Random Access

Monday
Twas a great day in the valley. Sunny and warm with blue skies. A small contingent of us walked to Subway for lunch. The most direct path is through a couple of subdivisions (…in the high school halls, in the shopping malls…conform or be cast out…). Nice houses and more than a few of them had some very nice antique cars parked in their driveways.

, and I went to Noodles & Co. for dinner. Then Nox and I stopped into Best Buy; I looked at mp3 players while he check out the videogames. I was approached by Randi, the associate working in that area. She asked what brought me into the store and I responded: “My feet!” I don’t think that she quite knew how to respond to that. She blinked a couple of times, while her Customer Response Processing Unit analyzed my answer. She smiled and said that she couldn’t remember anyone giving her that answer before. She then asked if I had any questions or needed any help; I told her that I was considering a new mp3 player and was looking at what they had to offer. She didn’t take that as “I don’t need help, but thank you,” and started talking to me about some of the features of the various players. It wasn’t annoying, as she was nice and trying to be helpful.

We came back to the homestead. Nox and I watched the season finale of 24; he also tried his hand at Ghost Recon. After the show went off, we played a game of NetRunner. I want to find a way to integrate it into my upcoming Shadowrun game, as I have at least one potential player who wants to play a decker… and I don’t want their part of the game to take up too much of our time for gameplay. Nox and I figured out some ways that it could be done. We’ll refine the process over time.

Random Access
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do they make contact
With one another?
   “Chemistry” by Rush (from “Signals”)

I don’t know what else to call this, so I’ll simply refer to it as “A simple theory and its non-effective practical application.”

Cameras are point-and-shoot devices.
So are firearms.

Men are equipped with point-and-shoot devices, too. It’s most commonly referred to as a penis. And, even though the plural of the word is either “penes” or “penises,” I’m sorely tempted to refer to it as “penirati,” just to keep it in line with “clitorati.” But, I digress…

Point-and-shoot.

Why is it, then, that there are often not-quite-puddles on the mat in front of the urinal in the men’s restroom at work!? It’s not like one has to exert a lot of effort to use the urinal. Point. Shoot. Flush. Simplicity in and of itself. I would think that one would have to try to miss the damned thing. At first, I thought that maybe it was backsplash or overflow from the urinal. So, I stood there and watched it after flushing it. There were a few drops, but I would hardly call it Mt. Vesuvius.

Here’s an added bit of trivia: Urinals are (usually) made with a “sweet spot.” No, not the most tasty place to lick it. The place that produces the least amount of backsplash. I don’t remember when I learned that, but I remember that it was on a late night talk show. It amused me – to no end – to hear how designers and engineers have created the modern urinal to be usable with minimal “return on investment.” (And for those of you who were wondering: It’s in the back of the bowl, where – in most units – there’s a little v-shaped indentation.

I’ve heard the argument that some women have made about men splashing the toilet seat – usually because the man in question was too lazy to lift the lid and/or… to AIM for the bottom of the bowl. I understand their irritation: I wouldn’t want to sit – or almost sit – on a wet seat, either.

If I didn’t think that the concept was so absurd, I would be tempted to buy a small box of Cheerios. What do Cheerios have to do with going to the bathroom? Lots, actually. It’s how some people train their young male offspring to use the potty: Turn “Learning to use the Potty” into a game of “Sink the Cheerios!” I know it sounds funny… but it works. For years, young boys have deep-sixed some of General Mills’ finest cereal products. (I’m sure that someone, somewhere, has substituted Froot Loops or Apple Jacks or something similar for Cheerios.) I’m not sure why, but the “Listen to the sound of a whole ‘nother O…” jingle (from Apple-Cinnamon Cheerios) just went through my head. Somehow, I don’t think that “Splaaaaaaash” was the sound that the guys in marketing had in mind.

But, again, I digress…

It’s not like there’s a tidal wave or flood plain in front of the urinal, but there’s definitely enough to make you wonder how it wound up there. And given the fact that the drain has a… “grate” over it, using Cheerios isn’t as viable an option as my inner anarchist might like. Maybe painting a bullseye in the back of the bowl would help…

Stray Toasters

• I was pleased – though shocked – with the way that 24 ended.
• I’ve had more soda (in my rum and cokes) over the past few weeks than I’ve had in the past three years. But, the Captain makes them sooooo tasty. I didn’t have one tonight, though.
• is coming back to SLC this weekend. We might actually get to have our bowl-off!
• Cat farts and chameleons.
• I have A LOT of cards from the Sim City CCG.
• Does anyone remember the New Zoo Revue?
• Thurl Ravenscroft, R.I.P. (by way of boingboing.net)
  

  Thurl Ravenscroft has died at 91. Ravenscroft sang lead on the “Grim Grinning Ghosts” theme for the Haunted Mansion, as well as “You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch.” He was also known as the voice of Frosted Flakes’s Tony the Tiger. Ravenscroft died from causes related to colon cancer.

• It looks like the X-babies are back. Where’s Longshot when you need him!?
• , this one’s for you: Outback Maxx

There were a lot of other things that I would add, but I’m tired and it’s past my bedtime.

Namaste.

Sunday
I did my damnedest to sleep in this morning. That loosely translates into: “I didn’t go to bed until 5:30.” I slept until a little after 11:00 this morning. That’s when my cell phone rang; it was Bret. We caught up on what we’d been up to for the past couple of weeks, then we talked about Revenge of the Sith and segued into comic book movies. Go figure. It’s what we do. It’s what we’ve done for years. And will probably do for many rains to come.

I got into “get out of the house” mode and showered. It was time for a trip to Lowe’s. We have needed a weed trimmer since we moved in. And that’s been almost a year.

<tangent>
One year in the house and we still haven’t had a “housewarming” party. We had a Super Bowl party, but no housewarming. Granted, I am all about football, so that was a good thing. But, coming up on the one-year anniversary of being in the house, it might just be time for a shindig. I shall have to ponder this in more detail…
</tangent>

I got to Lowe’s and after five minutes, I had an apostrophe epiphany: I probably shouldn’t go into that store unsupervised. It was not quite as bad as me in an IKEA, but it was close enough. I went in for two things: An electric weed trimmer and an extension cord. I had faintly considered getting a replacement shower head for my bathroom, but it wasn’t a priority item. I walked into the store and my “planning” went straight to Hell. Handbasket, gasoline drawers and all. Almost an hour later, I left the store with:

• Weed trimmer
• Extension cord
• Shower head (massager and it can be hand held)
• 1 pair of Mechanix gloves¹
• 1 pair of safety goggles
• Velcro cable ties.

I checked out and headed to the parking lot, post haste. Fortunately, I was able to get out of the store without purchasing any of the Dremels that I picked up. I had planned on stopping at Old Navy to get a couple of pairs of slacks, but stopped at Kohl’s instead. I haven’t shopped at Kohl’s since I left the east coast. I had forgotten that they really are decent stores with good prices. I found two pairs of khakis for a very reasonable price – better than I would have done at Old Navy and a better fabric content. I’ll have to remember to shop there more often in the future.

Came home for a bit and then , her brother and her father came over to use the wood chipper that I borrowed from Land last week. They got a few things done, but needed a larger unit for some of the branches. They were also kind enough to take some of the larger branches that we had lying around, as well.

Patryck came by to hang out and (finally) see the house. We sat around for a while and talked about his latest tour of duty. Then we decided to get a bite to eat. We were walking out the door when Land showed up to see how I was progressing with my wood chipping. I invited him and Catherine to join us at the restaurant; they did.

After dinner, I was preparing for the season finale of Kojak when asked if I would be interested in seeing Unleashed, the new Jet Li movie. I thought about it – for all of 0.005 seconds and agreed to go. I liked the movie. The way that Danny, Li’s character, had been trained reminded me of the origins of Cassandra Cain, the current Batgirl in the DCU.

Stray Toasters

• just made an awesome comment. It’s QotD-worthy, even. But, in order to protect the st00pid (not referring to Nyx), I can’t use it here. I made me laugh, though. Quite a bit.
• If you didn’t catch my Saturday night post, I did the book meme… and tagged five people to follow-up. , one of the five, had already completed the meme, but there are still four (well… technically, still “five”) of you who need to respond.
• New episodes of Futurama may go directly to DVD.
• The girl works at the store
  Sweet Jane Sinclair…

• The new phones seem to be working well with the Vonage system.
• Is it possible to NOT want to dance/move/bop around when you hear Stevie Wonder’s Superstition? I don’t think so.
• The Absolute Bottom 50… Stereotypes
• , there’s a Red Backwash column in this somewhere: 31 Really Bad Masturbation Techniques

Namaste.

¹ – I got hooked on Mechanix gloves when helping ‘s father with HVAC in Moab with this past winter.

Saturday
I met Perry for coffee this morning and then hung out with and this afternoon. Nox and I went to check out a computer store that another friend had mentioned to me. Not a bad place, overall, but their prices were a little high. We then stopped at Dr. Volt’s and partook of their back issue sale. We met up with Nyx and her parents for lunch.

and I made a trip to Best Buy. *genuflect* I looked at – but did not purchase – a few items for my computer. I did pick up Chris Sawyer’s Locomotion, because I really enjoyed its predecessor, Transport Tycoon. And, it was cheap. And, it’s something that and I can play together. I also picked up an expandable phone system – to be used with the Vonage adapter; it came with two phones and two base units. Now, I can have a phone in the HCC and she can have one upstairs. And, if we need to add up to two more remote phones, we can.

We then went to ‘ place and cooked out. Bratwurst. Beer. Good company. And Sigfried and Roy. (You had to be there.) We ate and chatted away a few hours before heading south to Cheers.

Random Access
They say there is strangeness, too dangerous
In our theatres and bookstore shelves

I was tagged by , so here’s the book meme

1. Total number of books owned?
   A lot. I stopped counting when I hit “100;” but I have many more than that. (And, if comic books are to be included, waaaay more than that.)

2. The last book I bought?
   PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide

3. The last book I read?
   Actually, I’m still reading Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States, given to me by

   3a) What do you want to read next?
   That’s a good question… and one for which I don’t have an equally good answer.

4. Five books that mean a lot to me?
   1. The Art of War, by Sun Tzu
   2. Life 101: Everything We Wish We Had Learned About Life in School–But Didn’t, by Peter McWilliams
   3. The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, by Dan Millman
   4. A Stranger in a Strange Land
   5. Any of the books in the Spenser series by Robert B. Parker
5. Tag 5 people and have them fill this out on their lj’s:
   • 
     (and as a pinch-hitter, in case isn’t available: )

Stray Toasters

• I have a date with a wood chipper tomorrow afternoon. Where’s Steve Buscemi when you need ‘im?!
• Roger Stern talks Superman: The Never-Ending Battle Novel
• Nineteen (not the Paul Hardcastle version).
• Lessons learned from Revenge of the Sith
• Vivi tells the best stories.
• My friend, Mikey, pointed me in the direction of Movieoke, which seems interesting.
• “Viking Nitwits”
• Pac-Man Makes Guiness Book
• Roadkill and Boy George
• Stop! Hammer time!
• Addicted to Comics #6: “Sex and the Single Superman”

That’s it. My eyes are starting to cross and my eyelids are very heavy.

Namaste.

Friday
It’s been a long – but good – day.

I’m tired.
Very tired.
Going to bed now would definitely be a good thing.

To be continued…

Namaste.

Thursday
I went to work late today. Sleeping in was my gift to myself after seeing Episode III last night. It was a good day at work; I’m having a few duties added to my job, which I think is cool.

I watched the CSI season finale; it was directed by Quentin Tarantino. It wasn’t what I expected. When I hear his name attached to a project, I expect too-cool for real life characters and copious amounts of hip (or trying-to-be-hip) language and/or blood, not necessarily in that order. This episode kept in line with the series… with a couple of Tarantino flairs. There were a few scenes that had me sitting there, staring in the slack-jawed wonder of “Did I really just see that?!”

I also got a couple of phone calls from home: Dad and my (maternal) uncle. They were just calling to check up on us and make sure that we’re doing all right. Nothing wrong with that. Things are well on that side of the country, as well.

News
Morning Edition: Study: Post-Foster Care, Teens Unprepared for Adult Life
Morning Edition: I Blog, I Said: Writing Amid the Rabble
Morning Edition: Pregnant Teen Takes Graduation by Storm
Talk of the Nation: Women in Combat: Rules and Reality
All Things Considered: Carefree Dancing for Kids
Fresh Air: Rare Billie Holiday Music and Footage

Stray Toasters

• I like paying bills online. This is not to say that I derive great amounts of pleasure from paying bills (I don’t… especially because that means less “play money” for me). I enjoy the convenience of point-click-type-click-print…. and the bill is paid.
• : Here’s more information about Ororo: Before the Storm
• Activision has announced X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, to be released this fall. I caught glimpses of Archangel and Bishop in the preview and pictures. It’s going to be a long summer. Let the coveting begin.
• I neglected to mention the passing of Frank Gorshin
• “You’re not going to let me be your friend anymore, are you?”
  

• He does not look happy.
  Someone must have tugged on his cape.
  (Click the pic for a larger version.)

• Why do most zippers say ‘YKK’ on the pull-tab?
• Coors Light is using The O’Jays’ Love Train in a new commercial. I’m not sure what I think of that.
• Lights, Camera, Armageddon
• I don’t know why I’m surprised that Wikipedia has an article about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

Eight work-hours until the weekend. I’m good with that.

Namaste.

Wednesday
The short version:

• Came home and napped after work.
• Watched the season finale of Smallville… including the 10 minute sneak preview for Batman Begins. Both of them were good. Very good. I’m looking forward to the new Batman film.
• and I met and for dinner.
• …then the four of us – along with , and his wife – went to see:
  
  (Yes the subtitle’s wrong on the ticket – I think that it was the original working title – but that’s not the point…)

  The pre-movie trailers included: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Fantastic Four and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

  Thanks, once again, to for making the arrangements to get us tickets! I wasn’t disappointed with the movie. Far from it, in fact. It felt like a Star Wars movie should feel; that’s a vast improvement over the last two outings. (Although, there is a part of me that wants to watch Episodes I and II again, to make sure that I remember parts of the story that are fuzzy in my memory…) Revenge of the Sith wrapped up the “first” trilogy and dovetails into the “original” trilogy well. It also shows that George Lucas is still capable of making a good movie. Too bad that he doesn’t do it more often.

And that’s it.

Namaste.

Tuesday
Today was a good – if colder than I would have liked – day.

This evening I stopped by ‘s and picked up a monitor. (Have I mentioned that I love my superpower?) And then, it was off to drop in on ‘ Necromunda game. Interesting concept, but I’m not sure that it’s my bag. came home early, so we watched a Bollywood movie called Naag Lok. Words cannot express how bad this movie was. If I had a “Cool World – Long Kiss Goodnight Scale” for Bollywood movies, this would be somewhere around the Batman & Robin equivalent of that scale. Yeah, it was that bad. And the subtitles weren’t working… so we had to make our own dialogue. And even that only barely enhanced the experience.

Stray Toasters

• I have Cheetos.
  A lot of the time when I eat Cheetos, I hear South Park‘s Cartman saying: “Yeah, I want cheesypoufs!” (.wav file)

• : Lebowski Fest
• Jackalope!   –   
• : Check out this article on Batman Allies Secret Files 2005.
• I try to save myself
  But my self keeps slipping away…
  

• By way of Slashdot: Apple’s First Flops
• The Webtender
• Interesting… : Amber Alerts Now Available Via SMS Text Messaging
• : Take a look…
  

  ELSEWORLDS SERIES 1: THRILLKILLER: BATGIRL ACTION FIGURE
  From the miniseries BATMAN: ThrillKiller! Bored heiress Barbara Gordon teams up with free-spirited Dick Grayson in 1960’s Gotham. This figure features multiple points of articulation and a display base. Packaged in a 4-color blister. Advance-solicited; on sale December 7, 2005

• and : You might want to check out the Secret Files: Unmasked figures.
• Emperor Palpatine: “Rise, my friend.”
  Darth Vader: “The Death Star will be completed on schedule.”
  Emperor Palpatine: “You’ve done well, Lord Vader.”

Quote of the Day

(08:10:15) : …
(08:10:32) : I’m listening to Morning Edition
(08:11:12) : They had an interview w/ someone from the Army about the flushing of the Koran in Iraq
(08:11:31) : He said that there was “…no way that we could have anticipated [their] reaction to [this].”
(08:11:33) : >.<
(08:11:41) : “No way…?”
(08:11:45) : …
(08:13:03) : My ass.
(08:13:09) : </soapbox>
(08:14:51) : hmm
(08:14:56) : “military intelligence”

Namaste.

Monday
And so, another week begins.

The work day was good.
The post-work day was better.
Mainly because it was the post-work day.

I stopped at Dr. Volt’s to pick up last week’s shwag.
One book. Uno. Eins. One lonely, little book: Astonishing X-Men #10.
It looked so pitiful, that I bought it some friends:

• Action Comics #827
• Outsiders #23 and
• Green Lantern: Rebirth #6

As if it wasn’t bad enough that he caught a beatdown from Wonder Woman or finding out that his colleagues erased some of his memories, now Batman’s meeting the business end of a dead guy’s fist. (Granted, he isn’t dead anymore, but still…) And I’m sure that this afternote¹ didn’t help matters any. Some days, it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed the Batcave.

Dr. Volt’s was also having a 25¢ back issue sale. So, I helped myself to a handful of Legion (v1 and v2) comics, two issues of The Griffin limited series, two issues of Superman, and a copy of Gotham by Gaslight. This made me happy. Lots of comics. Teeny-tiny price. It really is all about the simple pleasures. Go figure.

It was a quiet night at home. Even the cats were in “low key” mode. Dinner, accompanied by a glass of Gewurztraminer, followed by 24 and Law & Order: SVU.

Stray Toasters

• I want a snack. But, I don’t know what I want.
• …and, while on the topic of snacking: The Worst Foods to Eat over a Keyboard
• The Sunday Herald, a Scottish newspaper, is creating a online library of ebooks.
• :
  1. Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
  2. __________ – __________
  3. Shadow on the Sun – Audioslave
  4. Watermelon Man – ___________ (Don’t know who did this cover, but I like it)
  5. Drinking for 11 – The Mad Caddies
  6. Death Valley Queen – Flogging Molly
  7. Touch You Touch You – Hot Hot Heat
  8. __________ – __________
  9. Someone Keeps Moving My Chair – They Might Be Giants
  10. So Much to Say – Dave Matthews Band
  11. __________ – __________
  12. Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie
  13. Berzerk – Apoptygma
  14. I Hardly Ever Sing Beer Drinking Songs – Johnny Cash
  15. Logic – Bella Morte
  16. __________ – __________
  17. Nemo – Nightwish
  18. __________ – __________
  19. __________ – __________

• Lady Iranian racecar driver kicks ass
• : This and this are for you.
• : A reminder why you don’t piss off the kid with the magnetic powers – Legion #9.
• There’s a joke in here about some kid’s bondage fantasty…
• Presto is curled up in my lap and purring. And cleaning herself. But, at least she’s not “playing the cello,” so I should be thankful for that.
• : The Maxx: Book Five
  

  THE MAXX BOOK FIVE TP
  Written by Sam Kieth
  Art and cover by Kieth

  The long-awaited fifth volume completing the story of the Maxx, Julie, Mr. Gone and Sarah! Julie and li’l Sarah encounter a slew of new characters, but can both of them survive the experience? Glory’s story is finally revealed, Megan shares a special moment in her life, and much more in issues #28-36 of THE MAXX!

  On sale August 17 * 192 pg, FC, $19.99 US * MATURE READERS

• Turn your hamster into a fighting machine!
• I’m sure that the Utah legislative body is having a cow over this: Supreme Court Allows Direct Shipment of Wine
• Are you one of those people who thinks “It’s cute” to dress up your pet?
  Are you a Star Wars fan?
  I can’t say that this is necessarily “a good thing,” but: Princess Lei Slave Girl Dog Costume

• 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover   50 Fun Things to Do with Your iPod
• How VoIP Works
  HowStuffWorks has “How Shotguns Work” as an upcoming topic. EVERYONE knows how they work: Load. Point. Shot. Then wipe up the mess. (Bring extra-absorbant paper towels. And Windex. Or Comet. Or Pine-Sol.)

• By way of : Mittens

Time get ready to hit the rack.

Namaste.

¹ – In the early 90s, Guy Gardner and Batman tussled for leadership of the Justice League. Batman K.O.’ed Guy… with one punch.

Sunday
…picking up from last night.

Saturday marked my third trip to The Bookshelf in three weeks. That’s a new record. had heard me talking about the store and wanted to see it for herself. She liked it. While we were in Ogden, I wanted to head into Ogden Canyon to see the damage from the recent rain/rock slide. There wasn’t much to see.

Then it was back to SLC to pick up and head to dinner. Outback. 12-ounce Prime Rib, well done. With mushrooms. And 25.4 ounces of Foster’s, “Australian for ‘beer.'” After dinner, the three of us headed to visit (and Chris), for her birthday. Let me add that makes a mean Pirate’s Tea.

Breakfast was good. Small group, but a crowded restaurant. We don’t know what groups were there, but there were a lot of people. The Machete Guy even put in an appearance.

This morning, I went to the LDS Conference Center to watch a taping of Music and the Spoken Word, featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square; Land and Catherine went with me. I was invited by one of my co-workers to go last week, but could not rouse myself in time to make it downtown. It was a brief program, only thirty minutes, but it was very good. They performed six songs and an organ solo:

• For the Beauty of the Earth
• Prayer (from Hansel and Gretel)
• Simple Gifts (a Shaker song)
• All Through the Night (Welsh folk song)
• Organ Solo: Prelude to Teach Me to Walk in the Light
• Homeward Bound
• Home Is a Special Kind of Feeling

We stayed after the taping to listen to the choir and orchestra practice a new piece of music.

We left there, picked up and headed to breakfast. IHoP. My father used to take me to IHoP, from time to time, when I was a kid; my favorite thing to order was their chocolate chip pancakes. A short while later, the four of us were on the way to Davis County to pick up a wood chipper. We brought it back here and started to eliminate some… debris… that has been around for far too long. (Yep. Think Fargo. But without the blood. This time.) After that: Pizza and chocolate milk! I haven’t had chocolate milk in a long time. It was good.

The rest of the night has been quiet and relatively uneventful.

Stray Toasters

• I’m having a craving for either caramel popcorn or bacon and cheese popcorn. But not both at the same time.
• To Infinity and Beyond – The Washington Post looks at the future of NASA
• The trailer for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• I’ve mentioned, on more than one occasion, that one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is “Trials and Tribble-ations,” wherein the DS9 crew goes back in time to meet the ST:TOS crew. With that in mind, I want these. One nit-pick, though: Dax didn’t wear black hose/tights in that episode. But, I still want the figures.
• Do you like videogames?
  What about Shakespeare?
  From the “You Got Your Chocolate in My Peanut Butter” file: Capcom vs. SNK Theater Presents: Romeo and Juliet

• I should probably figure out what I intend to wear to work tomorrow…
• A boy and his tiger: The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
• “Everything is annoying before I’ve had my coffee.
  

• Not-so-random Wikipedia page: Columbia, Maryland

Quote of the Day
Today’s gem comes by way of :

“He’s that crayon that you never like to use ’cause it’s a weird, ugly color, but it comes in the box so sometimes you have to deal with it… if only to move it out of the way of the other, more fun colors”

Namaste.

Saturday
It was a good day.

(To be continued…)

Friday
As in “Thank God it’s…”

I overslept this morning. I woke up around 5:30 – thirty minutes before the alarm was supposed to go off – to make a trip to the water closet. I got back into bed, figuring that I’d doze until 6:00. Which I did.

The alarm went off.

I turned it off.

I fell asleep.

I woke up at 6:26. I think that the first words out of my mouth were “Oh, shit.” Twenty-six minutes may not seem like a lot of time, in the grand scheme of things, but when you normally use that time to prepare for work, it’s a LOT of time that’s lost. Fortunately, I’ve taken to preparing clothes and coffee the night before. That saved me a lot of grief and aggravation. I was dressed and out the door at 6:37. Granted, I decided to forego shaving (at least until I got to work), but I was on the way.

As I needed to take shaving gear with me, I took my medicine kit with me. I figured that since I already had a toothbrush, toothpaste and saline solution in my desk drawer, taking a razor, shaving cream and some deodorant wouldn’t be a bad idea. And so it was. The rest of the work day was pretty good. I got a bit irritated with a project that I’m working on. But, that attitude didn’t remain for very long.

When I got home, I wasted a lot of time before deciding to tackle the rapidly-growing jungle that we refer to as “the back yard.” It took about thirty-five minutes to finish. Which left me just enough time to shower and get dressed before picking up from work.

Then, it was time for the weekly gathering with the Clitorati, which included cameo appearances by , and . We also met the newly-transplanted and Adam. From there, it was on to dinner at Cheers: North. And then, it was hometime.

Stray Toasters

• I know that it’s only been three days, but I’m liking Vonage. Although, I’m still getting used to hearing a phone – other than our cell phones – ring in the house. I almost missed a call yesterday because I couldn’t immediately identify what the non-cell phone ringing sound was.
• Microsoft Betting Big on New XBox 360
• To me, this says: “Do you have any idea how many ways I can fuck you up from here? Seriously. Do you?”
• : John Cleese writing Aardman film and The Man with the Screaming Brain
• I have a new icon:      Shaft! Ya damn right!
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” file: Class Dissection of Live Dog Outrages Parents, Students
• Luckypix.com
• From the “Too Much Free Time” file: Harry Potter… as pr0n
• For : Requiem for Methuselah
• Causes of Colors

I’m tapped.

Namaste.

Thursday
Another grey, wet day in the valley.

Work. Blah, blah, blah…

I came home and wasted some time. Then, started working on dinner: Baked chicken, rice (cooked in chicken broth) and stir-fried vegetables. Not only did I have dinner started by the time got home… it was done just as she walked in the door. I had a glass of Chenin Blanc with dinner. Given the fact that I was already tired, I nodded off a few times in the middle of CSI. Not enough to miss the main plot points, but enough to make laugh. Oh, well. It was a good episode, followed by a very odd (but also good) Without a Trace.

Stray Toasters

• I could be wrong about this, but I think that I’ve started someone else saying “What/Why in the Nine Hells…” Too bad I didn’t get a copyright on it. Maybe next time…
• Origins of Racist Terms
• Words Without Borders – The Online Magazine of International Literature
• From Buzzscope: Addicted to Comics #5: Stan Lee = Lex Luthor?
• We’re tiny, we’re toony
  We’re all little loony
  And in this cartoony
  We’re invading your TV!

• 
• By way of : Fun with Fledglings, from
• From C2F’s Digital Concept Gallery: Songbird (Check out the full-sized version, too.)
• : I know that you’ve seen this, but have you seen this yet?
• “Sometimes, I’m so brilliant, I scare myself!”
  “You scare me, too.”
  

• The National Archives Experience: The Constitution of the United States
• Star Wars technology and its scientific feasibility
• And the real reason that Anakin turned to the Dark Side…
  

• Randomness from Wikipedia: Endocrine System

Now, it’s time for a shower and some tasty iced creams.

Namaste.

Wednesday
A cold and dreary middle-of-the-week comes to a close.

I started the work day by instigating an hour-and-a-half long discussion about the pastor in NC who told Democratic Party members in his congregation that they needed to repent or resign.” We covered a lot of ground in that hour. I didn’t intend for it to go on as long as it did, bit I’m glad that it did. It was good.

As it was raining, yet again, I didn’t mow the lawn today. I frittered away some of the post-work hours by playing X-Men: Legends. I’ve been stuck on a section for a few days now. “But I’m tryin’, Ringo. I’m tryin’ real hard to be a shepherd.” But, I’m trying to avoid looking up a walk-through or asking someone where I’m going wrong. I’d prefer to work through it on my own. *sigh* No rest for the wicked, I guess. Especially when you’re trying to be one of the good guys.

I picked up from the airport this evening and then headed back to his place to hang out for a bit. Mary and Chris dropped in a short while later. arrived a little after them. Nyx, Nox and I went to one of the local Village Inns; they had dinner, I had a couple of cups of hot chocolate. (Gotta maintain the skin tone, you know…)

News
Morning Edition: Finding a New Calling in the Wake of Loss
All Things Considered: Laugh a Little, or a Lot
All Things Considered: Beating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
RadioWest: Shakespeare Behind Bars

Stray Toasters

• I have rediscovered my affinity for the iron. We have a casual dress code at work, but I still tend to wear slacks or khakis Monday through Thursday. It’s just the way I’m wired, I guess.
• By way of the Southern Poverty Law Center: Intelligence Project: Active U.S. Hate Groups in 2004
• Pac-Man Turns 25
• This afternoon, I caught part of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome on one of the fifty-leven HBOs that we get. I enjoy the theme song… it reminds me of my God-sister and the way that she would do a mock-Tina Turner rendition of the song.
• …and speaking of theme songs, I’m working on a… not-quite-theory… about the theme songs from the James Bond movies. I should have the whole thing sussed out tomorrow or Friday.
• Star Wars Sick-out
• Pirate sheep! Baaaaaaar!
• “Hey, grab some Bawls for me, too!” –
• : Check out the opening pages of Batman: Dark Detective #2
• XBox 360 *genuflect*
• Free Jr.-sized Frosty desserts will be available at Wendy’s this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• While trying to remember to find a copy of The Who’s Eminence Front, the title went through my head, briefly, as “M&M’s Front.”
• I think that I need this as a companion for my Gambit statue.
• Today’s random Wikipedia word: Misirlou

</consciousness>

Namaste.

Tuesday
Not only was it notably cooler today, the weather couldn’t decide what it wanted to do. Rain. No rain. Sun. Clouds. Rain. Welcome to Utah. If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes, it’ll change.

Oh, well.

Other than that, it was another day in the valley. And, not a bad one, at that.

And… before I forget (yet again), Happy Birthday to May LJers:

• and

News
Morning Edition: Critics Say L.A. Homeless Shelter Is Too Posh
Morning Edition: Changes to Voucher Program Aim to Improve Diets
Morning Edition: Spamalot Garners 14 Tony Nominations
Talk of the Nation: Sarah Vowell: Death Takes a Holiday
All Things Considered: State Law Prohibiting Unmarried Cohabitation Challenged

Stray Toasters

• I want to play a game: HALO2 or X-Men: Legends
  Decisions, decisions…

• General Electric has some snappy people in their marketing department. First, the dancing elephant commercial; now, there’s a commercial for GE Energy that uses Tennessee Ernie’ Ford’s Sixteen Tons. The coal miners’ grandson in me appreciates that. (Not to mention the fact that there are more than a few good-looking female miners in the commercial, too.)
• “He just makes me call him daddy.”
  

• From Buzzscope: On the Fly #5: Too Much Information
• While listening to Tupac’s Ghetto Gospel, I finally remembered to follow up on something: Elton John does a guest vocal, of sorts, in the song. I looked for what his lyrics were taken from. It is an adaptation from his Indian Sunset.
• Smoke & Guns
  

  The classic image of cigarette girls is an image that seems pulled straight out of classic cinema. Brightly costumed women offering a pack of cigarettes in a dimly lit restaurant or theatre. They deftly handle the cigarettes to costumers and offer a light to smokers without one of their own. But what’s behind the costume? What’s behind the smile?

• “Canada is kind of like America, just with a better spam filter.”
  

• Power Outage Downs eBay
• For and Chris: Clone Commander figure
• Brunhilde… the Valkyrie Dental Hygenist
• Acrobots
• Jedi training…. sort of.
  

• Today’s random Wikipedia page: Gesture

Quotes of the Day
Excerpts from today’s conversation with the coolest brother-in-law in the world.

1. While talking about what he and Rana will do with the down time between his job postings:
   

   (09:13:03) : You should come out here.
   (09:13:18) : you are aware that you live in utah, rob?
   (09:13:22) : Really?!
   (09:13:26) : You’re kidding.
   (09:13:32) : the white folk shoulda tipped you off
   (09:13:33) : All of the temples NEVER gave it away.
   (09:13:38) : Dude…
   (09:13:41) : I see white people.
   (09:13:45) : They’re everywhere.
   (09:13:48) : well yea…that’s better…coulda been montana if it was just white folk
   (09:13:53) : They don’t know they’re white.
   (09:13:59) : or minnesota. “prince, kirby puckett, and [you]”
   (09:14:06) : ya
   (09:14:24) : Hey… Thurl Bailey lives here.
   (09:14:36) : Not only black…. but black AND Mormon.
   (09:14:37) : *nod*
   (09:14:44) : i didn’t know they made mormons in that flavor
   (09:15:06) : (link to Liken the Scriptures)
   (09:15:14) : Gladys Knight (yes, THAT one), too.
   (09:16:02) : HA
   (09:16:07) : you know what my first thought was
   (09:16:16) : “from shepard boy to champion”
   (09:16:24) : holy hell, when he turned into a champion, he also turned black
   (09:16:40) : (link to The Black Mormon Homepage)
   (09:16:52) : *LAUGHS*
   (09:17:00) : I am now officially broken.
   (09:17:13) : glue and duct tape
   (09:17:16) : it’ll fix it

2. …and of our ideas on cultural diversity:
   

   (09:29:29) : Can I just say how horribly amused I am when I get Snoop or DMX on the mp3 rotation?
   (09:29:33) : Esp. here. [at work]
   (09:30:51) : it’s cultural diversity
   (09:31:27) : If only I had speakers.
   (09:31:31) : Then, I could share with them.
   (09:32:00) : I should head downtown and get a copy of Final Call… and just leave it on my desk.
   (09:32:04) : And a bean pie.
   (09:33:52) : lol happy trails in your journey, and godspeed
   (09:34:07) : perhaps add a small icon of black jesus too
   (09:34:18) : That’s “Chocolate Jesus” to you, bub.
   (09:34:47) : sssshhh…i got in trouble with [your] sis for calling him “mocha jeebus”
   (09:35:03) : apparently i’m going to hell
   (09:35:04) : who knew?

Namaste.

Monday
I am more than “a little” surprised by the fact that I’m not tired. I got three (3) hours of sleep last night. Maybe a little more, but I doubt it. I think that the worst thing about the lack of sleep was that I was yawning throughout the day.

Tonight, we decided to forego poker and have a quiet evening at home. I got to watch 24. I understand the idea of Presidential succession, but I still find it hard to fathom how the character of (Vice-) President Logan ever made it to the 2nd highest position of power in the U.S…. let alone the fact that he is now acting-President (they invoked the 25th Amendment, Section 4, I believe).

I also set up the Vonage line. It works pretty well. Of course, I’ve only made one call on it, so far. But, that’s not the point. The point is: It works. Now we just need to call the respective family units and tell them the new number. (One down, a bunch more to go…)

Stray Toasters

• I am eating bacon and cheese-flavored popcorn. It’s tasty.
• FreeBSD 5.4 is out..
• Thanks to for showing me The Patent Room: The Art of Industrial Design
• *wack wack waddle waddle*
• The Naked Truth: Stripping for Fun and Profit
• Glacier Freeze Gatorade.
• The History of the Typewriter
• “Was that sarcasm? I sometimes have trouble.”
  “Imagine my surprise.
  

• Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow: G.I. Joe Bookends
• How Federal Witness Protection Works

Notice: Fifty (50) gold pieces to whomever brings me the head of the person who decided that it would be “funny” to turn Utah’s thermostat down by 20°.

Namaste.