Random Access

Friday – 21 August 2009
Waking up this morning was something of a chore. I think that my first alarm went off for about 15 or 20 seconds before my brain found a couple of brain cells to rub together and come up with “a clue” as to what it was and what to do about it. Then, I went back to sleep.

The second alarm, the one I had to get out of bed to deal with, went a little better. I got up, turned it off and plopped down on the sofa for a few. Motivation to start the day, however, was still close to nil. Fifteen or so minutes later, I managed to pry myself from the comfort of the couch and begin the morning preparation rituals.

Last night saw the premiere of Project Runway on Lifetime. This made for a very happy SaraRules, as it wasn’t just Project Runway, it was a trio of shows:

1. Project Runway All-Star Challenge
2. Project Runway (Season Six Premiere)
3. Models of the Runway (Series Premiere)

Yes, a happy SaraRules, indeed. And, in a surprise turn of events, the person we both liked the least on Project Runway was the first one voted off the show.

While she watched the shows, I worked on interior props for my ‘Clix house. So far, the bathrooms are done – sink, tub and toilet in one; sink and toilet in the other. Now, I need to do beds and dressers for the bedrooms and some living room and kitchen furniture, too.

Stray Toasters

• Matt Mullenweg on Starting a Bank
• Accused champion Semenya not a gender cheat, says manager
• Free Download: Tribute to The Clash’s Sandinista
• Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is the next feature to be released in the DC Animation line. Newsarama has interviews with a couple of the voice actors:
  • Levar Burton (Black Lightning)
  • John C. McGinley (Metallo)
• LED display technology gets a twist
• 12 most annoying types of Facebookers
• Don Cheadle talks ‘Iron Man 2’
• This is still my favorite XKCD strip:

  

• Black Superhero Luke Cage Ignites Marvel Comics
• American Nuns Suspicious of Vatican Probes
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot..?!” file: Food and wine as collateral for bank loans
• Steampunk Flash Drive

Namaste.

Thursday – 20 August 2009
Having a mid-week day off was a nice change of pace.

The only construction that I wound up doing on my ‘Clix building was adding the interior half-wall in the upstairs hallway. I did, however, start printing some props, including beds, dressers, bathtubs, toilets, and sinks.

Four-Color Coverage
This week’s take mostly featured Batman- and/or Superman-related titles. That didn’t stop it from being a good haul, mind you:

• Batgirl #1 – First, there was Barbara Gordon. Then, there was Cassandra Cain. Now there’s… well, just who is under the cowl? Someone old? Someone new? (Hint: It’s not someone borrowed or blue.) I figured it out just before the big reveal. And the last page..? Both perfect and fitting. All-in-all, it was a good first issue.

  

• Blackest Night: Superman #1 (of 3) – Kal-L, Superman of Earth-2, rises from his grave and goes home. To Smallville. The same Smallville where the Earth-1 Clark Kent and Conner Kent (Superboy) are enjoying dinner with Martha Kent. Let’s just say that the rhubarb pie dessert is going to have to wait. And, why is a Black Lantern ring flying through space near [SPOILER DELETED]?

  

• The Brave and the Bold #26 – Further cementing Dakota (formerly part of DC’s Milestone line) in the mainstream DC Universe, this issue see’s The Spectre teaming up with Xombi. Fair issue, for the most part, but its hints at possible “trouble in Paradise” for The Spectre add a brick or two to the count.

  

• Justice League of America #36 – Vixen is in charge of… well… what’s left of the JLA, with a special guest appearance from [SPOILER DELETED]. Roulette and Amos Fortune’s “game” goes another round. There was what seemed to be a bit of a retcon to the origin of the Royal Flush Gang, as well. I was rather pleased to note that Vixen was shown to rather strong-willed, as evidenced not only in her conversation with [SPOILER DELETED], but also in the way she refused to accept any backtalk from Dr. Light, after assigning her a mission partner that she didn’t like/want. On the “down” side, I wasn’t really taken by this issue’s artwork and the overall story was mediocre.

  

• The Middleman: The Doomsday Armageddon Apocalypse – This issue wraps up the story originally started in The Middleman: The Trade Paperback Imperative and continued in the too-short-lived television series -in fact, it picks right up from the last aired episode. The artwork has changed a bit, but the good stuff is still there in the writing. Reading the issue, it was easy to hear Matt Keeslar and Natalie Morales’ voices as The Middleman and Wendy Watson. This was a fun, quirky read and a fitting end to the series… or, at least, this incarnation of it. Here’s hoping that we are treated to more tales from O2STK in the future.

  

• The Mighty Avengers #28 – Stature clues in that things with the Scarlet Witch aren’t as hunky-dory as they seem. Now, if she could only get others to see it, too.

  

• Supergirl #44 – With a little information here and some misdirection there, General Lane and Project 7734 see the plans against Kryptonians move forward. Lois Lane decides there’s someone she doesn’t want to interview – and, no, it’s not Lex Luthor. Additionally, readers get to learn how Kryptonians (and Daxamites) play “Tag.”

  

• Superman Annual #14 – Mon-El has a problem. Well, other than the fact that his exposure to lead as a youth is killing him… again. He’s received a pair of (what appear to be) Sunstones that contain stories of ancient Daxam. But is it a story that he wants to hear? Also, after nearly fifty years, readers get a well-told… retelling (not exactly a retcon)… of how Mon-El Lar Gand met Clark Kent.

  

• Superman/Batman #63 -Who do you put your money on when only one man is left to fight against the absolute ruler of the world?
  

  “Grodd won. We lost. Gorilla Grodd now controls the mind of every person on Earth. Man, woman, child. Hero and villain.”

  If that “one man” is Batman, I’d say him. But, maybe I’m a little biased. I wasn’t incredibly thrilled about the artwork in this issue, but the story raised the bar significantly.

  

• Tiny Titans #19 – Tiny Titan Bumblebee and Terror Titan Plasmus discover there’s plenty to smile about when you have a friend to hang out with. This was not only a fun issue, but it was “terminally cute,” as well.

  

Stray Toasters

• There is far too much blood in my caffeinestream this morning. This must be remedied.
• Purdue ranks among nation’s top universities
• 25 Style Questions Answered in Seconds
• Poor design choices in the Star Wars universe
• sent along this bit of amusement:

  

• Zombaritaville – song lyrics rewritten as zombie tunes
• Haunted Mansion 40th Birthday Video
• 10 Car Ads That’ll Rev Your Engines

Quote of the Day
Tim Gunn was on Good Morning America and Live with Regis and Kelly yesterday morning; he was promoting the new season of Project Runway (starting tonight on Lifetime). Regis asked him what his number one suggestion was to people concerning fashion and style:

Accept responsibility for what you’re wearing. Since our clothes send a message about how the world perceives us – the semiotics of clothes – accept responsibility for the message you’re sending to the world.

Amen.

Namaste.

Wednesday – 19 August 2009
Welcome to 9/80 Comics (and possibly Sushi) Wednesday. That’s right, I said “9/80 Wednesday.” I’m off today, rather than Friday this week, as I’m going to be covering for loonybin88 – and apparently the rest of the IT team, as well – on Friday: He’s out of town, a couple of guys are at off-site training this week and my team is off this Friday.  Julie and I have already discussed the idea of bringing in movies for Friday. I can’t complain too much, because I’m getting a “weekend” in the middle of the week. Win-Win.

Last night, I thought that I was going to finish a working on my newest ‘Clix building. I came close, but I realized that something was missing. It turned out that it was a couple of somethings:

1. A wall texture in one of the bedrooms
2. The upstairs hallway looked… “off,” it needed a half-wall at the stairwell.

But, by the time I realized these things, SaraRules was already abed and I didn’t want to start printing things and disturb her sleep. Another thing to do is to top it all off and to put a roof on the whole thing.

Stray Toasters

• Confessions of a Comic Book Guy – That’s Just the Way Things Were
• Project Runway‘s new season kicks off tomorrow night. Tim Gunn was on Good Morning America and Live with Regis and Kelly this morning, promoting it.
• pointed me in the direction of Visualizing up to Ten Dimensions, which I had skipped looking at yesterday. I checked it out last night. It was pretty neat… and that’s coming from a guy whose relationship with classroom Physics could be described as “not necessarily the best.”
• Beloit College Mindset List
• One of my favorite LEGO-related sites, The Brothers Brick, has had some neat MoC postings lately:
  • Gears of Jelly – a steampunk jellyfish
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is much less terrifying in LEGO
  • Terror of the Radio Waves
  • Spock’s Jellyfish
  • Microscale Star Trek fleet – including a tiny Defiant!
  • Take me out to the ballgame!
• 
• I just saw a commercial teaser for a new series on ABC called Eastwick. As in “The Witches of Eastwick.” According to a quick look at Wikipedia, it’s the third time a series has been attempted.
• The Problem with PowerPoint
• Sipping Spiders Through a Straw: Funny monster lyrics to traditional tunes
• 
• Sony Announces a Slimmer PS3
• I probably shouldn’t be as amused by Comcast’s Ben Stein/Shaquille O’Neal commercials as I am.
• Hope Diamond to get new setting for anniversary
• Can anyone stop Usain Bolt?!

Or even catch him!?

Inka Dinka Doo.

Namaste.

This appeared on BoingBoing a little while ago. You should watch it. Now.

Tuesday – 18 August 2009
Another day in the mines.

Last night, SaraRules and I went to dinner at El Chihuahua. We ate. We talked. We watched football. After that, we ran a couple of errands – one of which involved a Hostess Fruit Pie (but perhaps I’ve said too much…) – and then headed home for a quiet evening in.

The management at our apartment complex is having some of the roads in the complex repaved. I think that this would be referred to as a “Charlie Foxtrot” in the military.

Football Update
The Panthers traveled to New York to take on the N.Y. Giants for their first preseason game. (GameCenter) They put on a… decent… showing. The first half was primarily the Giants’ half. Somewhere in the second half, the Panthers seemed to remember why they were there.

With under two minutes left in the game, QB Josh McCown executed a rather impressive drive that went in for a touchdown AND two-point conversion to tie the game at 17. The Giants had a chance to drive downfield, but couldn’t. On the first play of the Panthers’ next drive, McCown, setting up a pass play, had the ball knocked from his hand, which was recovered – in the air – by a Giants’ lineman and run back for the go-ahead winning touchdown… just as time ran out.

Carolina: 17
Giants: 24

And, in other gridiron news: Brett Favre is back in Minnesota…

Workout
Marci and I went to the gym this afternoon:

• Calf Raises: 3 sets/10 reps, 100 lbs
• Leg Extensions: 3 sets/10 reps, 70 lbs
• Leg Curls: 3 sets/10 reps, 70 lbs
• Sit-ups (incline): 3 sets/20 reps
• Bench Press: 3 sets/10 reps, 185 lbs
• Tricep Extensions (bar): 3 sets/12 reps, 80 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell, hammer grip): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Reverse Punches (dumbbell): 3 sets/10 lbs
  • Set 1: 20 reps
  • Set 2: 10 reps

Weight (morning): 184.5 lbs

Stray Toasters

• Last night, I was messaged by someone I haven’t spoken with in nearly five (5) years. It was a bit of a shock, pleasantly so… but surprising, nonetheless.
• By way of : While I Was Away

• IKEA Draper Crayfish Party
• Utah Museum of Fine Arts is holding a film and lecture series, beginning next week.
• Why Is PETA Making Fun of Fat Women?
• I’m a fan of Bobby McFerrin. Check out his rendition of The Pink Panther Theme
• Insanewiches
• Car 54 Jamar Nicholas, Where Are You?
• pointed this out to me: Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?

• Has the Spidey Musical been deep-sixed?
• But we’re never gonna survive
  Unless we are a little crazy…

Quote of the Day
Today’s quote is gleaned from a conversation I had last night with . He wanted to make sure that we were alright with Bit and Pixel being at the wedding ceremony (in the chapel, that is).  Duh – we only get to see them (or at least Bit, to this point) every so often; naturally, we want them there. That led to the following:

9:47:10 PM : aiiight so urchins ok, i’ll load them both up with nyquil.
9:47:21 PM : heh or mountain dew
9:47:24 PM : either way, fun at parties
9:47:26 PM : 🙂
9:47:59 PM : SaraRules: “How about one and one?”
9:48:06 PM : “He gets to pick which one.”
9:48:24 PM : hahaha ok awesome, Bit on mountain dew then.  i’ve been wanting to play with THAT shotgun for months.

Namaste.

Monday – 17 August 2009
A new work week kicks off in the valley and…

…SaraRules starts at Utah Symphony/Utah Opera today:

Stray Toasters

• By way of MarknTyme: Finally, The Best Use for LEGO Is Revealed
• Gone Forever: What Does It Really Take to Disappear?
• U.S. banknotes show cocaine traces
• 
• …and on the subject of fanfic: While I do not often read much fanfic, but posted a link to a really well-done one: The Mutant Problem
  (Click the images on the right for more to the story)
• Chris and I are going to redo our Green Lantern Corps/Sinestro Corps ‘Clix battle – this time, including our respective heralds: My Ion (Sodam Yat) and his Parallax (Kyle Rayner).  It’s going to be a pretty big game, in terms of points, but it should be fun.  Now, we just need to see if we can come up with something for a Sinestro Corps Team Ability or Feat…
• I had forgotten that both Michael Gambon and George Harris were in Layer Cake, which we watched again last night. Whenever one of them appeared onscreen, I kept making Harry Potter cracks.
• This kid cracks me up:

I should take a look at what’s on tap for the rest of the day.

Namaste.

Friday – 14 August 2009
The work week draws to a close. Amen.

After work yesterday, SaraRules and I met up with and headed to get fitted for our tuxedos. It was quick and rather painless. On the way home, I realized that I was craving something… I finally figured out what it was: Cake. We had to run by the store anyway, so we picked up some Devil’s Food cake mix and a… tub (?)… container (?)… whatever the unit is called (?)… of Cream Cheese frosting. SaraRules whipped it up after dinner.

This morning, I had the unexpected, but very pleasant, surprise of chatting with Bret for a bit before I had to get ready for work.

Football Update

1. The Ravens opened their preseason against the Washington Redskins last night. They apparently opened up a can o’ Whoop-ass, too, because they not only beat the ‘Skins… they blanked ’em: 23-0.

   

2. SaraRules’ beloved Raiders opened up against the Dallas Cowboys last night. They won. Handily. 31-10.
3. Michael Vick has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles for a one-year contract, with an option on a second year. We know that the man did a phenomenally douchbag thing with his dog-fighting ring a few years ago. But…he paid for it. Can we (finally) stop talking about what a schmuck the guy is – or was – and get on with the football aspect of things?
4. Dante Stallworth. Benched for the season. Sorry, .

Stray Toasters

• This morning, I awoke with the vershluggen music they play on the Lagoon commercials running through my head. I blame for this… for no other reason than “Because I can.”
• After a few misfires, I now have City of Heroes (re-)installed on Defiant.
• The Park City Jazz Festival kicks off next weekend; the closing artist is Al Jarreau. I believe that I shall have to find a way to attend this event.
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Woman Blames eBay for Thwarting Baby Name Auction
• I know you’re not supposed to play with your food, but with plates like this, how can you not?!
• By way of :

  

• Battlestar Galactica Feature Film Confirmed
• I just talked with – it looks like SaraRules and I will have our rings in about three weeks.  We both REALLY like the design she came up with; can’t wait to see the finished product.
• Why Should I Trust My Network Administrator?
• Thanks to ‘s posts about his trip through Indiana, I’ve had Rockapella’s Indiana (mp3) running through my head for the past couple of days.

Right on to the friction of the day…

Namaste.

Thursday – 13 August 2009
This week has been cruising right along.

Happy Birthday to :

I also talked with last night. He informed me of the following:

• Bot and Pixel are doing well.
• Bit has a few new words. (And, yes, one of them is “Mama.”)
• Grandparents just don’t understand.

Reeling By on Celluloid: The Last King of Scotland
SaraRules and I watched this movie last nig.ht. It told the story of Idi Amin’s reign as “President for Life” of Uganda in the 1970s, from the point of view of his personal physician. Forest Whitaker portrayed Amin; James McAvoy portrayed Nicholas Garrigan, his doctor. After college, Garrigan goes to Uganda, looking to make a difference in the world. Through a random occurance, winds up meeting Amin, who has just ascended to power in a coup. From there the movie follows Garrigan as he becomes entangled in the complicated world of  Amin’s fight to maintain power and control.

The movie was very well done and didn’t pull any punches in bringing some of the horrors of President Amin’s rule to light. Forest Whitaker won the 2007 Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for this film and, watching his character’s progression from man of the people to a man caught up in his own cult of personality. All-in-all, it was an very good film and one quite worth watching.

Four-Color Coverage
This week had a number of good books… as did last week, which I didn’t list, because I was tromping through the woods of Idaho. So, this week will see a, or rather “another,” two-week compilation list:

Week of 05 August 09:

• Doom Patrol #1 – DC’s strangest heroes are back on the block. And they’ve got a new strange villainess to contend with. An interesting read and one that makes me curious to see if the next couple of issues turn this into a regular purchase.
  
• Justice League: Cry for Justice #2 (of 6) – The pieces and the players continue to come together in this offshoot League. It’s still moving a little slowly, but I’m going to bear it out, especially since it’s supposed to have (eventual) ramifications in the core JLA book.
  
• Superman: World of New Krypton #5 (of 12) – General Zod has been shot. New Krypton is in chaos. Superman and Supergirl head to Earth, hot on the heels of Zod’s attacker. (Wasn’t there something about the UN banning Kryptonians on Earth…?)
  
• Captain America: Reborn #2 – Steve Rogers continues to do his impression of Quantum Leap’s Dr. Sam Beckett. And, like Dr. Beckett, Cap is slowly coming to realize what’s happening to him. Unlike Dr. Beckett – and more like Queen – he realizes that “there’s nothing you can, nothing you can, nothing you can do about it.”
  
• Ultimatum
  • Ultimatum: Fantastic Four Requiem #1 and Ultimatum: X-Men Requiem #1 – Marvel’s Ultimate Universe was supposed to be the sandbox where writers and artists could take familiar characters and places and do things that they couldn’t get away with in the mainstream Marvel 616 Universe. And, in Ultimatum, they’ve done just that. These books present the aftermath of Magneto’s “Ultimatum Wave,” through which he caused upheaval on a global scale. While I wasn’t necessarily thrilled with some of the things they did, I have to give Marvel credit for redrawing the lines on the playing field.
    STORY:
    EXECUTION:
• Love and Capes #11 – Abby needs a new wedding dress. Marc whisks her off to Paris for a shopping trip with her sister, Charlotte. But, what happens when Abby not only finds “the perfect dress,” but also finds that it was made by Marc’s former flame, Amazonia?
  

Week of 12 August 09

• Adventure Comics #1/#504 – Superboy is back. He’s trying to put the pieces of his (former) life back together. Good thing that he’s got Martha Kent, the Teen Titans and Krypto – not to mention a certain “mild-mannered reporter” – there to help him out. This issue’s second feature includes the Legion of Super-Heroes. Kind of. More specifically, it features Starman and Tellus, who team up to fulfill the last will and testament of R.J. Brande, the LSH’s late benefactor.
  
• Blackest Night
  • Blackest Night #2 (of 8 ) – Commissioner and Barbara Gordon meet an unexpected visitor on GCPD’s rooftop. Black Lantern Aquaman schedules an impromptu family reunion. Green Lantern and the Flash set up for Round Two with Black Lanten Martian Manhunter… and wind up facing [SPOILER DELETED].
    
  • Blackest Night: Batman #1 (of 3) – The new Batman and Robin team up with not-a-Black Lantern Deadman to take on the newly reanimated [SPOILERS DELETED].
    
  • Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps #39 – GLs Kyle Rayner and Guy Gardner are headed back to Oa when they meet up with Lanterns Soranik Natu and Iolande. It’s a quiet trip until they get passed by a swarm of Black Lantern rings… headed to Oa.
    
• R.E.B.E.L.S. #7 – Vril Dox reaches out to leaders of other worlds, seeking to form an alliance against Starro. While he makes some convincing points, let’s just say that he shouldn’t necessarily look for a second job in Sales.
  
• Luke Cage: Noir #1 (of 4) – Luke Cage, “The Power-Man,” gets the Marvel Noir treatment… and it’s a treat to read. Fresh out of prison, Cage is looking to renew some old connections and see how things have changed while he was away. Hopefully, he can learn who the players are… and who’s getting played.
  
• Action Comics #880 – Continuing from last week’s World of Krypton #5, Superman and Supergirl chase Ral-Dar, General Zod’s would-be assassin, to Earth… where they get a less-than-“warm” reception. Readers also learn a bit more about General Lane’s playmates.
  
• G-Man: Cape Crisis #1 (of 5) – School-aged hero, G-Man, hooks some of his friends up with the ability to fly. What could possibly go wrong when he tells them it’s time to come back to ground? This was both a great all-ages read and a refreshing change of pace – along the lines of Tiny Titans, but with a little more “meat” to the story.
  
• Uncanny X-Men #514 – As running the X-Men (all teams) and X-Force (the team that no one knows about) wasn’t enough, Cyclops puts together another team. Also, Emma Frost’s “Dark X-Men” do some good at saving citizens in the Bay Area. And it looks as if the Summers X-Men and the Frost X-Men are going to butt heads. Soon. On a personal note, it’s nice to see that Matt Fraction has a good handle on writing Cyclops. As my long-time favorite X-Men, I appreciate it when he’s written well – a bit conflicted and occasionally awkward, but always making plans and contingencies.
  

Stray Toasters

• I’ve got to do my “Goals and Accomplishments” for 2009. Yay.
• Steampunk butterfly
• Guitar, studio wizard Les Paul dies at 94
• Looking for a treat to satisfy your favorite snack-hungry zombies? Try Brain cupcakes.
• Do you eat the moldy stuff?
• 
• Euro-Area Economy Contracted 0.1% in Second Quarter
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?!” file: Brazilian crime TV host ordered executions to boost ratings, cops say
• 
• I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist campaign for photographers’ rights

Yeah… that’s good for now.

Namaste.

Tuesday – 11 August 2009
I barely remember turning off the first alarm this morning. I do remember being shocked into alertness and action when the second alarm went off, however.

Last night, I realized that I was missing some of the PDFs that I was using in my ‘Clix building, because they are on the old HDD. Of course. Hopefully, I’ll be able to recover (some/most of) them today, because I would prefer not to have to redo the walls I kitbashed again.

Stray Toasters

• I heard a clip from Quicksilver, a new track from The Cruxshadows, this morning. I like.
• 24 riders rescued from California roller coaster
• SaraRules and I have a tea kettle that sounds like a train whistle (or even a single-note harmonica) when the water in it is boiling. This kettle, however, might just one-up it.
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver dies
• By way of :

  

• How Famous OS Logos Got Started
• Few characters in comics have a history as convoluted as Donna Troy.
• Adventure Comics #1 hits the shelves tomorrow.
• My favorite airplanes include:
  • P-51 Mustang
  • F4U Corsair
  • SR-71 Blackbird
  • F-22 Raptor
• The Right Amount of “Challenge” in IT & Gaming
• New Artificial Bone Made of Wood
• Fifteen Classic Game Console Design Mistakes

Namaste.

Sunday – 09 August 09
We’re back.

We got in last night around 2230. We cut the trip short a day, because it rained most of the day on Friday, which played hob with fishing and made sitting around camp kind of… dull and boring. That’s not to say that we didn’t have a good time, though. The breakdown goes a little something like this:

Thursday (Pictures from Day 1)
We got up at 0510 to head to SaraRules’ parents’. For some reason, I didn’t get to bed until after 0200, so waking up was definitely hard to do. After a shower, I felt a little closer to human. We got to the house and waited for Logan, whose building had a power outage and screwed up his alarm.  We hit the road at 0730, bound for Idaho.

Given that I was “a little” tired from the previous night’s lack of sleep, I was out of it for most of the way to Pocatello. I woke up as we were turning off the highway to get breakfast. We ate and got back on the road. We made a quick stop in Blackfoot and then headed up to EBR-1. Again. Although, this time, it was open for touring. we spent about 45 minutes or so walking around (and taking pictures). On to Challis – we had to load up on spud-nuts (doughnuts, made with potato flour). And from there, on to Stanley and Redfish Lake.

Part of our job as the first car to leave was to find and secure a campsite. We did that. SaraRules and Logan were of the opinion that it was the same site they had two years ago. The main difference from last year’s site was that the toilets were much more basic than the ones in Glacierview: Pit toilets vs. flush toilets and sinks. *shrug* We set up the tents and generally got the campsite ready for the weekend. A little after Car 2 (with the Meliko and the ‘rents) showed up, it started raining. Steve set up “Alaska rigs” (tarps suspended in by ropes, draped over the tents and picnic bench); lo and behold, we stayed dry. For the most part. There was a small pool of water that collected at the corner of SaraRules and my tent. Meliko, Logan and I dug a small trench to divert the water – it worked fairly well.

Friday (Pictures from Day 2)
We woke up to intermittent rain. As that bode ill for fishing, we went to the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge again. It, too, was open for a tour. Looking at it last year, just from the exterior, it seemed rather amazing that the whole thing was run by just three (3) men. Seeing it from the inside made it seem all the more amazing. And, of course, I took a plethora of pictures. After that, we headed up to Custer and then SaraRules, Logan and Steve tried their hands at fishing… to no avail. We headed back to camp.

A while later, Logan and Steve decided to try again; SaraRules wanted to go to the hot springs. So we packed into the cars and off we went. Meliko went hiking around the area where Steve and Logan were fishing; Bonne came to the hot springs with SaraRules and me. I wasn’t entirely sure about this whole “sitting in a hot spring while it’s not terribly warm out” thing, as I’ve long looked askance at people who sit in hot tubs in the middle of winter. It just seemed… odd… to me. But, I did it. Trying to find the right mix of hot spring water and cold river water was a bit of a challenge, but we managed to do it. And it was fun.

Saturday (Pictures from Day 3)
Intermittent rain beset us again. We decided to break camp and head home. SaraRules, Logan and Steve decided to hit a couple of fishing spots before making the trek back to Utah. First stop, Indian Riffles. And, just before we got there, the sun came out. Go figure. The trio changed into fishin’ gear and hit the river. No dice. From there, we went back to the Yankee Fork. Once more into the fray… and this time, the fish came out to play – everyone caught something. Their fishing appetites sated, we started back to Salt Lake.

Instead of heading back through Arco and Pocatello, we came back via Sun Valley. This included a trip to the summit of Galena Summit. (Fortunately, Idaho believes in guard rails, unlike many areas of Utah…) We descended into Ketchum. We had lunch/dinner at Smoky Mountain Pizza and Pasta. The food was good and so was dessert – I had their Chocolate Ganache Cake and ice cream. A quick stop at Starbucks and we were on the road again.

We traveled through a couple of small – REALLY SMALL – towns and along some back-country two-lane roads before winding up in Paul, ID (a few miles from I-84, southeast of Twin Falls). Then, it was highway cruising. We were making good time until we got to Ogden, where there is construction. Lots of lane-constricting construction.

On the whole, I’d have to rate this year’s camping trip:

And that’s how I spent my summer vacation.

Today kicked off with sleeping in. Later, we headed over to SaraRules’ parents’ for brunch. After eating, we watched Black Sheep. It’s basically an Australian zombie sheep movie. And, yes, I know exactly how that sounded. This movie is definitely on the CW/LKG Scale.

(at least)

Tonight, I think we’ll have a quick trip down to the Garden of Sweden and then back home to watch some football. That’s right: Football. It’s the Hall of Fame Week game that kicks off four weeks of glorious preseason football.  Selah.

Stray Toasters

• Ray Charles covers Johnny Cash: Ring of Fire

• Gap founder’s amazing art collection may leave San Francisco
• I watched The Big Hit earlier. I haven’t seen this in a long time… but it’s fun. It’s on the CW/LKG Scale, but I’d rate it on the higher end of it.

  

• In a related note and comic trivia: Actress Lainie Kazan (who was in The Big Hit) was the visual inspiration for Big Barda.
• Eugene Roddenberry and the legacy of ‘Star Trek’
• 

• The Happiest Cartoonists of All Time
• Filmmaker John Hughes has died.

Namaste.

Wednesday: Coda
I came home from work early. That was a nice change of pace and it was nice to be able to take a post-dinner nap and still have most of the evening left open.

Later in the evening, SaraRules, her mother and I went to the airport to pick up Meliko, who’s going camping with us this weekend. We hung out for a bit before coming home and getting things ready for the trip to Redfish Lake. After packing, I had a piece of cake that SaraRules made and washed it down with a tall glass of milk.

Stray Toasters

• Tyranist and I were lamenting over some of the items on this list today: 100 Things Your Kid May Never Know About
• A big “Thanks!” to .
• “Congratulations” to and A 400 Lb Gorilla.
• NFL Network is now mine… and it’s in High Definition.
  • Former Raven (and Steeler and ‘Niner) Rod Woodson will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame as part of the 2009 Class.
• The 2009 NFL Pre-Season games start on Sunday, 09 August 09.
• 
• : It’s LEGO. You need make no other explanation than that.
• The 10 Most Dangerous Foods to Eat While Driving
  My favorite quote from this article:

  Allow us to make a special shout out here to item number two: Soup. Soup? Are you kidding? Who in their right mind thinks it’s OK to eat soup while driving a two-ton projectile? And who the hell is trying to spoon chili down their gullet in traffic? Good lord, people. It’s a CAR.

• Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder
• ‘Squeaky’ Fromme to go free after 34 years

We’ll be back on the other side of Saturday; have a great and safe weekend.

Namaste.

Wednesday – 05 August 2009
Happy Birthday, !

After work, yesterday, I went home, had dinner… and fell asleep on the sofa. Right. Out. Forty-five minutes later, I was up and rather refreshed, but still feeling a bit lazy. Fortunately, SaraRules was agreeable to putting off last night’s trip to the gym until tonight. While she quilted, I worked on cataloguing a few more boxes of ‘Clix.

Today is Day Two of all-day meetings. Well, one very long meeting, really. However, it’s good information and it’s covering a lot of things that I hadn’t been previously aware of. However, as it is also Comics and Sushi Day, something’s going to have to give. Unfortunately, I believe that it will be sushi; comics can be acquired later this evening.

Stray Toasters

• Coffee: Check.
  Homemade blueberry muffins: Check.
• messaged me last night with some happy news.  (No, it wasn’t that Bot had given birth to Byte…)
  

  2:13:11 PM : we have a momentous occasion to share with uncle rob.
  2:13:19 PM : Oh…
  2:13:24 PM : Is there a new [member of the family]?
  2:13:26 PM : oh heck on
  2:13:30 PM : or no even
  2:13:32 PM : even bigger.
  2:13:37 PM : Bit has her first lego set.
  2:13:40 PM : YES!
  2:13:54 PM : Duplo?
  2:14:08 PM : si. 71 piece.
  2:14:16 PM : I’m assuming that it was your call, not Bot’s.
  2:14:22 PM : She’s not that geeky.
  2:15:00 PM : heh…actually she suggested i get the kid some blocks. she has another set of grippy type blocks that she loves, so heck, if i’m going to buy her blocks…
  2:15:08 PM : *nod*
  2:15:09 PM : Indeed.
  2:15:20 PM : right now she has more fun just taking them apart…
  2:15:24 PM : so my job is to build something
  2:15:27 PM : Gotta start somewhere.
  2:15:27 PM : and her job is to disassemble
  2:15:32 PM : my genes kickin’ in
  2:15:35 PM : Destruction. Construction.
  2:15:42 PM : It’s all part of the process.
  2:16:02 PM : indeed.
  2:16:33 PM : I’m so proud.
  2:16:56 PM : haha i thought you would be
  2:17:09 PM : i told bot i’d pass the news on. you got the predictable eye roll
  2:17:15 PM : i’d say that’s a win
  2:17:19 PM : Definitely.

• Navigating a Geek Marriage?
• Retro-futuristic motorcycle
• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Teen Killed at Chinese Internet Addiction Camp
• Russia Calls Submarine Patrols off East Coast ‘Routine’
• From the “No, really..?!” file: Psychopaths Have Brain Structure Abnormality

Namaste.

Tuesday – 04 August 2009
Another work-a-day morning in Paradise. And this is after a 12-hour day yesterday. On the plus side, this means that after logging today’s and tomorrow’s hours, I can trim a bit off the number of hours I need to take for leave on Thursday. I’m not sure that’s a full “Win-Win,” but it’s not bad. Of course, I’m in an all-day meeting, so that should keep me (more or less) out of trouble.

Last night was a low-key evening. That not-so-loosely translates to: “I sat in front of the television and vegged.” And it was good. I also got a little further in cataloguing ‘Clix.

Stray Toasters

• SaraRules pointed me in the direction of: One Super Wedding
• Inverse Spatial Logic Game
• sent me a link to this picture; I nearly fell out of my chair laughing.
• Indian police accused of abuses
• Wow…. Kenneth just used the phrase “money shot” in our meeting. With our CEO and other top brass in it. I think he just scored “Human of the Day” for that.
• US Health Care Debate (infographic)
• 
• 5 Robots that make C3PO look like the Terminator
• 10 Badass Female G.I. Joe Characters
• Also by way of Nyx: Obama’s Birthday Cards from Birthers
• Living in a massive high-rise with no neighbors

Namaste.

I messaged about this morning’s first ‘Toaster:

11:16 AM  : Hey there. I need you to verify something for me, please: First ‘Toaster in this morning’s post.
11:18 AM  : Both. 🙂
11:19 AM : Y’see…when I read Dirk Gently books, I see in my head. When I read Neverwhere, you’re the Marquis. 🙂

And, when I related the conversation to :

[12:30] huh.
[12:34] I have gotten a couch stuck on a stair landing before…

Such friends have I.

Monday – 03 August 2009
Another work week begins. But this week is a short one – even shorter than usual, in fact – because we’re heading to Idaho on Thursday to go camping. With that in mind, I think that I can make it three days in the office. (Just found out that we might be going in the “early car,” which means that we’ll be on the road about 0600 on Thursday… but that facilitates my ability to tour EBR-1 (1, 2), so there is a bit of “Win” to be found.

88 Minutes turned out to be a decent movie. It wasn’t awesome and was a little predictable in parts, but it was “just right” for something to have on in the background.

Stray Toasters

• Last night, I started watching Neverwhere, thanks to Netflix “Instant Queue.” About halfway through the first episode, Door asked Richard to seek out the Marquis de Carabas. The name rattled around my head for a few minutes before I was able to make a vague association: A few years ago, either said that I reminded her of the Marquis or that I should dress as him for Hallowe’en. Unfortunately, I don’t remember which it was.
• fotographylife
• I’ve started cataloging my HeroClix figures on HCRealms. I’ve finished with the small trays and started in on the large trays last night. That doesn’t include the bin full of “extra” figures that I have.  That will be fun, I’m sure…
• Botched building demolition creates real world Katamari Damacy horror
• What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
  I think that I’d have to go with Mocha Almond Fudge (or a variant thereof, depending on brand) and/or a really good Rocky Road.
• Google CEO Schmidt Leaves Apple Board
• 
• As of 01 August 09, NFL Network was supposed to be part of Comcast’s Digitial Classic service package, of which I am a customer. Why is it that when I checked this morning, I received the “For Ordering Information…” announcement? *sigh*
• Car used to design font
• I’m trying to decide whether I want to reinstall Growl.
• Scammer Plants a Fake ATM at Defcon 17

Namaste.