Random Access

Monday : 26 December 05
I was awakened by a text message and a phone call this morning. Both of them were good. No one really had any plans for the day, so there was a lot of “sit around and drink coffee while staring at each other” time. I spent some of my time creating a new profile on the rents’ computer. Yes, I know that I’m only here a couple of times a year, at most. What’s your point? So far, I’ve put Firefox and Trillian on here… I’m trying to think of other things that I “have” to put on here. I still need to do some low-level tech support and tweak a few things on here – the system isn’t running quite as well as I think that it should or could.

I have spent the past two and a half days with my family… and haven’t felt like rending things in two (or more) pieces. Not once. I’m either growing up or getting older. Neither of those prospects is really “great,” but what can you do about it? *shrug* It’s actually been very nice spending time with them.

This afternoon, we went to visit Catherine and Joe (friends of the family who were here for dinner last night). Catherine cracks me right the Hell up. She was telling us stories about dealing with members of her family… and how she was ready to snap ’em off a little somethin’ if they needed to be brought back into line. Straight up comedy.

After that, we went to Durham to visit Kris (middle sibko member). She has a very nice apartment in what looks like a relatively new community. And… once again… I got to play “Family Tech Support Guy.” Nothing too major. And she’s worth the time. We went to dinner at O’Charley’s. And they were apparently in the midst of a crisis: Their bartender had walked out a short while before we arrived. O.o The main reason that this was a problem: We were sitting in the bar area. There was a delay in getting our food, but it wasn’t interminable. After dinner, it was a quick trip across the parking lot to Staples – I left my phone charger in SLC. Go me! Three minutes later, I was out the door and the phone was a’charging. We headed back to Kris’ for a little while before heading home.

And now, we’re here.

Tomorrow: Hooking up with the old crew for a little while. I’m looking forward to that.

Stray Toasters

• I just downloaded Semagic 1.5.6.3U… I like. A lot.
  (, it does a lot of the formatting things you asked me about, too.)

• May I just reiterate that I am still flabbergasted that my folks have broadband? It’s almost as if they are actively trying to be part of the 21st Century.
• Network for Good
• Sleeping pills and stupid grins. (There’s a really bad Country song in there, somewhere…)
• I’m enjoying The Da Vinci Code. I read it on the way to Kris’ until the sunlight grew too dim for reading.
• Bendy Woman – Wow.
• Morning star you’re beautiful, yellow dime on high
  Spins around my little room, miracle goodnight
  Even flower all alone, pazanane capeche
  Haven’t got a death wish, just want a little more

• This I Believe – The Power of Presence
• Ticker tape, marching bands and cheerleaders. LOTS of cheerleaders.
• Something about the Sanford and Son theme cracks me up.
• GetNetWise – Tools for Families
  This isn’t the only tool available, but for parents with kids who surf the Interweb, it’s a good start.

• 
• Grammar Boy vs. Glamour Boys
• “And lead us not into temptation
  But deliver us from eBay.”
  (I would rewrite more, but I’m already on the lookout for random lightning bolts…)
  As it was, I was perusing eBidet for pieces of plastic crack that I just didn’t think that I could live without. So far, I’ve managed to keep from buying anything. So far…

• ProLiteracy Worldwide
• “The power of the female gender is frightening and awe-inspiring all at the same time.”
  

• Dinosaur! RRRRR!
• 1 – 2 – 3
  4 – 5
  6 – 7 – 8
  9 – 10
  11 – 12!

Namaste.

Sunday : 25 December 05
Merry Christmas. I hope that it was a safe and enjoyable one for everyone.

I slept in. Late. Very late. Almost 13:00 late. And it was good. I needed the rest. I got up and puttered around the house for a while. There wasn’t too much to do until company showed up for dinner. We had… seven people over for dinner and a few of Mom’s students (current and former) came by to say “Hi.” It was a good way to spend the holiday.

Football Update

Minnesota at Baltimore
23 – 30
The Minnesota Vikings rode into Baltimore for a Christmas night game. The Ravens, once again, played as a formidable unit, offensively and defensively. RB Jamal Lewis only had a couple of noteworthy plays, but QB Kyle Boller had another excellent game – He threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns. It’s still up in the air as to whether the new level of confidence that he is displaying will linger, but over the past three games, he does seem to have hit his stride. Added bonuses from tonight’s game: Baltimore is no longer in the basement of the division. With tonight’s loss, the Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention. Next week: The Cleveland Browns… in The Dog Pound.

Stray Toasters

• I wouldn’t mind playing a little City of Heroes/Villains right now. Too bad they’re 2000 miles thataway.
• There is something of a “downside” to coming home: My body takes a couple of days to get used to the two-hour difference in time… which is why I’m inclined to stay up late (relatively speaking) and sleep in. *sigh*
• I think that I’ll have a piece of sweet potato pie.
• DD: Ah, Kangas, the other, other white meat.
  (Excerpted, out of context, from this interview on Newsarama.)

• , you might be interested in the following excerpt from the same interview:
  

  Q: Will the Legion be affected by 52 or Infinite Crisis in ways other than introducing Supergirl?

  DD: With Mark Waid involved in both series there is a very good chance that the world of the Legion will be affected by 52 in more than one way.

• Being the occasionally-smart person that I am, I made sure to get Catherine’s recipe for sweet potato pie before she left. Now, I can make pies at my leisure!
• : I saw this and thought you might appreciate it.
• I have snippets of My Favorite Things running through my head.
• The last page of Infinite Crisis #3: Wow. Didn’t see that coming.
• “How does that work anyway? I mean, you’re a bear and she’s a cat…”
  

• “Emperor Popetine.”
  That just cracks me up.
  I can hear this exchange, during the ordination new cardinals:

  “Cardinal Vader….”
  “Yes, Your Eminence…?”
  “Riiiise.”

Quotes of the Day
These were snippets overheard during dinner:

My uncle sliced the ham and turkey before dinner…
Kris: You cut the ham into these huge slices… and you’re a heart surgeon. *shakes head*
Uncle Ronnie: I’m just looking out for business, baby! *big smile*

Joe: Don’t you want a piece of [sweet potato] pie?
Mom: Nah… not right now. I’m watching my weight.
Eva: I’m watching your weight, too… cause I’m not doing a damn thing about mine!

Mom: What are you drinking?
Catherine: Manishewitz.
Mom: I didn’t buy any Manishewitz…
Catherine: E & B…
Mom: You mean E & J?
Catherine: E and some-damn-body!

And with that, I’m going in search of that piece of pie. I might even read a little more Da Vinci.

Namaste.

Saturday : 24 December 05
It’s been a pretty long day. I went to bed VERY early this morning and got up a couple of hours later to get to the airport.

Surprisingly, the ordeal that I anticipated for Christmas Eve flying never came to pass. I got my ticket and boarding pass quickly. I moved through the security line without much ado. I left security and headed for the gate… only to realize, a little over halfway there, that I had left my cell phone at the security screening counter. *braincramp* I power-walked back to security to get the phone and back down the terminal to my gate.

I don’t remember much about the flight out of SLC. I slept through… 80% of it, I think. And I missed watching Wallace & Gromit in The Case of the Were-Rabbit. Dammit. But, I needed the rest. I disembarked in Atlanta and made the trek (if you’ve ever flown into Atlanta, you understand) to my departure gate… where I sat for an hour-and-a-half. That was fine: There was football on the television and I had a copy of The Da Vinci Code in my hands. The flight to Greensboro was relatively uneventful. It was a fairly short flight; I read Da Vinci for most of it.

Mom met me at the airport and drove me home. On the way, we stopped at Bojangle’s, so I could get something to eat. Mmmm. Bojangle’s. They could use one or sixty of them in Utah. Kris (3rd member of the sibko) was waiting at home; my stepfather arrived a short time later. My uncle – due to a holiday travel snafu – wouldn’t get in until 10:00 PM. So, I spent time with the family-unit. It was good. I ventured into the office to discover that sometime in the past year or so, my folks got broadband. Hallelujah! High-speed Interweb access has made it to the sticks! Better late than never.

Back to the airport to get my uncle. Back home. Mom has to play for an early-morning Christmas service, so we opened our presents before my uncle and I headed to Midnight Mass. I got some good stuff – it’s good that I brought a second bag! A short while later, my uncle and I were off to Mass. I’m not Catholic, but going to Mass with my uncle is a tradition that I enjoy – it was nice to be here to go with him. It was a nice service (as usual) with a good homily. Back home for more chat with Mom and my uncle.

I should really consider hitting the rack sometime soon.

Stray Toasters

• I am eating a piece of sweet potato pie.
• Kris makes me laugh.
  Not (quite) in the same way that Adam does.
  Definitely not in the same way that Rana does.
  But, she does.

• Sprinting.
• Before I neglect to mention this yet again: I heard a Trans-Siberian Railroad version of Carol of the Bells a couple of days ago. After the introduction, it went into a few measures of a drum-heavy portion of the music. One that almost fit perfectly into the music from HALO. It made me smile. And, I didn’t even ing into “Ding! Fries are done!”
• I love my mother: She put mini-wreaths on all of the interior doors. (She makes me laugh, too.)
• Did I mention that I went to Bojangle’s? I did? Okay. Just checking.

I’m sure that there will be something of amusement to report. But, until then…

Merry Christmas.

Namaste.

I’m home. 🙂

More later.

Namaste.

Friday : 23 December 05
Day 1 of the 6-Day Weekend… and it’s been good.

I was going to meet Perry for coffee this morning, but he never answered his phone. So, I came home. I had been here about fifteen minutes when my phone rings. Perry. He had been in a meeting, but was free to go to coffee at this point. So, I hopped back in the car and headed back to the coffee shop. We drank coffee-laden drinks and chatted for a while.

I came back home with the intention of either taking a nap or starting my packing. I didn’t do either. Instead, I just… puttered around the house.

invited me to lunch at a restaurant near her office. We went… and they were closed. Currrrrrrrrsessssssss! We wound up going to… of all places… on today… the mall. I needed to pick up a couple of things and thought: “Two birds, one stone.” I should have shot myself right then and there. It would have been more simple. The mall was packed. (Big surprise there…) The Food Court wasn’t too terrible. I headed to The Gap to get one sibko member’s gift. Then it was out and over to Men’s Warehouse for one final present. I went in with the intention of just getting a gift card, but they were having a sale. I found a very nice cashmere jacket. In my size. It fit nicely.

But, I didn’t buy it.

I took it off and told the nearest associate that I wanted to get a gift card and get out before I did something hazardous to my wallet. (Well…the coat really wasn’t badly priced, but I didn’t go in there to shop for me.) Purchased said card. Exited the store. Jiggety-jig.

Back home to do some laundry and the packing that I didn’t do earlier in the day. Packing goes much more fluidly when you know what you’re going to take. And when you’re not planning on taking much – I’m sure that some of my gifts will be clothing – it goes that much faster. I did laundry, which included some of the things I planned on packing.

and I exchanged gifts before we headed to Clitorati. She got me:

• Season One of The West Wing
• Madden ’06 and
• a Carolina Panthers knit cap (to go along with my Ravens knit cap)

Very nice stuff. It put a smile on my face. And then… we were off! Tonight’s turnout was rather decent, especially considering that it was two days before Christmas. The favorite item of the night was the Mega Blox Pyrates set that we got for Christmas. Half of the table played with them; they did things with those toys that neither God, Darwin nor Tropicana Twisters ever intended. But, it was funny to watch.

News

Morning Edition – The Story of St. Nicholas
Morning Edition – Sedaris and Crumpet the Elf: A Holiday Tradition
Day to Day – Mormons Mark Joseph Smith Bicentennial
All Things Considered – Losing My Music, or “When Good Hard Drives Go Bad”
Fresh Air – John Spencer, an Actor’s Actor

Stray Toasters

• Home (from the Broadway musical The Wiz)
• “Too… many… monkeys…”
• Bruce Springsteen’s Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town makes me smile.
• By way of Slashdot: 30 Greatest Games of 2005
• and : New kitsch pinup book from Octacvio “Winkytiki” Arizala
• : Ultima V – fan remake of classic RPG launches after 5 dev years
• CNET’s Top 100 Products of 2005
• + harpoon gun = bad things

I’m leaving on a jet plane… but I do know when I’ll be back again.

Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or the holiday of your choosing.

Namaste.

Thursday : 22 December 05
Today cruised along at a decent clip. There weren’t any major problems, which is good for a “No Bad News Thursday.” My lunchtime workout was good, too. And, to top the day off, when I walked out the door at the end of the workday, I started my six-day weekend.

I spent most of this evening wrapping presents. I think that the *ahem* highlight of wrapping was: I had gotten down to the last two gifts. Both of them were in the same sized box. I wrapped one and decided to wait until tomorrow morning/afternoon to wrap the last one. On a lark, I decided to verify the name on last box – good thing that I did: It was one that I needed to be ready first thing in the morning. *sigh* So, I wrapped the last one. I still need to hit two stores tomorrow and pick up a couple of gift cards, but other than that, I believe that “Christmas Shopping 2005” is complete.

Stray Toasters

• In less than forty-eight hours, I will be on the Right Coast.
• By way of Slashdot: Britain to log all vehicle movement
• : Dark Phoenix Saga Storm Statue (info)
• From the Detroit Free Press: Unmasked, Hero is human
• This scene, had it been very early in Episode I, would have made that movie 150x better…
• Hard to Find 800 Numbers Revealed
• My brother’s penchant for sending… interesting… text messages continues to amuse me.
• While looking up something at work, I came across this site: Beatboxing.com
     I don’t have a joke here. Words… fail me.

Namaste.

<groove>
     The Champs – Tequila
     Jim Carrey – Cuban Pete
     Rage Against the Machine – Renegades of Funk
     David Bowie – Jump They Say
</groove>

What’s getting your blood pumping this morning?

Wednesday : 21 December 05
We’re having a… heat wave, of sorts. It was in the low 50s today. Or, as one coworker called it: “Tennis weather!”

We had a company lunch at the main office today. That’s right: Two round trips to/from American Fork today! It was nice to see the people who are working in the other office. And the food was good, too.

Tonight was ‘ Call of Cthulhu game. We… tried playing. We didn’t get very far. Our collective headspace wasn’t entirely in gaming mode.

News

Morning Edition – More Stories Emerge of Rapes in Post-Katrina Chaos
All Things Considered – What America Is Buying, Spending for Christmas

An acquaintance of mine is a correctional officer at the prison in Draper; she told me about a story – Pay a problem in retaining officers – that appeared in Sunday’s paper. Wow.

Stray Toasters

• My shoulders hurt. I blame Tuesday’s workout.
• A photo tour of the Transparent Factory in Dresden Image-intensive, but worthwhile.
• Methadone clinic comix: HOOKED!
• “Gravy.”
• Someone needs to invent self-wrapping Christmas presents.
• From Baltimore City Paper: The Semi-Free State – When It Comes to Gay and Lesbian Families, Virginia’s Loss Is Maryland’s Gain
• Commodore Back in the Game?
• I want a snack… but I have no idea of what.
• Miller returns to Sin City
• The 213 Things Skippy Is No Longer Allowed To Do In The U.S. Army

That’s enough for now. I’m going to try something radical and go to bed “early.”

Namaste.

<groove>
     Gwen Stefani ft. Eve – Rich Girl
     Eve ft. Gwen Stefani – Let Me Blow Your Mind
     Atomic Kitten vs. Geri Halliwell – Ladies Night
     Jonni Lightfoot – Little Worlds
     Schoolhouse Rock! – Conjunction Junction
     U2 – Angel of Harlem
</groove>

What are you listening to this morning?

Tuesday : 20 December 05
Decent day, all around.

Work wasn’t bad. We even had a rather random moment: One of my coworkers said “You know what I like…?” My first thought was that he would say “Pie.” I was wrong. When he finished, I told him what had run through my head… and then asked him what kind of pie was his favorite. And then I asked another coworker. And another. We asked everyone on the team. For the record, my favorite is Sweet Potato Pie.

I had to run a few errands after work. Despite the holiday-shopping masses, the experiences were rather painless. Crowded, definitely, but painless. While I was standing in a line, the gentleman behind me remarked at how quickly it had moved and that he had expected to be standing in line “until the cows came home,” direct quote. But, the line moved rather quickly and life went on… cows not included.

After that, it was time to pick up from work and head to the AMF (USPS “Air Mail Facility”) to get a package and a couple of cards in the mail. They’ve been doing construction in and around the airport. That has turned some of the traffic patterns into a complete clusterfuck. But, we made it out alive.

Stray Toasters

• I received a text message from Adam (youngest member of the sibko) this evening: “Beer is tasty!” The boy makes me laugh.
• By way of Slashdot: U.S. Army Testing Personal Cooling Suits
  

  [21:54] : (link to story)
  [21:54] : So… would that have been helpful?
  [21:54] : Very much so
  (She served in the Army – in Somalia – during the time that led up to the events seen in Black Hawk Down)

• Morning Edition – IMDb Turns 15 Years Old
• MusicBrainz
•   One part Jewish children’s toy + one part astromech droid = Droidel
• Thanks to for pointing this and this
• Puck. Hockey or Shakespeare, take your pick.
• This is an interesting idea: One Free Minute : Anonymous Public Speech
• Morning Edition – Barbie: The Doll Girls Love to Torture
• : Shimmel Pianos
• ColorLines – The national newsmagazine on race and politics.
• Review of the comic adaptation of Forgotten Realms – The Legend of Drizzt Vol. II: Exile #1
• : You may want to check out the Ghost Rider website
• All Things Considered – The Tale of a Father, a Son and a Shipwreck
• Joe Casey talks Fantastic Four: First Family
• “Oh, crap. I just remembered something.” –

Quote of the Day
From today’s conversation with :

(14:30:30) : Do we have [item]
(14:30:36) : who is we?
(14:33:56) : The company, I guess.
(14:34:05) : [Coworkers P & D] were asking.
(14:34:28) : that’s what i was after. 🙂
(14:34:34) : we have some.
(14:34:40) : but probably need more.
(14:34:43) : That is very spendy.
(14:36:30) : I’m just the messenger.
(14:37:00) : messenger of death.
(14:37:13) : DUH.

Namaste.

<groove>
     Boyz II Men – Motownphilly
     Harry Connick, Jr. – Trouble
     Alexander O’Neal – Criticize
     112 – Dance With Me
</groove>

<boogie>
     Rush – Tom Sawyer (remix)
     Loggins & Messina – Your Mama Don’t Dance and Your Daddy Don’t Rock and Roll
     The Tokens – The Lion Sleeps Tonight
          (I keep thinking of Kenya when I hear this.)
     Aladdin Soundtrack – One Jump Ahead
     Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train
     Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
     MC Hammer – Too Legit To Quit
</boogie>

Call your shot.

Monday : 19 December 05
Today was cloudy, grey, and a generally good day for being inside. All of the makings of a near-Winter Monday in Utah.

All-in-all, it’s been a good day. Work wasn’t bad. I was pleased that there were no “Monday morning fires” to put out. The day moved along quickly. After work, I went to ‘s to watch the Packers take on the Ravens.

Football Update

Green Bay at Baltimore
3 – 48
The Green Bay Packers were in Baltimore to face the Ravens tonight. The Ravens, decked out in their all-black uniforms, played with cohesion and intensity on both sides of the ball. That’s right: Both sides. The offense scored points. The defense not only kept the Packers out of the end zone, but they caused turnovers, hurry-ups and sacks. Kyle Boller looked like a seasoned veteran tonight. He didn’t get rattled when white jerseys made their way through the offensive line. He chose plays appropriate to the situations that they faced. He didn’t make wild and errant passes. And, at the end of the game, “Prime Time,” himself, Deion Sanders, heaped a lot of praise on Kyle for the job that he did. And it was well-deserved. Speaking of Mr. Sanders, he had a few impressive plays of his own, including an interception of a pass from one-time teammate Brett Favre. Next week, the Ravens take on the Vikings; the following week, it’s off to Cleveland to face the Browns.

Stray Toasters

• Mom called to remind me to call my uncle for his birthday. When I called him, I opened with: “Happy Birthday… on the right day, this time!” It made him laugh. I’m looking forward to seeing them – and everyone else – this weekend.
• “Timid dinosaur! Rrrrr!”
• From BlueTights.net: Bryan’s Journals – Bryan Singer’s video journals from Superman Returns
• Brian Setzer Orchestra, Diggin’ a Crazy Christmas
• By way of TechNudge: Scramjet hits Mach 5.5
• “Okay, Mr. Sunshine” –
• The 101 Dumbest Moments in Business
• T’was the Night before X-Mas: a comic-themed retelling of the classic
• “Okay, I know what this looks like.”
  “It looks like you’re waist deep in disgusting filth.”
  

• ::: THIS SPACE FOR RENT :::
• Warner Bros. Picks Up Watchmen
• This I Believe: Natural Links in a Long Chain of Being
• I’m craving a rack of ribs from Oh! Brian’s… which is quite odd for this time of night. I might have to gather some people together and have dinner there on Monday.
• : Will Pfeifer on Catwoman: One Year Later
• Turn Your Video iPod into a DVR
• Talk of the Nation: Book Explores History of the Mormon Church

Quote of the Day
From this morning’s conversation with :

(10:21:29) : Oi.
(10:22:02) : cry havoc and let loose the snowmen of war!
(10:22:31) : I knew that you were part Klingon!
(10:24:10) : more a shakespeare fan really. you can’t truly appreciate shakespeare until you’ve heard it in its original Klingon form.
(10:25:11) : Sounds like you just watched Star Trek VI
(10:25:20) : not in a long time, actually. 🙂

I had another quote that I wanted to put here, too, but I can’t remember what it was. That’s irritating.

And with that…

Namaste.

Today, I’m wearing a sweater with… some sort of print on it. I’ve had the sweater for years – something on the order of 10 – 15 years – it’s one of my favorites.

I also brought a cup of Jell-O® Pudding in my lunch this afternoon.

I’m sitting here eating the pudding when out-of-the-blue… an image of a sweater-wearing Bill Cosby, talking about Jell-O® Pudding and Jell-O® Pudding Pops – and making the silly faces that he did in the commercials – appears in my head.

It made me chuckle.

<groove>
     Rush – La Villa Strangiato
     Atomic Kitten vs. Madonna – Don’t Tell Me The Tide Is High
     Stevie Wonder – I Wish
     Geri Halliwell – Look at Me
     Catatonia – Road Rage
</groove>

What are your Monday music highlights?