Random Access

All-in-all, today was pretty much cake.

• Took my watches to the local jeweler to get them repaired.
• Went to work.
• Went to the gym. I must get back into a regular workout schedule.
• Came home.

Land came over and we talked about religion, race relations and the Olympics… and how they all related to Utah (the Winter Games will be here in a little over a week). Interesting and thought-provoking. I think that I want to get a small group of people together and start a discussion group. It would be cool to see what others think about whatever topics we come up with.

Now, I’m tinkering with the inlaws’ upgraded (and now-working) computer. Now, it’s slicker’n greased moose poop and definitely outpenises my computer. Of course, that could mean only one thing: Time to upgrade mine!!!

Since it’s a school night, I guess I’d best get ready to hit the rack.

Peace.

Tuesday. 29 Jan 02.

Jess and I have been dating for two years today. This is easily the best relationship that I have been in. It also helps (A LOT) that our respective families like our choices of significant other. Verra nice, indeed. Something that our friends and family find odd, though, is the fact that in this two years, we have never had a fight. We’ve had disagreements, but no fights. And that I find uber-nice. Like I’ve said before: I have the coolest girlfriend in the world. Bar none.

Highlights of the day:

• I took the day off, since it was our “anniversary” and since it is Jess’ only day off this week. It was nice to FINALLY be able to spend a day off together where both of us be awake to enjoy it!
• Talked to Dad, Grandma, and Adam (my brother) for a bit. Dad had new Rana news: She’s in her new village, but has to wait for a number to become available before she can get one. Oh, the joys of life in the Ukraine! She apparently has to go to a nearby town for Internet access. *twitch*
• We had lunch with Jonni and Shawn. Jonni’s heading back out for the next leg of touring on Thursday; he’s the new bassist for Air Supply. From what he told us, February touring dates are a bit frenetic, to say the least. But, it was cool to hang out with them.
• Came home and got a wee bit irritated with the inlaws’ computer, which I am upgrading. It was being recalcitrant and I was NOT in the mood for it. I wound up having to leave it when we…
• Went to the inlaws’ for dinner (homemade pizza) and a movie (Rush Hour 2); we had all seen it before, but it was still a nice way to spend some QT with the family-unit. I also made sure that the things that I had setup on Jim’s laptop and website were working properly. They were… if only the PC was this easy to deal with.
• Came home and attempted, again, to bend their PC to my will. This time I was victorious! Or, to quote Dr. Peter Venkman: “We came, we saw, we kicked it’s ass!”

And that brings us pretty much up-to-the-minute. Back to whipping this computer into shape.

Peace.

Monday.

Everybody say it with me: “It snowed today.” It was a bit odd to look out and see blue skies over this end of the valley and see thick and dark grey clouds moving this way from the north. We drove into snow flurries as we headed to work.

And, speaking of work, it was typically uneventful. Mail volumes were a little high – they held some crews for up to 10 hours. Ack. I, however, was not one of the ones included in that call. And thanks to Mother Nature’s silent frozen mocking laughter (and the below freezing temperature), there was ice to scrape from the windshield. Whoopee.

After work, I came home and didn’t do much: I cooked and I resized some pictures so that I can post them here. I even managed to watch this and last weeks’ two-part episode of Justice League. I am consistently impressed with the quality of this cartoon.

Peace.

Where were we? Ah. I was going to post last night, but was too tired. And so, here it is…

Saturday:

• Put up with Xena and Sissy playing “Let’s See Who Can Run Through The Apartment and Make The Most Noise” in the morning. They early morning. They very early morning.
• Had lunch with Adrian and Roger.
• Dad called… to see who I was pulling for since the Ravens will be watching the rest of the postseason from their respective homes. The Rams.
• Went to see Robert Walters last night at the Zephyr, a private club for members, as are all bars in Utah. It was verra cool And a nice change of pace for something to do with a weekend night.

Sunday’s things…

• Put up with the cats’ escapades again this morning.
• Watched a little of the Steelers/Patriots game. And, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to call my uncle and ask him what happened to his team (Steelers) today. He wasn’t at home… or at least he didn’t answer.
• Went to Borders and sketched a bit.
• Came home – did laundry (clean clothes GOOOD!) and cooked dinner.
• Found the @#%~@! remote for the DVD player, which has been AWOL for at least a month.
• Watched some of yestermorn’s taped cartoonage.

And now, it’s late/early… so I’m going to bed.

Peace.

Saturday was a good day, but I’m tapped… so I’ll post more about it after a sufficient period of unconsciousness.

Peace.

F.R.I.Day. Let the revels begin!

• Work… but only until 16:00.
• Went to lunch with Jess and Julia.
• Went shopping for puter parts for the inlaws’ system.
• Went to the inlaws’ to get their soon-to-be-upgraded puter.
• Came home.

On the way to work, I stopped at the jewelry store just up the street from the apartment. I needed to have them check my watch for… whatever; I just had the battery changed a couple of months ago, so I doubted that it was the root of the problem. I was wrong. And with a fresh battery, I set off to face the day! I looked at my watch at 14:30… and the second hand had stopped. I checked one of the clocks at work, it wasn’t 14:30. It was 14:45. I don’t know what the problem is. *sigh* Oh well. I’ll deal with that tomorning.

Off to slay some HTML dragons.

Peace.

I’ve commented on how witty and creative the songs from Schoolhouse Rock! and Animaniacs are. It occurred to me that there are at least two other groups whose music belongs in this category: Rockapella and Barenaked Ladies. And I’m not sure why it took me this long to put 2 and 2 together and come up with a sum greater than 3. *shrug*

I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about them, because if you are reading this, you must be on an Internet-connected computer. And if that’s the case, you can follow the links to their respective sites. Q.E.D. That said, on to the groups:

• Rockapella, for those of you who have been living in caves for the past 5 to 10 years, is a vocal music group from New York; I refer them as “vocal music group” and not “a cappella group” because the latter title is a bit… limiting… for what they do. They shot to mainstream fame as the group who sang “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego” on the PBS show of the same name. They have also done two Folgers® coffee commercials. Check out their official site for more about them. And run – or click, if you’re one of the masses of digital shoppers – to your local music store and pick up their CDs. And, if they are performing at a venue near you, go! Their live show is definitely worth seeing; you won’t be disappointed.
• Barenaked Ladies is the popular music group from the land above the 54°40′. They came to my attention in early 1997… which I think is roughly the time that “The Old Apartment” from their Gordon CD was getting heavy rotation on the radio. These gentlemen also have a way with words…. and turning a phrase or two – not many bands could get away with a line like “I wax poetic while you’re waxing your legs.” They have also had songs featured on a few of popular prime-time television shows. Check out their official site, too.

Okay, that’s it for now… Take a look at those sites, learn a little something about them, and enjoy. That’s a demand, not a request or a wish.

Peace.

Thursday.
Not too much to say about the day.

• Work.
• Gym. Workout GOOOD! ::: gesture :::
• Home.

I am fairly certain that I had more to say, but it escapes me at the moment. In its place, I will say: I am sore. I am tired. I am going to bed.

Peace.

Wednesday.

I was talking to Julia, shortly after getting to work, and explaining how I wanted to leave today, but since I had “stayed all day yesterday and Tuesday….” Then it hit me: Yesterday was Tuesday. Send out the search parties – my sense of time has gone bye-bye.

Otherwise, it was a fairly uneventful day. We worked until 15:00, were sent to lunch, and then had a three-hour training session. After that, two more hours of keying and then it was hometime! During the last two hours, Julia and I came up with more mixed-up titles (although we didn’t limit ourselves to just songs), including:

• J.R.R. Tolkein & Richard Wagner: Lord of the Ring of the Niebelung
• Pat Benatar & Movie Title: Hell is for Children of a Lesser God
• Stephen Crane & the Brothers Grimm: The Little Red Riding Hood of Courage
• Ernest Hemingway & Nestlè: For Whom the Bell Tollhouse Cookies
• Bon Jovi & Smashing Pumpkins: Living on a Bullet with Butterfly Wings and a Prayer
• Shakespeare & Poison: Much Ado About Nothin’ but a Good Time
• Motley Crue, Genesis… and a carnival barker: Girls, Girls, Girls, Tonight, Tonight, Tonight!!!
• John Steinbeck & Barry Sonnenfeld: Of Mice and Men in Black

What can I say…? We were a little bored.

Quote of the Day: Dee, Lynn and I were attempting to explain the vagaries of a certain phrase to Rick during a break. He asked if it was a common saying; Dee told him that it depended on where you are (geographically).

• Rick: “So, we could say it…?”
  Dee, Lynn and I: *nearly-hysterical laughter*
  Dee: “Once.” *laughs* “It’s hard to say through wired teeth and a halo.”

And that’s all for tonight, I’m tapped (1 blue mana, 3 colorless).

Peace.

Tuesday.

Mail volumes were sporadic. We were in and out of idle time for most of the shift. Of course, the up side to that is: I got to do some sketching. HOO-AH! On the down side, they were offering early dismissals for most of the day; Julia, Dee and Rick bailed early. That did NOT make staying very easy. But, I did!

After work, Jess and I met Adrian, Ron and Land for a late/early breakfast.

And then we came home. The end.

Pictures of the past few days are here.

Peace.

per·spec·tive n.

1. A view or vista.
2. A mental view or outlook
3. The appearance of objects in depth as perceived by normal binocular vision.
4. The relationship of aspects of a subject to each other and to a whole
5. Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view
6. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance
7. The technique of representing three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-dimensional surface.

— from www.dictionary.com

Jess and I saw Black Hawk Down yesterday. It was an incredible film. It also was interesting to me on a number of different levels:

• Jess served a five-month tour of duty in Somalia; it ended three to four weeks before the events described in the movie. This brought back memories of her time there. For me, it was seeing events that had played out over CNN and Fox News and the local stations from an up-front point of view.
• While sitting in the theatre, I thought about how odd it seemed to be watching this movie on a day set aside to commemorate peace and civil rights. Then I thought about it again. It was not odd. In fact, I found it rather appropriate. It was nice to be reminded of just what we have. Yes, there are still injustices and inequalities in America, but we do have a rather high quality of life.
• It was also encouraging to see the dedication and determination of people trying to carry out their mission in the face of oppressive and overwhelming odds. Some were scared. Some weren’t sure how to react. But they had a common bond: Duty. Their will to not only survive, but to see to it that no one was left behind. It was interesting to consider how many people are willing to simply give in to things in their lives rather than persevere and attempt to see things to fruition… or even failure. For the soldiers in this campaign, failure was not an option: No one was to be left behind. After falling back and regrouping, they went back to finish what they had set out to do. That is the kind of determination, devotion and dedication to which I aspire in my day-to-day living. I may not be there yet, and I may not get there soon or easily, but I will get there.

The movie was quite intense. And powerful. And it did not pull any punches. It reminded me of Saving Private Ryan in the way that it not only showed you the war, but it immersed you in it. While it may not be a fare for everyone, I recommend it with high marks.

Peace.

Monday.
21 Jan 2002.
Martin Luther King Day.

Today is the day that the nation has set aside to honor both Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the cause of civil rights in America. The text of Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech can be read here.

I find it odd, and a little more than mildly irritating, that there are states in the Union that either did not or do not acknowledge date nor the day under the name that was given. Examples are:

• Arizona: Which did not recognize the holiday for a few years after its establishment.
• Utah: Which recognizes the day as “Human Rights Day.”

While I am sure that things like this possibly occur in other states, these are the only two examples of which I have any knowledge. I would like to think that there is not an issue of racial bias behind those decisions, but the cynic in me wonders…

According to an article on USAToday.com, many children see Dr. King not so much as a man, as a mythic figure. Some schools/school systems touch on his I Have a Dream speech or the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, but not much is taught about his principles of non-violent resistance. More is told about his “legend” than his life. It is important to realize that before there was a heroic figure there was a man. Indeed, it should be remembered that even while he was doing great things in the interest of civil rights, he was still a husband. A father. A man.

Each year on the third Monday of January schools, federal offices, post office and banks across America close as we celebrate the birth, the life and the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is a time for the nation to remember the injustices that Dr. King fought. A time to remember his fight for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all races and peoples. A time to remember the message of change through nonviolence.
— from Holidays.Net

It is important to recognize on Dr. King’s birthday that it is not just the man we celebrate, but his dream of tolerance, reconciliation and justice. All of us, regardless of race, should remember and honor the brave people and profound events of the modern civil rights movement. Dr. King’s leadership was important, but so were the actions of millions of Americans who shared his dream. On this day, we should resolve that his vision and theirs not be lost to future generations.
–Joe Levin, president and chief executive officer, Southern Poverty Law Center

Martin Luther King III said his father would be pleased with progress in the civil rights movement, but noted there are issues such as poverty that remain troublesome. He said he hoped those honoring his father with the holiday would give back to society. “We don’t see it as a day off,” Martin Luther King III said. “We see it as a day on which people can be involved in community service.”
— from Washington Post (online)

References include:

• USAToday.com
• Memphis Educational Computer Connectivity Alliance
• WashingtonPost.com
• National Civil Rights Museum
• Southern Poverty Law Center
• Holidays.Net

I have been talking (online) to my friend, Patryck, about his views on race relations in America today. He said that he liked Malcolm X’s approach to social change.

honduras9 I see much of Malcolm X in myself
honduras9 I am not a passive person on the subject of relations between the races in the US
ShadoRunr Okay.
honduras9 I don’t feel that any one race is superior
ShadoRunr Agreed.
honduras9 nor do I believe that one race is to have more or less privileges than any other
honduras9 I don’t agree with everything that Malcolm said
honduras9 but, a majority of what he said made perfect sense
honduras9 and I am behind what he stood for
ShadoRunr I think of them as “closed fist and open hand.” Neither is better than the other and they can both be utilized in different ways.
ShadoRunr Example:
ShadoRunr Fist: can be used to protect something (whatever it is wrapped around) or to strike something/someone.
ShadoRunr Hand: Can be used to slap someone/something OR to lift something.
honduras9 but, our people have been misguided for so long that we need to choose something to cling to and not let anyone deter us
ShadoRunr True, but there are times when a combination of both methods can be better used than just one or the other.
honduras9 oh, no doubt
honduras9 but, a militant approach is usually the best approach to get you point across when you are being ignored
ShadoRunr That’s true, too.
honduras9 but, it should be used with caution and as a last resort
honduras9 but, for all intent and purpose, I am a militant
ShadoRunr Gotcha.
honduras9 willing to give peace a chance
honduras9 but, when I feel as though I am being ignored or taken advantage of, I will not hesitate to flex my intellectual skillz; match my wits and use my militancy to get my point across
honduras9 but, as I get older, I see there is a time and place for everything
honduras9 each method, no matter how crude has a place and an application
ShadoRunr Yes.
honduras9 and this is why I say the any militant method should be used with caution and as a last resort

In closing, I ask that you not just think of this day as “another day off” or “the end of a three-day weekend.”

• Think about the differences in people and cultures that are supposed to make this country great.
• Think about what people have endured to see to it that everyone is entitled to the same rights and privileges.
• Think about what can be done to see to it that no one is left behind.
• Think about what you can do to help bring about change in your community.

Peace.

The season is over.

The Ravens could not maintain the energy of infusion that they received early in the 3rd quarter; Jermaine Lewis #84 (Wide Receiver/Runback Specialist) set an NFL record – longest punt return – with an 88-yard touchdown run. But it was not enough. Oh well, there is always next season. But, it will be a season without Tony Siragusa #98 (Defensive Tackle); he announced his retirement a few weeks ago. Today marked the end of his 12-year football career.

Congratulations to the Steelers on a well-played game.

Dad called after the game. He laughed and said,”No need to sound so sad.” He agreed that the Ravens didn’t bring their A-game; they didn’t bring their B, C, or D-games, either, in my opinion. He said that while he was out-and-about the other day, he overheard a couple of ladies talking about the same issues that I had raised about the effectiveness of some of the coaching staff’s decisions.

My uncle called again. He was positively ebullient over the Steelers’ win. Even so, he’s still the coolest uncle in the world.

And now… off to face the rest of the day!

Peace.

Update: The first half of this game has riddled with errors on the Ravens’ part. Interceptions. Fumbles. Penalties. Pittsburgh goes into halftime with a 20 – 3 lead. Thank you, Matt Stover! To my knowledge, he has been the most consistent player on the Ravens’ offense; I have watched many games that were won on Stover’s kicks. In fact, there have been games where his kicks were the only reason that the Ravens scored at all! Nice to know that some things are consistent.

I just got off the phone with my uncle… a Steelers fan. You can imagine how this conversation started. My uncle and I have a long-running tradition of good-natured sports rivalries, so I was expecting this call. He gave me the option of recanting my decision to stand behind the Ravens; I told him that no matter how poorly they were playing that I couldn’t do that. Good try though. Coolest uncle in the world.

How ironic. This quote just appeared in my email: “To be prepared is half the victory.” Miguel de Cervantes

Back to the game.

Peace.

Rather casual Saturday:

• Went to the gym and worked out around 13:00. It was a good one; I was able to do four (4) reps of 205 lbs (a smidgen over 93 kilos). Four was a good stopping point. But I did it!
• I didn’t do much until after Jess went to work. It was nice just being “in” and relaxing.
• Went to Barnes & Noble to see our friend Amy.
• Came home and did… pretty much nothing.
• Went bowling. Larry won 3 – 2 tonight. Bill and his sister, Becky, showed up around 01:00.
• We went to Village Inn, where we saw:
  • …a man who, for no reason that we could discern, was wearing an all-white tuxedo. Fashion Note: The tux seemed a little… umm… “dated.” I wish that I could have gotten a picture of it.
  • …Shelly, one of the waitresses, who chastised us for not requesting to sit in her section; she’s waited on us before.
  • …a man who reminded me of Bruno Kirby… if he had a western-themed wardrobe and a mullet. (Got a pic of him!)
  • …a man, in a running suit, with a King Mullet! (Got a pic of him, in all of his mullet-crested glory, from behind.)
  • …a woman who, by our best guess, had gone out earlier in search of alcohol and lovin”. She seemed to be batting .500, as far as that went. The item of note for her was her top, which was a shirt-sweater “thing.” It buttoned across the middle – key words: “across the middle.” And through this middle section, it… how to put this tactfully… didn’t seem as though she were as well-supported as she could (or should) have been. Bill seemed to notice that, too… to his own dismay. (She’s in the same pic with the Mullet King.)
• And I came home.

Pictures of the Day (and Friday) can be found here.

I think that covers most of the important things.

Tomorrow (later today) is FOOTBALL: The Ravens against the Steelers. This is for a shot at the AFC Title. They met twice in the regular season; each team won one game. If Baltimore can play the kind of game that they played against Miami last weekend, it should be a good game.

Peace.