Random Access

Sunday : 27 November 05
Today was a quiet day. And there was snow. From the looks of it, we got about 3 or 4 inches of it. Fortunately, by the time I got around to shoveling it, most of it had melted from the driveway, leaving the steps and a little bit of the driveway to take of.

I had dinner at The Outback with and . Instead of my usual prime rib, I had the sirloin. It was good… but a little overcooked. *shrug* Oh, well. The cheese fries were good, though.

It snowed a little more while we were out. Thus, there was new snow to be shoveled on the driveway. Yay.

I headed back to Nox’ a little later, bearing a USB cable and a bag chock full of Spenser books. I also played Technomancer and helped him fix a problem that his system had developed. And we talked of game geekery, of course.

Ravens Update

Baltimore at Cincinnati
29 – 42
The Ravens were on the road in “The Jungle” to take on the Bengals. The first half of the game was ALL Cincinnati. ALL. Kyle Boller couldn’t get settled. Jamal Lewis was ineffective with the run. And it was just… bad. About the only positive was that the defense did their best to hold out against the Bengals’ offense. But they could only do so much… After halftime, however, it turned into a football game. I don’t know what Coach Billick said in the locker room, but whatever it was, it was effective. Passes were completed. Runs picked up positive yards. The defense… continued to do their job. And the offense scored. Actual, honest-to-goodness touchdowns! This was the first game this season in which the Ravens have scored 20+ points. Unfortunately, the comeback bid came too late. I have resolved that I actually want the Ravens to have a losing season. I would have to check, but I don’t think that they have had a losing season since Brian Billick took over as head coach. I think that it would be good for the team – a lesson in humility. Then, maybe they can come back next season as a coherent unit – on both sides of the ball – and be focused on the goal of getting to the playoffs… and maybe the Super Bowl.

Stray Toasters

• I talked with my uncle for a bit this afternoon. That was nice.
• forwarded me a link to this article… for the title.
• I’m not saying that I condone what he did… but this is a thief after my own heart.
• TSA makes flier remove body jewelry
• : Jane Siberry opens best artist’s digital music store EVAR
• 18 Tricks to Teach Your Body
• g0t science? Motion Mountain does. And, they’re providing it – or at least their physics textbook – online. For free. All 1200 pages of it.

It’s early and I have to get up later, so I’ll take my bow and make my exit now.

Namaste.

Boat drinks
Boys in the band ordered boat drinks
Visitors scored on the home rink
Everything seems to be wrong

Lately, newspaper mentioned cheap air fare
I gotta to fly to Saint Somewhere
I’m close to bodily harm

Twenty degrees and the hockey game’s on
Nobody cares they are way too far gone
Screamin’ “boat drinks,” something to keep ’em all warm

Y’see… Mr. Buffett knows exactly what I’m talking about. I just checked Weather Channel’s website and saw that it is currently 22° here. Twenty-two. And snow is falling. *sigh* It’s in the forties back home. Even Moab is pushing forty, at the moment. Twenty-two. And the projected high is only 31°. That ain’t right.

Yesterday was apparently “Movie Day.” I saw Derailed with in the afternoon and Jarhead later in the evening with and . Derailed was… interesting. It wasn’t a “bad” movie, but it was not at all what I expected. I enjoy a movie with plot twists, but I seriously did not pick up on where this was going until the reveal. Jarhead, on the other hand, was a pretty straight-forward movie. Well-acted. The writing was good, as was the cinematography. I may consider reading Jarhead to see how much was changed for the film.

I also got a chance to check out something that I’ve wanted to see all season: Loonatics Unleashed, which has been giving some classic Looney Toons fans conniptions. I don’t think that it was that bad. Yes, it was pretty obvious that the characters’ personalities have been derived from the classic characters. Even so, I thought that it was a decent show; although, I wouldn’t necessarily run for the remote if it came on while I was watching something else.

I was bored – and a little irritable – last night, so I sat down for a while and read Bad Business, a Spenser novel – it’s been a while since I’ve read or listened to one of them. It was a nice – and fun – way to spend some time.

Back later.

Namaste.

Saturday : 26 November 05
It’s been a decent day – despite the fact that it snowed – but I’m tired, so a more involved post will have to wait until I’ve had some sleep.

Namaste.

Friday : 25 November 05
Black Friday. The most anticipated/dreaded shopping day of the year.
I avoided joining the masses in their early-morning revelries.
Selah.

Instead, I opted to have coffee with Perry. We went to our usual morning coffee haunt, Bad Ass Coffee Company. Their power was out – thanks to Utah Power doing maintenance work – but they were still open.

After coffee, I came home and enjoyed some downtime. I put Winamp on “random play,” picked up the bass and played for a bit. A short while later, came over to help me move two beds and two futons. (Thanks again!) After that, he and I met up with , and for dinner at Redrock Brewing Company. I hadn’t been there in a very long time. The food and the beer were as good as I remembered. After dinner, Nyx declared herself “The Dread Pirate Menum” and showed us her ship, The Nyxipoo, sailing upon the Blood Sea:

After dinner, it was on to coffee with the Clitorati. Conversations ranged from things like home taxidermy (yes, you read that correctly) to Bucky and the Swimmer (you had to be there for these). As usual, it was a good time. I also picked up CDs by Ray Charles and Sam Cooke.

Stray Toasters

• I was listening to the radio in the car when Elton John’s Saturday Night’s All right for Fighting came on the radio. I was singing along with the song when I noticed people in the Durango next to me watching me. I kept on singing. A few moments later, the song reached the part where he repeats:
  

  Saturday, Saturday, Saturday…
  Saturday, Saturday, Saturday…
  Saturday, Saturday, Saturday night’s all right…

  …but in my head, I was hearing this:

  Latter-Day, Latter-Day, Latter-Day…
  Latter-Day, Latter-Day, Latter-Day…
  Latter-Day, Latter-Day, Latter-Day Saints, all right!

  I can see a rewrite in the works. And that makes me smile. Fiendishly.

• Pat Morita has passed away. Many people will remember him as Arnold from Happy Days… but to me, it’s all about Mr. Miyagi.
• underagedefibrillators.com and “Crinkle star.” (Ask )
• Bored with your usual spots on the Interweb? Try URoulette. Just click the wheel and go.
• From the “Too Much Free Time” File: Transformers costumes that turn into cars and jets
  If I remember correctly, the Prowl (white Lamborghini) costume won Wizard Magazine‘s Hallowe’en costume contest two or three years ago.

• “We’re on to Plan B now.”
  

• Scene whore!
• It seems as though Maddox has gotten a nod from Real Tech News, one of my favorite tech sites.
• : Tell the Mrs. that she can see a picture of Brandon Routh, the new Superman, here, here and here.
• Worth 1000 Photoshopping Contest: If Hackers Ruled
• Um…

Namaste.

<dance break>
   Poe – Angry Johnny
   Elastica – Connection
</dance break>

How are you getting your groove on?

Thursday : 24 November 05
I hope that everyone had an enjoyable and safe Thanksgiving.

Today was a quiet and relaxed day. There was football. Food. And more football. I couldn’t really get into the Falcons-Lions game. It was lop-sided when I started watching and it didn’t get any better. The Broncos-Cowboys game was more of a “game.” It was tied through regulation and the Broncos put up a game-winning field goal on their first possession in overtime.

and I went to see Walk the Line. It was a very good movie; it would make a good companion piece to Ray. And, it has done what no other movie has done: It caused me to actually like Reese Witherspoon. I was also impressed that neither her nor Joaquin Phoenix’ performances were dubbed – they both took vocal training and learned to play their respective instruments for their roles. , if you still want to see this, I’d be willing to see it again.

Stray Toasters

• I have been reading – and enjoying – The Physics of Superheroes. It appears to two facets of my inner geek’s nature. A tip of the hat to for procuring it for me.
• As the guy who uses his Heroclix figures to recreate a Monty Python sketch or a scene from Shakespeare, I am the one in the glass house who shouldn’t throw stones. However, I’m going to. Kind of. Okay, not really. This site is chock full of music videos for pop songs… made from edits of the old Sherlock Holmes television show. And they are pretty damned good.
• Wasn’t Cars, the final Disney-Pixar joint venture, supposed to have opened this month?
• “Operation Turkey Liberation: commencing.”
  

• Alias, ABC’s televised adventures of Sydney Bristow, will come to an end in May.
• From CNet: The Ultimate Tech Luxuries
• Have you come here for forgiveness?
  Have you come to raise the dead?
  Have you come here to play Jesus
  To the lepers in your head?

• Nepal boy called reincarnation of Buddha
• 
• Don: I remember that you gave me grief over the fact that I got you hooked on Newsarama. But, you got over it. More or less. Well, here’s another: Superhero Hype!
• From PC World: The Best Privacy and Security Utilities

That’s enough for now.

Namaste.

I hope that your holiday is good, fun and safe.

Wednesday : 23 November 05
It’s “Friday.”
Selah.

Today was a busy day. Not quite “hectic,” but I had enough going on to keep me occupied. That’s a good thing. I also had brief meeting with my team lead this afternoon. He was wondering how I was dealing with the additional work load. I told him that aside from the days when things go kablooey and I have to deal with outside distractions, that it hasn’t been too bad. I also told him that I would appreciate a little more feedback on my job performance. I wasn’t sure about telling him that one – it’s like handing someone a loaded gun and telling them to point it at you. But, I did it. His comments were very positive. That made me feel good.

The post-work day has been quiet. I watched a couple of episodes of Firefly. Then there was Law & Order, which I don’t think that I have watched in nearly a month. There was a lot of “law,” but not very much “order.”

Stray Toasters

• While watching Firefly, I was reminded of how much my stepfather reminds me of Ron Glass (Shepherd Book).
• By way of boingboing.net: Jell-O® turkey facsimile Um… yeah.
• Dr. No is on SpikeTV. Sean Connery is Bond. Period.
• If the weather holds – it’s supposed to be about 50° – I think I’m going to take the bike out for a ride. Any takers?
• 
• Brewing coffee is much like this.
• AUUUUUUUGH!
• Top Ten Movie Robots of All Time
• Next time you want to complain about how much the things on your Christmas wish list cost, go here.
• Xbox 360 Crashing Like Mad? This is not auspicious.
• …and in a related note: Microsoft’s Red-Ink Game – Microsoft loses $126 per unit on the Xbox 360

Namaste.

Tuesday : 22 November 05
Another day down and one more to go.

On the whole, the workday wasn’t terrible. But, it was busy. The network issue that I dealt with last week – on Tuesday, in fact – reared it’s head again today. *braincramp* And it was from two of the same people that I dealt with last week. Yay. The solution that I gave to one person seems to have been effective (so far); the other’s system is fighting tooth-and-nail to remain possessed. Personally, I think that it’s Pazuzu. (Somebody call Max von Sydow… and keep him away from tall stairways, this time.) I can’t just nuke the system from orbit – there would be too much collateral damage. But it’s mighty tempting…

After work, I was tired. So, I figured that I would take a nap. However, the whole “taking a nap” concept requires one’s eyelids to remain closed. Watching Firefly on SciFi is not conducive to the requisite eye closure. It was the first time that I had seen the show. I watched parts of two episodes. It’s pretty good. I wouldn’t mind seeing the show’s entire run… and Serenity.

Stray Toasters

• I did something to myself at the gym this afternoon. Not sure if I overdid something or if it’s just a flare-up of an old injury. Either way, it’s a tad painful. Not devastatingly so, but enough to make certain movements slightly unpleasant.
• This morning, I finally ripped the Billie Holiday box set that I borrowed from my mother… two years ago.
• If you say run, I’ll run with you
  If you say hide, we’ll hide

• Chupacabra!
• “The signs! They’re out to get me!” –
• : You might be amused by this. (But, it’s not where I thought it would/should be.)
• From neatorama: The Fatal Consequences of…
• 
• By way of : Keep Your Jesus Off My Penis – for mature viewers and possibly NSFW
• Who needs Sim City when you can have City Creator?!
• “We should have a rave.”
  

• I can deal with the idea of two-drawer dishwashers, at least in theory. However, the concept, as proposed by boingboing.net of “You can keep a “dirty” drawer and a “clean” drawer and never empty the dishwasher — just use the clean compartment as your current cupboard and switch when the dirty compartment gets full and you run its cycle,” just makes me wince.
• I don’t know whether or not this is real (though, I doubt it), but I do know that it makes me laugh like a fiend.
• Four… new episodes… of… Justice League Unlimited… in… January…?! YES!!!
• You better, you better, you bet!

Namaste.

<dance break>
     10,000 Maniacs – Candy Everybody Wants
     Harry Belafonte – Jump in Line (Shake, Shake Senora)
</dance break>

What’s on your media player of choice?

Monday : 21 November 05
For a Monday, this hasn’t been too bad. Work started off a little hectic: I had a few… well, not really “fires” to put out. The rest of the workday wasn’t bad, though.

I watched the Green Bay – Minnesota game tonight. It was better than I had expected. The game came down to the wire and was settled by a Minnesota field goal in the last few seconds of the game.

Random Access
We can go from boom to bust
From dreams to a bowl of dust
We can fall from rockets’ red glare
Down to “Brother can you spare–“

On the way home, and I were listening to NPR’s All Things Considered. One of the stories was entitled: “A Rural Struggle to Keep the Family Fed”. It was a very interesting and powerful story… and a rather poignant one, as we enter the Thanksgiving holiday.

Stray Toasters

• I spoke with the paternal unit. All’s well at the homestead.
• Make your own warning label
• By way of Backwash: Amateur band performs Super Mario theme on marimba
  ( and , I immediately thought of the two of you when I saw this.)

• Someone posted a link to this story on IRC. Which immediately reminded me of this, from almost 20 years ago. In one situation, the kid gets arrested; in the other, it’s turned into a nominally popular movie. Go figure.
• From SciFi: Fan Trek Film Finnishes First
• : Take a look at this.
• 
• From the “Quote Most Likely to Make Smile” file comes this excerpt from a Newsarama review of All-Star Superman #1:
  

  You see, Lex Luthor has just realized that while he is bound to the rules of mortality, his enemy apparently is not. Lex is starting to look his age and Superman is still Massengill fresh. And this does not make Lex happy. Not at all. Because if someday Lex has to go six-feet under, then that alien do-gooder had better be gone first.

  So Lex sabotages an experiment at the surface of the sun, knowing full well that the world’s biggest Boy Scout just has to go there to save the day. He’s gotten smarter, that Lex Luthor. If he can’t pull off a direct attack against Superman, well, he’ll simply use the Man of Steel’s main weakness to do the job for him.

  Now, we all know the not-so-secret formula to Superman’s success: yellow sun and lots of it. The question is, when you’re the last son of Krypton, is there such a thing as too much of those golden rays?

  It has the feel of the classic Superman not many people remember. Lex Luthor is just as diabolical as ever, which is the best version (not President Luthor or quasi-good guy Luthor from the early 90s) and Morrison gives it to us that this time he’s not going to pull any punches. This time he really wants Superman dead, and it’s become about as important to him as breathing air.

• sent me a link to this picture earlier. Um… yeah.
• The Nokia commercial with “Ed” and his Dukes of Hazzard ringtone is a little freaky. But, it still makes me chuckle, especially when he starts singing.
• V-8 Engine Paper Model
• I need more Sam Cooke in my music collection.
• Tonight’s episode of Superman: TAS was “Knight Time,” which was a fun episode.

Quote of the Day
From a conversation with the coolest brother-in-law ever:

(14:10:29) : it’s officially christmas time
(14:11:49) : Not for three more days, it’s not.
(14:11:54) : Period.
(14:11:57) : sorry. jumped the gun
(14:11:58) : I don’t care WHAT you heard.
(14:12:07) : OR saw on TV.
(14:12:12) : OR in the piazza.
(14:12:17) : *stands frim*
(14:12:18) : firm
(14:12:19) : lol i’m in italy, what the hell am i gonna see on tv other than lots and lots of boobies
(14:12:31) : (btw it was the temps w/rudolph)

Namaste.

Sunday : 20 November 05
It’s been a quiet day. That’s not necessarily a “bad” thing. I woke up fairly early – a little after 9:00 – and did a lot of nothing until the Ravens game came on.

Had a late lunch/early dinner at Jitterbug Coffee Hop. I haven’t been there in far too long.

Cecilie and Ben invited and me over to play HALO. *genuflect* I spent the first forty-five or so minutes playing with their kids. After they went to bed, we spent a few hours shooting, grenading, pistol-whipping, and energy sword-slicing each other into bloody Spartan bits. It was a lot of fun. And rather cathartic, too.

Ravens Update

Pittsburgh at Baltimore
13 – 16
The Ravens played at home against AFC North rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game was mostly a defensive battle, not that this is a big surprise. Ravens’ QB Kyle Boller was a little unsteady in the First Quarter, but seemed to get his bearings in the Second Quarter. Running back Jamal Lewis is still having problems getting his A-game going. Fortunately, Chester Taylor has been there to pick up the slack. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are still out of the defensive lineup, but the remaining players have been doing an admirable job of toeing the line in their absence. The game, tied at 13 -13, came down to the last two minutes of regulation play. The Ravens had a chance to put the game away, but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity. Overtime. The Steelers won the coin toss and thus had possession of the ball on the ensuing kickoff. The Ravens’ defense held them. On the other side of the ball, the Steelers’ defense was able to keep Baltimore from doing much, either. This went on for a couple of possessions, before Baltimore was able to make a decent drive into Steelers territory and Matt Stover made a 44 yard field goal to save the game – yet again – giving the Steelers their first on-the-road loss in 12 games.

Stray Toasters

• I think that I have a rather good command of the English (as spoken/written in America) language. I wouldn’t say that I’ve “mastered” the language, but I think that I do more than just “passably well” in conveying my thoughts into words.

  That said, I have found it more than “a little” irritating that, over the past few weeks, when things have come to mind to say or write, a random – though appropriate – lyric or poetic verse from another person seems to find its way to mind.

• : These are the chairs they have in the coffee shop at the library.
• Liquid Sculpture (possibly a repost)
• And you’re rushing headlong down the highway
  And you’re rushing headlong out of control
  And you think you’re so strong
  But there ain’t no stopping
  There’s nothin nothin’ nothin’ you can do about it

• Top Twenty Geek Novels
  I’ve read/listened to nine-and-a-half of them; Cryptonomicon was nigh upon unreadable to me. I don’t think that I made it to page 100. Instead, I loaned the book to , in the hopes that he would derive more enjoyment from it than I did.

• 
• I came across this contest, Photogami, by way of Outlaw2LK’s entry in Comics2Film’s Digital Concept Gallery.
• I introduced to Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels – the impetus behind ABC and A&E’s Spenser for Hire series and movies – last week. I started him with The Godwulf Manuscript; he seemed to enjoy it. Now, I’ll have to get him to read the other thirty-something-odd books in the series.
• By way of Cinescape: Bowie is after Prestige

Quote of the Day
These came from a 2004 John Waters interview in Spin Magazine:

You’re still an avid moviegoer yourself – have you seen The Passion of the Christ yet?
I haven’t. I really want to go when it’s playing at midnight, where Christians know all the dialogue and come dressed as Jesus, like it’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And I’m going to be… Lazarus. No, wait, he’s not in the Stations of the Cross. Mary Magdalene!

Is the social conflict of A Dirty Shame based in any way on your experiences growing up in Baltimore?
Do you mean, did I ever have a head injury and start trying to fuck everybody in the neighborhood? I didn’t, but I guess there’s always something to look forward to. When I was young, I wanted to go downtown and meet beatniks and hippies and drug crazies and drag queens, which we didn’t have in suburbia. Maybe I hoped that would happen to my neighborhood. It would be like Noah’s Ark – one of every perversion living on my street.

Namaste.

Saturday : 19 September 05
Today started off rather lazily. Or, more to the point: I slept in until about 10:30. I had considered meeting at the opening of the new Apple Store at The Gateway, but sleep won out. I didn’t too a lot during the late morning, either. As I recall, it mostly involved a lot of sitting around; although I did do some light cleaning.

I headed downtown and stopped in to see , , and BabyArmadillo42. Nyx was heading to the local Wal-Mart Supercenter (“Vortex of Evil”) to pick up a few things, so I tagged along. While there, I saw:

…which almost immediately reminded me of South Park’s Chocolate Salty Balls, which made me laugh.

We left the ‘Mart and headed to the downtown library. I don’t think that I have been there since the Salt Lake Arts Festival. I’ll have to see to it that I get down there more often. We got caffeinated goodness and then wandered around a little. We picked up from work and then headed back to Nyx’ place, to drop her off.

Home for a bit and then off to dinner. First dinner. Or VERY late lunch. Or something. Noodles & Co. They make a decent Pad Thai. Just as I was about to sit down, I got a call from Bill. He was checking to see if we were going to go with him, and Jen to Red Lobster for Endless Shrimp.

*braincramp*
I had completely forgotten that he had called me about this earlier in the day. Oh, and look…. here comes the Pad Thai. *sigh* So, we decided to go to Red Lobster, even if it was just to be social.

Post-Noodles and pre-Red Lobster, there was a sidetrip to Fashion Place Mall. I wanted to see if Eddie Bauer had a pair of black relaxed fit jeans in my size. That was a big “No go, Flight.” All that they had – at least, all that seemed to be out – were shades of blue… of which I have plenty. Oh, well. On the “plus” side, that saved me a few dollars. I also made a side-sidetrip into the GameStop. I’m not really sure “why,” though. It’s not like I’m really looking for any new games. Although there is the new Xbox 360… I walked out of the store a few minutes later. Empty-handed. I wound up in the Hallmark store a few minutes later. They had this year’s Christmas ornament selection on display. (Yeah, there’s a diatribe to follow…) One of this year’s Star Trek offerings is none other than Mr. Khan Noonian Singh himself. Yeah, that Khan. Old school, not the plastic-chested Khan of Wrath of Khan fame. I might have to add this to the Sisko and Picard collection.

Red Lobster was… Red Lobster. But, it was good to see Jen, and Bill. I was disappointed that they didn’t have “Pinwheel Shrimp” as one of the selections. Instead, I had a lot of Shrimp Scampi and fried shrimp.

And then, there was breakfast. And people-watching. Wow.

Random Access
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… everywhere you go.

I’m not fond of this trend of starting the “Christmas season” right after Hallowe’en. One could say that I’m downright Grinch-like in my dislike for it. I seem to recall something in between Hallowe’en and Christmas… I think that it was called “Thanksgiving.” And, if I remember correctly, the “Christmas season” didn’t begin until after Thanksgiving.
After the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
After the football games.
After the turkey.
…and after the turkey-induced comas.

Unfortunately, Christmas has become the latest victim commercialization. I halfway expect to see a commercial for Kid’s-Uber-Super-Cool-Toy-of-the-Week with an “endorsement” from Buddy Christ® at the end: “That’s right, kids! I died for your sins…. AND so that you could get this cool toy for Christmas!”

*shakes head*

I was actually shocked to see Christmas items on store shelves a few days before Hallowe’en, in some places. And the day after Hallowe’en…? TONS of stores had them out. And it wasn’t just stores. Some of our neighbors broke out the Christmas lights and decorations just after they had packed away their Hallowe’en things. One house, a few doors down, already has tinsel icicles hanging from the rooftop. And Santa (complete with sleigh and reindeer) on the roof. Not to mention the Nativity on the lawn. (Gotta be sure to cover all of the SeculaReligious® bases!) Another neighboring house has an inflatable Santa and an inflatable snowman on the front lawn. And there are others with just lights. So far.

Maybe it’s just me, but wasn’t there a reason that we celebrate – or maybe I should have said “…used to celebrate” – Thanksgiving? More than the hand-print turkey pictures that the grade school kids make, that is. Wasn’t there something behind the whole idea of getting together with friends and family?

Hell. Handbasket. Gasoline drawers. That’s all I’m sayin’.

Stray Toasters

• I neglected both Cities again today.
• , I’m sure that you will appreciate this TechTV blooper.
• If we burn our wings
  Flying too close to the sun
  If the moment of glory
  Is over before it’s begun
  If the dream is won –
  Though everything is lost
  We will pay the price,
  But we will not count the cost

• I consider myself a sports fan, but this is taking things waaaay too far.
• “You ate the DIRT, too?!
  

• The new season of 24 kicks off on 15 January 06.
• This week’s guest for Wait Wait… Don’t tell me!‘s “Not My Job” segment was Dan Savage of Savage Love fame.

Quote of the Day
From one of tonight’s IRC conversations:

[23:32] * tinkerbel and ben slap you with a giant purple dildo.
[23:32] : That’s gonna leave a mark.
[23:32] [tinkerbel]: loooooooolllllllllllll
[23:32] : That’s gonna leave a hard-to-explain mark.
[23:32] * tinkerbel falls over
[23:32] [tinkerbel]: AHAHAHHAAHHAAHHAH
[23:32] [tinkerbel]: ew

And with that…

Namaste.

Friday : 18 November 05
I am still awake by sheer force of will. I got something approximating two hours’ sleep last night/this morning. I went to work, had a good – and productive – day. After work, , , and BabyArmadillo42 came over to visit.

We adjourned to Borders for Clitorati. We were later joined by Vicki and . I don’t think that we managed to run anyone out of the cafè this week. Oh well, there’s always… hm… I don’t know about next week as that is Black Friday. From there, we headed to Applebee’s for a bite to eat. A Fear Factor rerun was on the television. One of the challenges was bobbing for apples. Simple enough. The thing of it was: There were snakes in the water. A lot of them. I would have failed this challenge before it even began. “What? You want me to bob for apples in water that has snakes in it? No. In fact, HELL NO. I’ll take the “zero” on this one.

Stray Toasters

• I listened to more of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince today. I’m almost done. I have two or three chapters left. I was somewhat surprised at a couple of things that happened. One “surprise,” however, was expected, as I had unwittingly discovered it a few weeks ago.
• Komeasel
• I watched the trailer for Superman Returns again this afternoon. I look forward to hearing/seeing more about the movie… but not too much – I want to have something to look forward to in the theatre.
• Pop life
  Everybody needs a thrill
  Pop life
  We all got a space 2 fill
  Pop life
  Everybody can’t be on top
  But life it ain’t real funky
  Unless it’s got that pop
  Dig it

• This is for .
• Utah’s thermostat has been turned down. Again.

And here’s where I wrap things up for the night.

Namaste.

Thursday : 17 November 05
Work. Blah blah blah.

Home. Blah blah blah.

Then it was off to The Gateway. and I met up with for a bite to eat at Applebee’s. We went hoping to see Vivi… only to find out that she no longer works there. *shakes fist* No matter, dinner and the company was good. Leaving the restaurant, we headed to the upper level and the theatres to see:

….with , Mr. and Mrs. , Mr. and Mrs. , and Jim… and a bevy of others. Quite a few people – though not any in our group – dressed up in the different houses’ colors. We stood in line for… a couple of hours. I was amused/entertained by the group of kids (pre- to early teens) in front of us who were playing various games that involved hitting themselves and/or each other. *shrug* I guess that you have to do something when you’re bored and standing in line and have nothing else to do.

The movie wasn’t a direct presentation of the book, but more of an adaptation. And it was fun. Nice cinematography. Good effects. And the acting was good, as well. It definitely captured the spirit of the book and of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world.

One of the highlights for me came before the movie started: I saw a trailer for this movie. It made me about fourteen different kinds of happy. I will have to track the trailer down online so that I can watch it (translation: “dissect it”) at my leisure.

It’s late and I’m planning on getting up in a few hours for work, so I should wrap it up now.

Namaste.