just wrap up here.

Namaste.

Monday – 20 December 2010
The song says, “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”  Today is Monday. It is also… snowy, although there may be some rain falling somewhere in the valley. However, this combination is far from getting me down. Why?

1. I’m on vacation.
2. It’s only three more sleeps till my parents get here!
3. It’s only four more sleeps till my uncle gets here!
4. It’s only five more sleeps until Christmas!
5. Did I mention that whole “vacation” thing? I did?  Okay, good. Just making sure.

Yesterday, SaraRules! and I knocked out a little more eleventh-hour Christmas shopping. That was good. After that, we came home for a bit. During the down time, I fired up the 360. I was planning on playing a little bit of LEGO Batman, but Fate had other plans in store: messaged me and invited me to play HALO: Reach online with him and . As I hadn’t played Reach online (heresy, I know…) and as I was going to be able to play with a couple of friends, I pulled Batman out, put Reach in and played for a bit.

A short while later, SaraRules! and I headed over to Sanaz and Logan’s. On the docket: Dinner and making/decorating a gingerbread Christmas tree:

All-in-all, it turned out well.  Steve brought the video camera, to record the event, so I’m Ivory Soap sure that there will be a trailer – if not a full-on movie – showing our exploits. Dinner was very good; we had turkey legs, homemade mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, asparagus and cranberry sauce.

After we returned home, SaraRules! watched The Godfather, which I recently realized that I had never seen in its entirety. It was good. Very good. My only complaint was the pacing — there were places in the film where you couldn’t get a firm grasp on just how much time had elapsed. Other than that, I can easily see why it’s on so many people’s favorite movie list.

Instant Replay: Football

New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens
24 – 30
Drew Brees and the Saints came marchin’ into M&T Bank Stadium… …and the Ravens sent ’em marchin’ back home with a loss. Joe Cool and the boys started out strongly, but let the lead slip away in the second half. The game ended with another Ravens interception, this time delivered by DE Cory Redding. With this win, the Ravens go to 10-4 and are still very much in the hunt for the AFC Playoffs Wild Card, as the #5 seed.

Coach Harbaugh! Hey, Coach!  Hey… your team just beat last year’s Super Bowl champions and are currently the #5 seed in the AFC Playoff picture!  How does that make you feel?

.

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
23 – 39
The Raiders busted the Broncs in this division win. Congrats, SaraRules! and 1silver_seraph.

.

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers
12 – 19
The Panthers hosted the Cards… …and found a way to come up with a win. Sorry, Marr.

.

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
17 – 19
The Bengals came away with the win in this “Battle of Ohio” Congrats, carefreespirit and janietrain!

.

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins
17 – 14
The ‘Fins dropped this one to the Bills, making them 0-3 against division rivals this season.

Stray Toasters

• Your Apps Are Watching You
  • Full database of apps/information shared, as tested
• Lewis Delivered Passionate Speech
  Ray Lewis..!? Passionate about football..!?  This is a surprise to whom, really?
• Many High Schools Offering “Computer Science” Really Aren’t
• Hailee Steinfield: For a Young Actress, a Gritty Debut
• 
• Pentagon Plan Won’t Cover Brain-Damage Therapy
• Save the Wedding Date: Any Time Before Krypton Explodes
  • In a semi-related note: Stuart Immonen’s take on the origins of some of Superman’s 1990s’ Rogues Gallery
• The underwater sculpture of Jason de Caires Taylor
• Best Buy Puts an End to Tyrannical Restocking Fees

Namaste.

Sunday – 19 December 2010
It’s a chilly, rainy/snowy day here in the valley.

On the “plus” side, today is my uncle’s birthday:

Yesterday, SaraRules!, and I did our best Smokey and the Bandit impression and headed to Cedar City to retrieve the last of SaraRules!’ things from storage. We were up at 0630 and on the road a little after 0700. The trip down was a little slow, thanks to new snowfall and poorly-plowed roads in Utah County. After that, it was pretty smooth sailing. After picking up the trailer, we headed to the storage unit, where Josh (SaraRules!’ former MFA classmate) met us and helped us load up. We stopped for a bite to eat that The Pizza Factory and then got back on the road. The whole process took a hair under 12 hours, from the time we left to the time we got home after returning the trailer. It was a good, productive and tiring day.

I’d also like to take a moment to thank for volunteering his time – and his Jeep – to help us get the things from southern Utah:

Today, we’re doing a little shopping and then heading over to Sanaz and Logan’s for dinner… and gingerbread tree making/decorating. Tonight, as there will be no new episodes of The Walking Dead (for ten months!), we’re most likely going to watch The Godfather.

Stray Toasters

• I neglected to mention this a few days ago: I’m an uncle again!
  My brother and sister-in-law had a little girl, whom they named “Corrine,” on Thursday.

• Jazz Composers Orchestra: Teaching the Symphony to Swing
• For the first time in… weeks, I think… I have an organized HeroClix collection.  Hallelujah!
• Guess who’s back!
  I actually have an original C64 in the storage room… this almost makes me want to break it out, boot it up and play a little Impossible Mission.
• A couple of days ago SaraRules told me that my father-in-law made a “trailer” of this year’s family vacation.  This morning, she showed me the video.
• Drug helps clear lung mucus in cystic fibrosis patients
• I just watched this video, Changing Education Paradigms, which was informative, interesting… and rather entertaining, as well:

• Thief’s Facebook Photo Robs Sense of Online Security
• Magnetic Yellow Card – cyclist intervention

And with that, it’s time to get ready to face to the day.

Namaste.

Friday – 17 December 2010
It’s my 9/80 “on” Friday.
It’s also my last day of work for the year.

With those two things, you’d think that the day would almost qualify as an “NBN Friday.”

Too bad that I spilled my coffee as soon as I got to my desk. *sigh* I made it out of the house, out of the garage, all the way to work, up the elevator and into the office with no problem. But, go to turn the corner at my desk…?

::: SPLASH :::

And I’d only gotten a small sip of the coffee in the elevator. “Some days…,” I tell ya. Hopefully, this will not prove to be a bellwether of the rest of the day. I got the office wet/dry vac and did the best I could to clean Ground Zero. (Fortunately, the carpets are scheduled to be cleaned this weekend.)

Last night, SaraRules! and I had dinner at MacCool’s. As usual, the fare was quite good. We split an order of Finn Skins as an appetizer; she had their Ahi Tuna Sandwich, while I had the Meat Loaf (with a spiced barbecue sauce). And there was Guinness. It was a good dinner and a nice change of pace.

After dinner, I stopped at Dr. Volt’s to pick up my second brick of ‘Clix, the tournament prize pack – gotta have goodies to hand out at tourneys, of course – as well as this week’s four-color paper crack. From there, it was on to Hastur Hobbies for 4th ed. D&D night. Josh, a former coworker, joined the group. We finished out the encounter (and that chapter of the story) without any deaths in our party.

After the game, I headed home to meet SaraRules! and we then headed to the gym:

• Leg Raises (Roman Chair): 3 sets/15 reps
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs
• Squats: 2 sets/10 reps, ~75 lbs
• Row: 2 sets/10 reps, 110 lbs
• Push-ups: 2 sets/10 reps
• Step-ups: 2 sets/10 reps per leg, with 20 lb dumbbells
• Jackknifes: 2 sets/10 reps

And, to finish up the evening we finally finished up this year’s Christmas card.

Stray Toasters

• MarknTyme just called me a “pusher.”
  All because he:
  1. Is considering getting back into model railroading after we’d talked about it a few times, and
  2. Just made his first purchase from WorldWorksGames.

  I told him that I prefer to think of myself as a “facilitator.”

• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Flirty Models Were Hired in Bid to Find Bone Marrow
• Zombie attack hoodie
• From the “We’ve Taken Care of Everything…” file: Man boards plane at IAH with loaded gun in carry-on
• Help, My Half-Elf Is Pregnant! The 11 Strangest Questions from the D&D ‘Sage Advice’ Column

  

• Blake Edwards, Prolific Comedy Director, Dies at 88
• Badass LEGO Guns
• The Implants Loophole
• When the Apocalypse Happens, You’ll Find Me in My Armored Home

Namaste.

Thursday – 16 December 2010
I am a little shocked and embarrassed to admit this, but I had completely spaced off the fact that today was Thursday – and NBN Thursday, at that – until I started typing the date. Go figure.

Today is ‘s birthday:

Today is also the day that Ludwig von Beethoven’s birthday is generally celebrated:

Last night, Dr. Volt’s held a release day tournament for the new Heroclix set: DC 75th Anniversary. Even better, Jeremiah ran it, so I was able to play in the tourney. (This doesn’t mean that I didn’t get asked rules questions, mind you.) I went 1-2 for the night – it was a sealed draft – but it was still a good bit of fun.

After the tourney, I headed back home. SaraRules! and I watched The Terminator on AMC. I remember going to see this in the theatre (I believe it was at The Janus…) with one of my cousins. Some of the effects look rather… dated… but, on the whole, the movie is solid.

Stray Toasters

• Last night, I was contacted by a friend with whom I haven’t spoken in… probably close to two years. It was a nice surprise.
• Mick Without Moss
• Kids write Santa this year for basic needs rather than toys
• Today’s workout: Helping to bring 120 new monitors into the office… 10 (or 12) at a time.
• 
• L.A. dry run shows urban nuke attack ‘a survivable event’
  Huh… didn’t look that way in The Terminator.
• Dannon’s Activia, DanActive health claims draw $21M fine
• Chris Roberson & Phil Hester on Taking Over ‘Superman’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ from JMS
• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” and “Whoops!” files:
  • Colorado database leak puts informants in jeopardy
  • UBS’ 43-page dress code requires tie-knots that match your facial morphology

• The business of malware

Time to tie up a few loose ends and then head to the office holiday party.

Namaste.

Wednesday – 15 December 2010
Another Comics (and possibly Sushi) Day is upon us!
Today also marks the release of WizKids’ DC 75th Anniversary HeroClix Set.

This morning started with a fresh 2-3″ blanket of snow. My first thought, upon looking out the window this morning, was: “I do not feel like dealing with this.” I put it off for fifteen minutes, but the snow didn’t magically shovel itself, so… I went out and cleared the driveway and sidewalks.

Yesterday was a good day at work. Thanks to the help of my coworker, James, I was able to get through a problem that was keeping me from getting some work done on a particular server. If today and/or tomorrow are like that, I’ll have worry-free (at least as far as work-related issues go) vacation.

Last night, I headed over to Chris’ place to play HeroClix. It’s been a while since the two of us have faced off in a friendly game. We had considered playing one theme, but wound up changing our plan after I got there. We wound up playing the X-Men (Chris) vs. the Avengers. Chris won – but not without taking a couple losses. It was a good game, though. And it was fun.

Stray Toasters

• It’s another suit day: Grey suit, white shirt, grey/pink/white/black tie, black vest… all capped with a pink pocket square.
• In a pretty stunning bit of health science news: Man officially cured of HIV
  • Stem Cell Transplant Cures HIV in ‘Berlin Patient’
  • The First Man to be Cured of AIDS
• Curse you, MTH, for providing more items for The Covet List, especially when it’s this close to Christmas! (More specifically: This!)*shakes fist*
• Hanna Rosin: New Data on the Rise of Women
• These Are America’s Worst, Best Commutes
• 
• The Most Amazing Science Images of 2010
• From the “Curiouser and curiouser…” file: De Young Draws the Line on Sketching
• Internet posters angry at computers with which they are unfamiliar
• 
• Jorsh Pena Adds Vintage Charm to Gremlins, Ghosts and Goonies
• By way of comes: New scam tactic: Fake disk defraggers
• The Adoration Aside, There Are Dangers to Being an R&B Heartthrob
• It would seem that Jon Favreau has turned down the director’s chair for Iron Man 3.

Namaste.

Tuesday – 14 December 2010
Last night, , and my former coworker, Josh, came over to watch Monday Night Football. After the game, SaraRules! and I watched the latest DC Animated Short: Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam. It was pretty good. They did a decent job of telling the origin of DC’s Captain Marvel and of introducing one of his main antagonists, Black Adam. The DVD also included the short features with Green Arrow, Jonah Hex and The Spectre, as seen on other DC Animated DVDs.

Instant Replay: Football

Batimore Ravens at Houston Texans
34 – 28
The Ravens seriously tried to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory… but managed to eke out a win over the Texans. In the first half, the Ravens were solid on both sides of the ball. They went into halftime with a 21-point lead, 28-7. I’m not sure what happened in the locker room, but the same team didn’t take the field in the third quarter. Perhaps they got a bit cocky and complacent. Whatever it was, they blew their lead. The only Ravens score in the second half came from WR David Reed‘s 103-yard kickoff return, which opened the third quarter. For the rest of the half, the offense couldn’t quite pull it together and the defense looked tired and beat. One of the most telling plays was when LB Jarret Johnson – normally one of the faster linemen – tried to chase down Texans’ QB Matt Schaub… and just looked like he was completely out of gas. And, CB Josh Wilson, acquired this season from Seattle, is becoming one of my favorite new Ravens. He was all over the field last night. He made good defensive plays, including the game-winning overtime interception/touchdown return that ended the game.

Stray Toasters

• I have my parents’ travel itinerary for next week. This is a “good” thing.
• Panel Set to Study Safety of Electronic Patient Data
• By way of  comes: The Suits of James Bond
  • So far, I’ve worn suits yesterday (black suit, white shirt, black holiday tie) and today (olive suit, yellow shirt, burgundy tie with candles). I’m not sure if this will be a week of suits, though.
• For Nyx, Nox and , and others: Hey, why not try the Necronomicon?
• “Avengersaurs” and Its Dino Superheroes Should Be the Next Marvel Event
  One word: “Wolveraptor.”  That’s all I’m saying.
• McCartney Plays Apollo, His “Holy Grail”
• 
• My brother-in-law, , knows of my Christmastime affinity for David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth. Last night, he chose to exploit that knowledge and send me the following (rather funny) video:
  • …and in a related note: Jingle Jams: A Holiday Mix from NPR Music
• Nintendo’s Heroes of the Second World War
• Airlines rake in $4.3 billion in fees; Delta tops list

Namaste.