Random Access

Tuesday – 25 December 2007
So the big man in the red suit with the magickal reindeer apparently showed up and dropped off goodies and whatnot. This year’s haul included:

• The Art of the Japanese Garden
• LEGO Key Rack
• Gift certificate to IKEA
• Gift certificate to Dr. Volt’s
• Metallic dice
• One World, Many Cultures CD
• Ocean graphic novel
• “Grow a Pirate” toy
• Little Flip Book of Crosswords
• Subscriptions to Esquire and GQ
• Green Lantern paperweight (…and it’s even John Stewart!)
• AoA Cyclops HeroClix
• The Superhero Handbook

There are still other goodies to open (they’re back at my place and there are couple of things that are in transit)… but this has already been great.

What did Sanity Clause bring you?

Saturday – 22 December 2007
Last night’s Clitorati gathering was but good. And there was news: Land is moving. To Ohio. A couple of opportunities came up and he decided to dive in and take a chance. Best of luck to him. And, in a pleasant surprise: got my attention and pointed to another patron in the store. I turned, looked… took a moment to process…. and realized that we knew the person: Ghela, who used to work in the bookstore. She came over and chatted with us for a while; there’s a chance that she may join us occasionally.

Today started – as good Saturdays should – with breakfast, coffee and cartoons. Today’s episode of Legion of Super Heroes was the second part of “The Man from the Edge of Tomorrow,” which I hadn’t seen before. “New” episodes kick grass. The Batman was also a rerun, “The Joining, Part One,” which I had not seen all the way through. Win-Win.

After toonage was done, SaraRules and I did a little more shopping. Which included a trip to the Garden of Sweden. Selah. We also stopped to visit Kate, Perry and the kids. And I got to be the kids’ jungle gym for a bit. It was fun.

On to SaraRules’ parents’ place for dinner and to meet her sister, Melissa, who’s in town for Christmas. Dinner was lasagna (vegetarian) and salad. Post-dinner, we had homemade cookies and watched Corner Gas (1, 2) with a couple of friends of the family.

Stray Toasters

• I got a call from both of the ‘rents today:
  • Mom called to say that my gift was on its way
  • Dad called to say that they had received their gifts.
• Darkwood Armory
• 
• Universities with the Best Free Online Courses
• pointed out the Faber-Castell Grip 2001 pencils. Nice.
• How To: Prevent Lost Luggage
• …speaking of which: Sky Shirts

Quote of the Day
From onlyaly, at last night’s Clitorati:

“From wet beaver to hot nuts…”

Namaste.

Friday – 14 December 2007
Yep. It’s a Friday. And I am having… difficulty… staying/getting/maintaining focus(ed) on work.

SaraRules got in last night. On her way to SLC, she met me at the AF office and hung out with Tyranist, Derek, Dwim, Eric and me for a few. Then we braved the elements – and the road monkeys – and headed home. As it was cold and we we didn’t feel like foraging, it was a pizza night. God bless online ordering. We watched TV, ate pizza and chilled.

This morning, I ignored the alarm and slept in a bit. Jason called to find out which office I would be working in today (SLC) and ask if I wanted a bagel for breakfast. I told him I’d meet him at the local Einstein Brothers. They make a mean ham-and-cheese bagel omelette. I also stopped next door at the Beans & Brews for a cup of espresso-laden frozen mocha goodness. Then, on to the cotton fields…

Chew on This: Food for Thought
I was chatting with earlier and he asked me a question for which I didn’t have an immediate answer. I told him that I’d have to chat with the S.O. and get back to him:

me: Hmm. I may. I’ll talk it over with the S.O.
everydave: nog
me: X.O. Not sure if she quite qualifies as C.O.
<ponder>
everydave: ? commanding officer?
me: Yeah.
XO == executive officer (First Officer)
And I can’t recall what the abbreviation for Second Officer is.
…but I’m looking it up.
everydave: gotcha
SO is then significant officer?
me: Yes.
everydave: you’ve got some weird military fetish going on…and I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that, being a pacifist and all
me: Well, “Other,” but both apply/fit.

So, that raises the following questions:

• In relating to one’s significant other in military terms, would they be C.O or X.O.?
• And should a person take into account that “X” or “ex-” is not necessarily an attribute that should be applied to one’s current sig-other? And/or because of that, should the S.O. just be brevetted to “C.O.” in order to avoid any possible issues/complications.

Just wondering…
Stray Toasters

• I think that Derek’s training is coming along nicely – He not only made a pilgrimage to the Garden of Sweden… he made a video of it:
  
• Handbrake
• Have you voted for – or added a suggestion for – your favorite Chocolate Jesus Crunchies slogan?
• From Gizmodo: Rockstar Wii Mod Starts Manhunt for Classy Consoles
• just got new silver hotness… and had it delivered to the office. Many of us have drooled over it.
• Speaking of which: Check out the new Apple Mac ad: Santa Claus
• Inside the Baxter Building
• From BoingBoing: US official threatens employees with magic
• Village Hat Shop, home of the Hat Blog

Namaste.

Monday – 10 December 2007
One down, four to go.

Last night, after watching the Ravens drop (yet another) one to Indy, SaraRules and I watched Undercover Brother. She had not only seen it before, but liked/likes it… AND… she knows the movie dialogue. Solid!

This morning’s commute was uneventful. I wasn’t sure how the roads would be, especially through the Fillmore-Beaver area (go ahead and insert your own punchlines there) and the higher elevations, as the temp was below freezing. Fortunately, the roads were clear and ice-free. And, I would like to note that I didn’t have to deal with any road monkeys today.

Work wasn’t bad. Not a lot of coworker-monkey doom today. Only one possible incident which could be considered a self-inflicted wound, since I asked the person if the problem he had last week had been adequately fixed. (He prattled on and on about nothing of importance before really answering the question. GAH!) Tomorrow, I have a training class. At 8:00 AM. But, it’s in SLC, so at least it’s a short commute.

After work, I hung out with Land. And, we somehow… mysteriously… wound up at the Garden of Sweden. *genuflect* I picked up a new coffee table.

Stray Toasters

• I just realized that I talked (actual vox conversations!) with Rana (and ) and Adam today.
• It’s officially the Christmas season: I heard Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth while I was in Cedar City.
• Old-time radio Christmas plays — free, public domain mp3s
• I neglected to mention that sent the pictures she shot for my Christmas card. Now I just have to decide which one/ones I want to use. (So many good choices…) I may have to make her Official Photographer of His Chocolate Holiness.
• I need to modify that icon.
• (and I think I’m forgetting another music teacher…): Traveling Music Teacher Keeps Students in Tune
• Offensive/inoffensive tree ornament
• By way of Coworker Drew: Monkey Fluids

  
  (This picture reminded me of this Queen of Wands comic.)

• New style goodness from The Sartorialist

I have a table to assemble.
(Just some oak and some pine and a handful of Norsemen…)

Namaste.

Friday – 30 November 2007
The end of the week is at hand.

Dinner last night was a lot of fun. We went to Sampan. Tasty beef lo mein… with enough left over to make a decent post-workout lunch. After dinner, most of us headed to Barnes & Noble for coffee and conversation. I also picked up a new Windows Server 2003 book, that is perfect for some of the things that I’m going to need to know for work.

After the group broke up, came over to take pictures for my Christmas card. She took many pictures. MANY. So I’ll have a good number of options from which to select. It was nice to see – and hang out with – her this past week.

This morning, I overslept a little. Only by half an hour. And I was happy that it was “only” a half-hour, as I didn’t get to bed until somewhere around 3:30. So, while I didn’t get as early a start on the day as I could have, I wasn’t as far off the mark as I could have been. Today’s workout was a good way to wrap up the week:

• Leg Raises: 3 sets / 20 reps
• Bench Press: 3 sets / 8 reps at 225 lbs.
• Nautilus Fly: 3 sets / 10 reps at 95 lbs, with a ten-second hold on the last rep of each set
• Decline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets / 10 reps at 50 lbs.
• Bench Dips: 3 sets / 20 reps – all sets with a 35 lb plate
• Dips: 1 sets / 10 reps
• Lower Back Raises: 3 sets / 15 reps

Stray Toasters

• I have too much blood in my caffeinestream. Not even the coffee I brewed seems to be changing the ratio, or it’s failing to do so at a satisfactory rate.
• I found this site last night: DonorsChoose.org It looks like an interesting way to give.
• 
• Incognegro
• I haven’t made a successful pilgrimage to the Garden of Sweden this week, but I still had a couple of IKEA cinnamon roll for breakfast this morning. Selah.
• Best Moments of 2007 (DC)
• Best Moments of 2007 (Marvel)
• The morning constitutional helped with the “getting the blood moving” factor. This is a good thing.
• shockpuppet now refers to me as “W&W,” which I have been informed is pronounced “dub ‘n’ dub”
• 
• By way of CNet: Holiday Tech Gifts We Don’t Recommend
• Justice League of America #15 (preview)
• Rabid comics fans are/can be scary. Marvel is changing the cover style for Fantastic Four… and some of the responses made me think of this sound bite.
• Phables

Quotes of the Day
Today’s quotes come from last night’s coffee gathering:

• (after seeing an ad in Lürzer’s Archive): I want to be able to shit cupcakes! I’d be []’ best friend!
• (referring to… an acquaintance): She’s the Amazing Expando-Girl!

And that’s a wrap!

See you on the other side of Juab County.

Namaste.

Friday – 23 November 2007
The extended weekend continues.  I just wish that I had been able to sleep in a little later.  After going to bed somewhere around 3:30, I was up at 8:45 (not to be confused with emmet swimming’s 8:45).  Having been up-and-down all “night,” I decided to go ahead and start the day.  I didn’t do much.  Bath.  Bowl of cereal.  Played City.  Hey, it’s a day off… what’d you expect.

A little after lunch, SaraRules came over.  She worked on some schoolwork and then we headed to the Garden of Sweden. Quick trip: Picture frame and to measure the packaging that something else comes in – I needed to know whether or not it will fit in the car or if I’ll have to elicit the help of someone with a wagon or truck.

And tonight, for the first time in weeks, I will make it to Clitorati.

Namaste.

Monday – 29 October 2007
A new week begins.

Getting up and on the way wasn’t so bad this morning. I chatted with for a few minutes before hitting the street. It seems as though there was a 5.0 earthquake in Kathmandu this morning. Oddness. And here are some interesting stats about Nepal.

Stray Toasters –

• Defiant is now running Leopard (Mac OS X – 10.5). New hotness for the new hotness.
• By way of SaraRules: ‘Fall Trio’ at Bountiful gallery; Mössel’s magic realism at SUU
• 
• The 13 Scariest Things in IT in 2007
• My Green Lantern ‘Clix should arrive soon. Very soon.
• Preparing for Diwali
• 
• Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi…
• I feel yet another pilgrimage to the Garden of Sweden coming on.
• 
• Man place on sex offender register for sex with bike
• Driver denies threatening officer

Quote of the Day
Land called Saturday to share this gem, from a consultant (obviously not from Utah) with whom he was working. She had apparently asked about getting some coffee and, when met with odd/curious looks, spouted off this beauty:

Oh, that’s right… you don’t drink coffee. Something to do with the purity of your temple or some shit like that.

Yay for ignorant and insensitive monkeys!

Namaste.

Monday – 22 October 2007
Another week begins. So far, it’s been good (despite a road monkey on the AF commute)… and it’s a short work week, so I’m not about to complain.

Saturday night, I finished watching Renaissance. It was good. I liked the feel and style of the movie. And I was pleased with the way it wound up; I was a little surprised by part of the ending, but in thinking about it – it made sense. I give the movie a thumbs-up with an okay.

Then, it was off to breakfast with the usual suspects… plus one: put in an appearance.

Sunday, SaraRules and I went to Temple Square to see Music and the Spoken Word – she plays cello, as does my coworker who performs with the Orchestra at Temple Square, so I figured it would be a “best of both worlds” kind of thing. So… off to the Conference Center we went. There were tons of people – far more than usual – also heading to the Conference Center. Odd, but I figured “Whatever…” When we got inside, they were handing out tickets for “Multi-Stake Conference.”

*blink blink*
Okay… definitely not what we’d gone for.

We decided to beat feet and make our way out. The problem: All of the primary entrances were being used for just that: Entrances. (After all, who would possibly want to leave when you could get a little bit o’ Jesus in your day?) So, we found an elevator bay that led to the parking garage and went out that way. Then we made our way against the tide of humanity back to the car. Along the way, we found a crosswalk that had a stone benches in the middle of the street. In case you got tired halfway across? *shrug* Who knows?

All gussied up and with no particular place to go, we realized that we were hungry. I checked the time and figured that Ruth’s Diner was going to be filling up with patrons. So, rather than sit and wait, I pointed the car to I-80 East. Park City. Cisero’s. Brunch. The food was good, as usual. And the drive, there and back, was nice.

Back to Salt Lake and on to the Capitol Theatre to see The Flying Dutchman. I enjoyed production. I was even able to restrain myself from making untoward comments to the lady who sat behind me and kept kicking the back of my seat throughout the performance. I was rather proud of myself.

From there, we headed to Sara’s parents for dinner and football. We watched the Broncos whale the tar out of the Steelers. I’m not really a Denver fan, but any team that plays the Steelers is my “favorite team” in that match-up.

Football Update

• The Ravens dropped a game to the Bills. Bah. *shakes fist*
• The Raiders lost to Kansas City.
• The Bengals beat the Jets.
• The Browns had a bye week.
• The Vikings got branded by the Cowboys.
• The Eagles lost to da Bears.

The Best: Come Together – Round 2
I put The Beatles up against Aerosmith in this match-up.

I picked up a copy of Across the Universe: Music from the Motion Picture a few days ago. I’m sorry, but Joe Cocker, singing an arrangement by Elliot Goldenthal, kicks the bejeezus out of both versions. Don’t believe it? Listen to it (unfortunately, it’s audio only – which is a shame, because the video portion of this kicks much grass) and tell me what you think.

Stray Toasters

• I had a cinnamon roll from the Garden of Sweden for breakfast, along with a large dose of frozen mocha goodness.
• Secret Agent, Salmon and 22 Seconds
• Plantation Dig Reveals Maryland Town’s Painful Past
• I am Ivory Soap sure that I will own new black hotness within the next few days.
• More US Warcraft Players than Farmers
• Salt Lake Gas Prices
• SaraRules, please show this to DJ Viking:

  

  Of course, I could have asked or (or a few others) to show it to him, too… Hm. Maybe I should make it a race: See who can get it to him first. Or, possibly even how many people can forward it to him. That would be amusing.

• By way of boingboing.net: Steampunk Shrew
• Luciana Souza: Revising Pop by Way of Bossa Nova
• 
• Anagram (for Mongo) from Mr. Shortz

And that’s that.

Namaste.

Saturday – 20 October 2007
It’s been a good day, so far:

• SaraRules and I met , theimaginarygirl, Tyranist and Rish to see 30 Days of Night.

  

  According to tig and Tyranist, who have both read the graphic novel, the movie was a good adaptation. It was a good movie and I give it a thumbs-up with an okay.

• Stopped by to say “Hi” to Kate and Perry.
• I came home to find a package from my father – my birthday package. It was chock full of Butterscotch Krimpets. Three boxes of ’em. Mm-hmm, that’s right. Three. And, there were other things in the box too, but none of them were Krimpets – although that’s not to say that they weren’t equally cool.

Yesterday, I did made it not only to the Garden of Sweden, but also to Costco. Yeah, I joined the masses and bought a membership. On a whim, I stopped at the one near 21st South… and ran into one of the technicians from the REC. As he walked down the aisle, we looked at each other with that “I… think I know you…” expression. Recognition seemed to kick in for both of us about the same time. It was a pleasant and unexpected surprise.

Last night’s Clitorati was also good. Pretty decent turn-out. The conversations were… lively and varied, as usual.

Four-Color Coverage

• Action Comics #855 and #856 – Richard Donner and Geoff Johns give us a new look at Bizarro and how Htrae and its Bizarro inhabitants came to be. But, what does all of it have to do with Jonathan Kent? Best image: Bizarro JLA, including a Bizarro Batman… with a smiley-face on his chest.
• Countdown: Issues 30, 29 and 28 -The New Challengers continue their journey through the multiverse. Jimmy Olsen catches up with the Newsboy Legion… or is it the other way around? The further adventures of Mary Marvel, magically-powered spoiled brat-at-large continue. Karate Kid breaks one off. Monarch puts in an appearance.
• Elephantmen #11 – This issue was a look at the lives of two men. Two men who saw opportunities… and worked to fill what they saw as voids. The issue was written in an overlapping manner, so that common threads in the mens’ stories lead to “crossover” points between their tales. Once again, this was a solid issue in a book that continues to impress me.
• Green Lantern Corps #16 and Green Lantern #24 – The Sinestro Corps War continues. The tide seems to turn a bit when GLs are allowed to use lethal force against the Sinestro Corps. A powerless Hal Jordan takes on Kyle-Parallax. John Stewart snaps off a little somethin’ for Parallax, too.



And Kyle gets a (or “yet another”) a new costume and job description.

• Justice League of America #14 – The JLA vs. The Injustice League, Round 2: Superman and Black Lightning versus… well, just about everyone. And we actually see a subtle, yet still-twisted, side of The Joker’s humor:
  

  Lex Luthor (hologram): Your friends need help. Come and get them.
  Superman: Where are you?
  Luthor: You’re Superman — find me.
  *hologram blinks out*
  Black Lightning: Dammit. I was tracking the resonance of his broadcast frequency, but it’s too subtle–
  Superman: It’s already gone. I was trying to do the same thing. But he did leave us something to work from. His holgraphic projector. *picks up the projector*
  Black Lightning: Superman, WAIT!
  *projector explodes in Superman’s face, splattering him with green paint*
  Superman: AHHHH!
  Black Lightning: Superman…?
  Superman: Get it… OFF me…!
  *cut to Luthor and Joker, watching a video feed*
  Luthor: Kryptonite paint?
  Joker: Who knows? We might get lucky.
  Luthor: Unlikely.
  Joker: True. But you did say you wanted him mad. And in the irritating department, a face full of Kryptonite has to rank right up there with a cavity search from airport security. Not that a rousing cavity search between loved ones can’t be a good time…
  Luthor: Too much information, Joker.

• The New Avengers #35 – The Hood, apparently taking a page from Lex Luthor’s journals, is gathering villains in the Marvel Universe and bringing them together as a… coalition? …society? …league? All of this while Venom symbiotes seem to be taking over New York City.
• Superman #666, 667 and 668 – The first two issues deal with Superman continuing his quest for Arion. And, being Superman, he does manage to find him. Duh. Issue #668 is a “Superman and son” issue: Chris Kent, bored with having to hide his powers, decides to play hooky. The problem with that is that when your foster father is Superman, there aren’t a lot of places that you can hide. Solution: Introduce the kid to Batman and Robin… and while Chris and Robin are getting acquainted, have Batman rig up a miniature red sun projector to help keep Junior’s powers under wraps. He’s the Batman. It’s what he does.
• Superman/Batman #40 – Superman, brainwashed by Darkseid. Batman, beaten to a near-pulp by Superman. Bekka, wife of New God Orion, to the rescue.
• Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Cyborg Superman #1 – We learn exactly why it is that Hank Henshaw despises Superman and why he has spent the past few years trying to destroy him. We also learn what it is that he hopes to achieve through siding with the Sinestro Corps.
• Uncanny X-Men #490 and #491 – The X-Men vs. Masque’s band of Morlocks. And, much to their chagrin, Masque discovers why it’s not a good idea to entrap a claustrophobe. Especially one who commands the weather. And especially why you shouldn’t do it while you’re standing in fairly short visual range.
  

  Storm (in a coffin-sized box): Where are we, Masque?
  Masque: ’bout an hour away from yer funerals. But that’s okay… they’ll be prayin’ up there by then, anyway.
  Storm: No… it’s early morning.
  Masque: Yep. Sunday mornin’. An’ the tunnels above us, right below that fancy old cathedral, are loaded with explosives… ready ta blow at my say-so. An’ when the cops find all yer X-Men corpses at the site of the bomb… there’s gonna be no turnin’ back.
  Caliban: Masque cannot mean that! Masque is not evil!
  Masque: Yeah, well maybe evil’s just a point’a view…
  Storm: No, it isn’t. Killing innocents is evil… no matter where you look at it from. *eyes glowing*
  CAPTION: Even from below ground, she can feel the wind and the thunder. The lightning. She calls it to her. And it listens. Like it always has.
  Masque: What?!
  *lightning shatters the chains binding Warpath and Hepzibah*
  *Storm’s coffin explodes*
  Masque: NOOO! What’d you do?!
  Storm: I may not like confined spaces, but it’s been a long time since a wooden box could hold me… so all you’ve done is make me mad.

  

  Masque: Damn you! This ain’t how it happens! *clutching the book of Prophecy*
  Storm: I suppose we’ll see.

  And who’s that certain silver-haired gentleman meeting a former New Mutant in a late night cemetary meeting?

Stray Toasters
None tonight… mayhaps tomorrow.

Namaste.

Friday – 19 October 2007
And so the week winds down.

Last night, I had dinner with lj user=”khayla”. Sushi. Tsunami. But, they were out of Ika. (KHAAAAAAAAN!) Oh, well, another time, perhaps. After that, I went to visit Kate and Perry. Then, a couple of errands and then home to try and make a little sense of the chaos before Ms. SaraRules got in.

This morning, I turned off the alarm… and turned off consciousness for an extra hour and some change. As I drifted in and out of sleep for the next little while, I phased in and out of The Dreaming. During my last excursion, I dreamed that I was playing basketball – I don’t remember with whom, though. Whomever the other guard was, we were approaching the half-court line when he lost control of the ball. I dove and stretched out for the ball…

…instead, I wound up nearly knocking my lamp off the nightstand. Fortunately, I found, I didn’t dive off the bed.

That was my cue to actually get out of bed and start the day.

Stray Toasters

• I chatted with Kris for a bit yesterday. It was a pleasant surprise.
• I enjoy Instructables. I’ve found many interesting and fun things on there. However, I think that this item has to be one of the most creative articles on there.
• Whatis.com Word of the Day: Unconference
• I Got Six
• Hmm… I found a non-Rockapella version of Zombie Jamboree on YouTube, done by The Kingston Trio.
• Zombie wedding cake topper
• SaraRules and I are making a sojourn to the Garden of Sweden this afternoon.  *genuflect*
• Darth Vader Rules Hot-Air Balloon Event
• “Did I say ‘overlords?’  I meant ‘protectors.'”
• God’s Mechanics: Vatican astronomer reconciles religion and science
• Prophet 60091…

Namaste.

Wednesday – 17 October 2007
Midweek. Grey. Rainy.

Last night was D&D game night. We… kind of, sort of accomplished some things. In the grand scheme of things. We managed to uncover at least one new mystery. (We would have gotten away with it, if it hadn’t been for you meddling kids and your dog!) And, in the words of Jerry Reed, “We got a long way to go, and a short time to get there.” So, we’ll see how things progress.

I wasn’t in the mood to make a trip to Paragon City or the Rogue Isles, so I opted for a hot – and relaxing – bath, with a glass of Pinot Noir and Black Seas of Infinity. It was a good way to end the day.

Stray Toasters

• This morning, for the first time since God was a boy, I had breakfast from McDinkle’s: an Egg McMuffin. It wasn’t hellish.
• Marvel unveiled the new look of the new Captain America. Wizard also had a couple of items about it: 1, 2.
• 
• pointed me in the direction of this: Georgia Russel’s Book Sculptures.
• I have found a new – and horrible – new toy/distraction: IKEA Room Planner.
• Time Bandits map replication
• Sex, Nazi, Burrito and Viagra: Who Googles What?
• I found a community called Mock the Stupid, by way of . Holy monkeys on parade, Batman!
• 10 Wacky Wii Accessories
• “i think i just threw up my appendix”

Wheeeee!

Namaste.

Wednesday – 10 October 2007
Middle of the week and all’s well.

Last night, I made a couple of stops on the way home: One to drop off some plastic crack to Perry; another to finish configuring ‘s wireless network.

Then, home.

Being rather tired, I was rather happy to be – and stay – at home. I played a little City of Heroes last night; I “ran into” my friend, Don… whom I haven’t seen online in a while. I ran a couple of hunt missions and I even remembered that I have a “summon temporary pet” power, which came in quite handy in thinning out the ranks of Devouring Earth creatures that I had to fight. Quite handy, indeed. I need to think up a name for my pet. “Sparky” was good for Indi’s pet, but just won’t work for Nefer-Tem’s.

You would think that with a (roughly) four-mile commute, I wouldn’t have to deal with monkeys. At least, that’s what I thought. Boy, was I wrong. There were two of them this morning. And, both were encountered within the middle two miles of the commute. As I’m fond of saying: “With monkeys like these, who needs pets?”

The work day has been good. There hasn’t been anything too bad to deal with. Hopefully, that trend will continue through the day.

Stray Toasters

• A Slurpee® would be good right now.
• CNet’s Weekly Hit List
• Not-a-star. (Definitely not to be confused with Baby, I’m a Star)
• Sara sent me a link to this video. One word: Zombies.
• Battlefield 3 details leaked?
• sent me a link to this video. Compound word: Bear-blasting!
• From MMORPG.com: City of Heroes – Issue 11: A Stitch in Time – Interview with Matt “Positron” Miller
• 51
• Copacabana. That’s right, I said “Copacabana.” And I meant it, too.
• Jimmy Carter calls Cheney a “disaster”
• From the “Unintentional Porn in a News Item Title” file: Robot Masseur Gives Facials
• I’m still a bit torn about what to do for a Hallowe’en costume this year. I have a few ideas/options, but need to settle on one. Soon.

Quote of the Day
From an IM conversation this morning:

(11:57:09 AM) [name withheld]: At any rate, I was writing to tell you that IKEA was a scary, scary place.
(11:57:21 AM) Me: The Garden of Sweden is a WONDERFUL place.
(11:57:34 AM) [name withheld]: Think about it this way:
(11:57:52 AM) [name withheld]: You love books. LOVE them. You walk into the showroom where there are books on every shelf.
(11:57:59 AM) [name withheld]: Feels a bit like heaven, doesn’t it?
(11:58:06 AM) Me: Indeed.
(11:58:25 AM) [name withheld]: But then you start pulling books off shelves at random and you notice that you can’t read a single one of them because they’re all written in gibberish.
(11:58:33 AM) [name withheld]: Suddenly, paradise seems like hell.
(11:58:42 AM) Me: Are there pretty pictures?
(11:58:45 AM) [name withheld]: No.
(11:58:48 AM) Me: Oh.
(11:58:48 AM) [name withheld]: Just words.
(11:59:09 AM) [name withheld]: Then you look up from the books and notice that the whole place is really a bit soulless.
(11:59:19 AM) Me: I don’t need my store to have a soul.
(11:59:25 AM) [name withheld]: Empty kitchens with place settings that will never be filled.
(11:59:32 AM) [name withheld]: Bedrooms that no human could ever sleep in.
(11:59:37 AM) Me: If I did, I would never enjoy a Toys ‘R’ Us or a Best Buy.
(11:59:37 AM) Me: Ever.
(11:59:42 AM) [name withheld]: Couches that are smiling just a bit too much.
(11:59:51 AM) [name withheld]: Hell.
(12:00:00 PM) Me: Couches that smile…?
(12:00:09 PM) Me: You’ve been watching too much Pee Wee’s Playhouse.
(12:00:19 PM) [name withheld]: I couldn’t watch that show.
(12:00:23 PM) [name withheld]: It scared me too much.
(12:00:32 PM) Me: Wait.
(12:00:55 PM) Me: [You]…. scared… by Pee Wee’s Playhouse?
(12:01:07 PM) [name withheld]: Let’s see.
(12:01:13 PM) [name withheld]: All of the furniture talks.
(12:01:18 PM) Me: You’ll excuse me if I relish this for a moment or two…
(12:01:22 PM) [name withheld]: The house itself is vaguely alive.
(12:01:52 PM) [name withheld]: And the whole thing is orchestrated by a man who seems like all he really wants to do is strip the meat off your legs for his Sunday dinner.
(12:02:09 PM) [name withheld]: That voice.
(12:02:11 PM) [name withheld]: That smile.
(12:02:27 PM) [name withheld]: I still can’t watch anything featuring Paul Reubens without shuddering.

Namaste.

Monday: Coda
I called this afternoon to ask her a work-related question. We haven’t spoken in a few months – we’ve had an email or two and some random blog comments here and there, but we haven’t actually spoken to each other since I was home in May – and she mentioned something that caught me flat-footed. I asked her if there was something that I should know about. She said, “No… you already know about this.”

I’m glad that she couldn’t see the blank/lost expression on my face.

After a few moments, I managed to wrangle a couple of brain cells, rub them together and come up with something that approximated “a clue.” *sigh* Slowly, the details came back to me. Genius I am.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to deal with too many other “thinky things” as the day wound down.

Post-work, I stopped off to see Perry, Kate and the kids… and to drop off my Sentinel for Perry to use in a game this week. Perry gave me my birthday present, a little early. I now have more toon-related and geeky goodness than you can shake a stick at.

Home.

Off to Jitterbug for dinner and coffee with , , and Pat.

Home again. Home again.

Stray Toasters

• I should really be giving more than just “consideration” to going to bed.
• The pictures from this weekend’s excursion to The “C” Overlook are up.
• A key in the door
  A step on the floor
  A note on the table
  And a meal in the micro…
• 
• While the man may have gone right ’round the bend, Michael Jackson is/was quite the entertainer. As a case in point, I present Remember the Time – featuring Eddie Murphy, Iman (still my first choice to play Storm in an X-Men movie) and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
• By way of : IKEA hacker
• Sequins != Sequence
  (Learn the difference. Please.)
• Than != Then
  (Learn the difference here, too. Seriously.)
• Happy 30th Birthday to the Atari 2600
• From the “This Has to Be Fifteen Kinds of Wrong” file: Anna Rexia Hallowe’en Costume
• Do you want/need to stand out at your next company party or high school reunion?
  Would rolling up in new hotness set it off?
  Rent a tank.
  Guaranteed to turn heads… and if it doesn’t, blow ’em away.

Alright, time to try this “sleep” thing.

Namaste.

Friday – 05 October 2007
The morning started off about an hour after I had planned on it starting. And even then, I only woke up because the phone rang. *sigh* The rest of the morning has gone well, though. And there was frozen mocha goodness to help speed the day along.

Last night was quiet. I made it to The Garden of Sweden. And I was in and out of there in about 15 minutes. That almost never happens. I guess that’s the way it goes when you go in with a mission to get one specific thing. Only. (Of course, I walked out with two, but why quibble?) When I got home, I had a few grand designs on actually being productive and getting some cleaning done. Instead, I paved a little more of my road to Hell. And I’m okay with that. Besides, there’s always tonight or morrowmorn.

Stray Toasters

• Schoolhouse Rock! is providing the soundtrack – and some video – for the workday, so far.
• goofydopey
• 34-minus
• Someone turned Utah’s thermostat down again.  Yesterday, it was nearly 80°… it’s a hair above 60°.
• Carpe diem!
• After hearing part of this segment of Talk of the Nation yesterday, this comic was even more amusing:

  

• We the people, in order to form a more perfect union…
  (Admit it, you just started singing that.)
• Zero Punctuation review of Halo 3.  (Check out the review of Peggle, too.)

*voop*

Namaste.

04 October 2007
The morning commute started well; actually, most of it was good.

Then, I hit Lehi.

And the traffic slowed to a crawl.

And, just at that point, my technopathic link with Nomad kicked in and the next song that came up was The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana) by Liz Phair and Material Issue – the theme song from The Banana Splits. With that, I didn’t care about the traffic any more.

Yep… no ordinary moments.

Stray Toasters

• I have a bag of cotton candy to enjoy after going to the gym and eating lunch.
• Where the Great Old Ones Are
• I need to stop at The Garden of Sweden on the way home. (Just some oak and some pine and a handful of Norsemen…)
• Supercalifragisexy
• And, while we’re at it: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
• Doll on a Music Box, not to be confused with Music Box Dancer

Back to it.

Namaste.