Random Access

Wednesday – 25 November 2009
Today’s got so much going for it, I don’t think that you could cram anything else into it: It’s the middle of the week, but it’s also “Technical Friday.” It’s Comics and Sushi Wednesday. It’s the first day of Hajj, as well as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. And, it’s the day before Thanksgiving. *whew* I defy you you try packing more into a day that this.

Last night, SaraRules and I watched the NCIS block on CBS and, after a quick excursion to the local Target – where we once again ran into ex-coworker Brooke – I set about finishing up some paperwork for work. Yay.

Stray Toasters

• Late yesterday afternoon, I got a surprise call from a friend I haven’t spoken with in… close to a year, at least. Schedules, go figure. It was a great way to wrap up the work day.
• Runaway with Asperger’s Syndrome Spent 11 Days on Subway
• Indian Colors, American Fashion
• Hot Caramel Mocha goodness…
• New Disney Princess movie sounds pretty good

  

• National Gaming Day at libraries a massive success
• Michelle Obama racist image sparks Google apology
• Velocity of Media Comsumption: The Web vs. TV
• sent me a link to a video from this summer’s San Diego Sandy Eggo Comic Con, in which Kevin Smith gives his (NSFW, use headphones) opinion about the Twilight phenomenon (do DO do-do-do!):

• Bad-ass Mad Max campout weekend, complete with working gyrocopter
• Sometime between tonight and tomorrow morning, I shall be making two pies: a Chocolate Cream Pie and a Sweet Potato Pie.
• Airlines fined for overnight stranding in Minneapolis

It’s very quiet in the office today. What does that mean? Simply put: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is going on my big monitor in just over a half-hour.  Win!

Namaste.

Tuesday – 24 November 2009
Last night was a quiet, football-watching night, unlike last week’s Monday night game.

This morning, while cold (24°F, when I left this morning) was clear and bright. On top of that, today is “Technical Thursday;” I’m trying to decide if I want to make it NBN Technical Thursday. I opted not to bring Star Trek to work this morning. Tomorrow, however, there… may…. be a movie (quite possibly The Wrath of Khan) playing on my large monitor.

Instant Replay: Football

Tennessee Titans at Houston Oilers
20 –17
The Titans rolled into the Lone Star State to take on the Texans. (There’s a bad “Clash of the Titans” joke to be made in there somewhere, but I’m not going to pursue it.) Somehow, it had eluded me – until the second quarter – that this match was exactly the same as the Baltimore-Cleveland rivalry: The Titans were the former Houston Oilers… who moved to Tennessee and changed their name; Houston was awarded a new team a few years later. SaraRules and I weren’t expecting too much out of this game, to be honest. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that it was a solid game, from start to finish. It was also nice to see how much Titans QB Vince Young has matured as a quarterback. He was calm, collected and, as Stuart Scott would say: “Cool as the other side of the pillow.” He played a very good game, managing the players – and the clock – very well.

Stray Toasters

• Madlessly!
• Zombie Outbreak Simulator: Sim City Plus Google Maps Plus the Undead
• By way of SaraRules: Kay Jewelers Has Decided to Give Us the Creepiest Commercial of All Time for the Holidays
• What is ‘mouthfeel?’
• The Best Smartphones on Every Carrier
• From the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file:
  • Man Arrested with 15 Lizards Strapped to Chest at LAX
  • Man in Japan marries anime game character
• 
• WETA’s new cheaper, delightful, detailed plastic ray guns
  (This might actually be an “add” for The Covet List…)
• German ‘Robin Hood’ banker gets suspended sentence
• Modern Tech Versus the Past
• HIV infections and deaths fall as drugs have impact
• 3, 6, 9… 12, 15, 18… 21, 24, 27…. 30!

Namaste.

Friday – 20 November 2009
It’s already the 20th. Where does the time go?!

9/80 “on” Friday, but it’s the quiet day in the office, so I can’t really complain. And, tonight, rather than going to coffee, some of the Clitorati are going to a Grizzlies hockey game. That will be a nice change of pace.

Last night, we had Melissa, one of SaraRules’ coworkers (and former schoolmates), over for dinner. SaraRules fixed chicken and dumplings (!) and for dessert, we had the Chocolate Cream Pie that we made Wednesday night. (And the pie was good.)

Instant Replay: Football

Miami Dolphins at Carolina Panthers
24 –17
The 4-4 Dolphins headed to Charlotte to take on the 4-4 Panthers… and came away with a win. As I’ve said, I was torn about this game. On one hand, I’ve liked the Fins for nearly 20 years; on the other hand, the Panthers are my #1 NFC team. I was going to be good with a win, either way, but “There can be only one,” as the saying goes.

Stray Toasters

• I woke up this morning with a couple of songs running through my head
  • Pope, by Prince
  • Undercover Angel, by Alan O’Day

  I’m good with the former; I’ll just blame “Random Play” on the radio in my head for the latter.

• Texas’ gay marriage ban may have banned all marriages
• Glowing bacteria that finds landmines
• I have Cracker Jack in my lunch today!
• posted this picture; I found it interesting/amusing:

  
  (click for larger version)

• Britain’s new Internet law — as bad as everyone’s been saying, and worse. Much, much worse.
• For SaraRules and Tyranist: DRM-free top-flight horror novels
• Monster Manual

  Monster Manual from Dan Meth on Vimeo.

• Oprah Winfrey to end her talk show in 2011
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file:
  • ‘Chicken’ interrupts council meeting
  • Hamster Hotel lets you live like a rodent
• WizKids/NECA (finally) has their new site up. There’s not a lot of content, but it’s a start.
• Man who killed wife while dreaming is freed

Namaste.

Thursday – 19 November 2009
I was up FAR too late last night. I got two bricks of Hammer of Thor ‘Clix and – after dinner and errand-running and making a pie and other stuff – I had to open both bricks and see what I got. I almost completed the set; I think that I’m ten or so pieces from complete at this point. In addition to the brick, I also picked up an Organized Play Kit, which basically means that I can run tournaments(!), should I choose to go that route. (I need to check with my local crack comic book shop and see what the owner thinks about it…) But, I’m happy with what I got. Very happy indeed.

Stray Toasters

• We’re having cheesecake – instead of ice cream – for today’s work snack. WIN!
• ‘Computer Glitch’ Is Delaying Flights Across the Nation
• By way of SaraRules: Blackface Filmmaker Wallraff Sparks Race Debate
• Robots Perform Shakespeare
  (This has already been done, at least it has in the book Too, Too Solid Flesh)
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blamed for Katrina floods
• 
• Lab worms are stunned by ‘phaser’
• Overlooked 80s Sci-Fi Flicks, Recalled by Wired Readers
• Guns ‘n Gardens: How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

• The “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file has a few bits of monkeydom today:
  • Maricopa deputy steals defender’s paperwork during a court case
  • Man Blames Planes for Divorce, Seeks $555 Million
  • SFPD cops from imaginary anti-dance-party squad steal laptops
• Power-guzzling TVs to be banned

All of that and it’s NBN Thursday… AND there’s football tonight!

Namaste.

Wednesday – 18 November 2009
Last night, SaraRules and I attended Play! A Video Game Symphony, as performed by Utah Symphony and the Utah Symphony Chorus.

It was an odd night for a concert, let alone a concert about videogames. Add to that: Two new games – Assassins Creed 2 and  Left 4 Dead 2 – just released yesterday, which meant that most hardcore gamers would be… at home playing games, rather than in the symphony hall listening to music from games. But, I digress. The program included music from:

• Super Mario Brothers
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• World of Warcraft and
• HALO

For an encore piece, the symphony performed d from Final Fantasy VII. All-in-all, it was a fun way to spend the evening and I got to see and , to boot.  Thanks to SaraRules for not only getting us tickets for the event, but also for putting up with a bunch of geekiness for the evening.  Coolest. Wife. Ever.

Stray Toasters

• Not only is it Comics and Sushi Wednesday, but it’s also New ‘Clix Day, too! Win-Win-Win!
• What to Wear No Matter Where You Go for the Holidays
• For (among others): Cthulhu Holiday Decorations
• Had flu? You may have H1N1 protection
• 
• Tom Ford’s Style Rules
• just shared this with me – Jon Ronson on telling his son the worst swear word in the world – and it made me laugh.
• 15 Things Worth Knowing About Coffee
• I need to hit my mother up for her hush puppies recipe…
• Teen Titans GO!

• Two words: Office monkeys.
• 1977 Star Wars Computer Graphics

Namaste.

Tuesday – 17 November 2009
The new work week begins. Yay.

Yesterday, despite the pager incident, was a good day. I went to Chris’ and played HeroClix. Yesterday’s match-up saw the Chris’ Justice League of America taking on my Justice Society of America (pictures here). He won the game, but I was able to put away a few of his pieces before he left me fielding only one figure.

After the game, I headed home to take care of some straightening up before company came over for…

Instant Replay: Football

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
16 – 0
Ravens 1.0 traveled to Cleveland to take on Ravens -1.0, in a game that was not only an AFC North battle, but also a rivalry match. Too bad that there wasn’t really a “game,” to speak of.  The first half was very lackluster – neither team scored: Not a field goal (K Steve Hauschka shanked yet another kick wide left) Not a safety. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Browns’ QB Brady Quinn, who got benched earlier this season after a poor performance against the Ravens, got the start… and suffered from the same lack of ability to get anything going last night. Granted, the teams’ defenses got a good workout, but neither offense could get their game in gear. Coach Harbaugh must have gone George Patton on the team at halftime, because both the offense and the defense actually looked like they came to play: Joe Flacco and WR Derrick Mason hooked up for a long pass that set up a TD by RB Ray Rice Seventeen seconds later, SS Dawan Landry pulled down an interception and ran it back 48 yards for a TD Hauschka got it together and put up a field goal. The Ravens went to 5-4 and are still potentially in the hunt for a wild card berth.

Coach Mangini, your team just took another one on the chin.

How do you feel about that?

I can emapthize with that. Sorry, .

Stray Toasters

• Tonight: Play!
• Tomorrow: New HeroClix set – Hammer of Thor – comes out!
• pointed me in the direction of this little gem.
• Senators draw maps of their home states
• By way of CNN: 5 tips for fixing your Facebook page
• China’s Newest Export: Punk Rock
• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Cannibals reportedly sold body parts to kebab vendor
• Chipsounds
• “We’ve Got Some Work to Do Now” t-shirt
• Lou Jing, half-Black Chinese girl, sparks race debate in China

Namaste

Thursday – 12 November 2009
It’s another grey, overcast day here. There are rumours of snow in the forecast.

Last night, we had Kenneth, Akiba and their kids over for dinner. SaraRules fixed some very tasty enchiladas (with rice and salad); dessert was ice cream and ginger snaps. We had a good time eating and chatting the evening away.

After our company left, it was “chill out on the couch” time. We watched… something… on TV, but I don’t really remember what it was. Eventually, SaraRules decided to put on 2001 (Go, go, Godzilla! Netflix Instant Queue!) I realized that I have never seen this movie all the way from start to finish…

…and last night kept the streak alive. I started getting sleepy about 20 minutes into the movie. I started nodding off about 15 to 20 minutes later. And, thus, decided to call it an early evening. And I did. And it was good.

Stray Toasters

• First thing out of the gate, I want to point people to my friend Apryl’s blog: 365 Day Girl -  “A real girl’s grand experiment to master social media… in 365 days!”
  

  I started this project after being inspired by Flickr’s 365 Days Project. But I in my grand ambition decided to take it up a couple notches by tackling the whole spectrum of content: text, photo AND video! Perhaps I’m crazy, but it’s crazy fun and super interesting! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to expand my sphere of realness by connecting with REAL people both near and far while sharing my story and expertise in the process.

• Intel to Pay AMD $1.25 Billion to Settle Disputes
• Host Lou Dobbs to Leave CNN
• How to avoid falling victim to a hospital mistake
• Just a reminder of upcoming concerts by Utah Symphony:
  • 
  • 

  Click the images for more information about the respective concerts.

• 
• From the “Holy overkill, Batman!” file: 8-way video card
• made a good and amusing point in a post this morning:
  

  I just read that some paparazzo got in Mike Tyson’s face at LAX and now is filing battery charges. Have people forgotten that Mike made a living beating people up? That was his job – beating other guys’ asses. What would make you intentionally piss this guy off?

• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: MPAA shuts down entire town’s muni WiFi over a single download
• The Last Day on Earth, by Stefano Bonazzi

Namaste.

Wednesday – 11 November 2009
Happy Veterans Day.

“Thank you” to military personnel, past and present, for your duty and sacrifice in maintaining the peace and freedoms that we enjoy.

Last night, SaraRules had Book Club… so I hung out with , , and Eugene (a friend of ‘s). We met at The Bayou. I’d already eaten dinner with SaraRules, so I only had an appetizer – Paprika Shrimp.  It was delicious; I highly recommend it. And, hanging out with friends was definitely a nice way to spend the evening.

After “dinner”/book club, SaraRules and I met back at home and watched last night’s NCIS and The Late Show.

Workout
I made it to the gym for a lunchtime workout yesterday:

• Lower Back Extensions: 3 sets/12 reps, with additional 25lb weight
• Sit-ups (incline): 3 sets/20 reps
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps
  • 1 set @ 215 lbs
  • 1 set @ 205 lbs
  • 1 set @ 195 lbs
• Shoulder Press (dumbbell): 3 sets/10 reps, 30 lbs
• Reverse Punches: 3 sets/10 reps, 10 lbs
• Compound Row: 3 sets/12 reps, 125 lbs

Pre-workout weight (morning): 183.0 lbs.

Stray Toasters

• Comics and Sushi Wednesday…. Check!
• Be a Grown-Up on Facebook
• Clash of the Titans (First Trailer)

• Space Mountain queue gets short-play video games
• Garden gnomes are so passe.
  Get a Garden Jawa, instead!
• The deep-sea crab that eats trees
• sent me a link to this, which I found cute:

  

• Kalashnikov ‘wanted to be poet’

Namaste.

Tuesday – 10 November 2009
It’s grey and a little hazy outside. The sun tried to put in an appearance as I was driving in to work, but the clouds don’t seem to want to give way. Makes for a kind of “blah” morning.

Last night was a lazy evening in. We had dinner (Sloppy Joes!) and watched Monday Night Football. After the game, I spent a little time trying to wrangle the office into shape. I managed to actually make a bit of headway… while also realizing just how much detritus I’ve allowed to accumulate in the “To be shredded..” pile. Oh, well.  One cool notable item: I was trying to figure out what to do with my TerrainLinX WWG tiles, when I remembered why I thought they were so cool: The whole thing breaks down into component pieces! I grabbed a shoebox and put the bits – both finished and in-progress pieces – in the box.  Neat, discreet, and (best of all) out of the way!  Little by little, the office is getting back to “good” shape.

Instant Replay: Football
It was Monday night. There was football. Amen.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
28 – 10
The Steelers went to Mile High Stadium to take on the Broncos and try to stay tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the lead in the AFC North. Can you say “Take it to the house,” boys and girls? The Steelers could. And they did. Repeatedly. Pittsburgh dominated the field on both sides of the ball, at least they did after the first half. Their offense was consistently able to move the chains. The “Steel Curtain” completely shut down the Bronco’s run game. Boilermaker Watch: Broncos’ QB Kyle Orton had a “less than stellar” game: He threw for 221 yards (which is good), but with no TDs and three interceptions. It was not a good night for him – he never really went for deep routes and he missed picking up the blitzes on run plays.

Stray Toasters

• Basketball great Abdul-Jabbar has cancer
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Duke University Students: you should not just ‘sit around and masturbate”
• Koalas ‘could face extinction’
• By way of come a couple of items
  • Fine and Dandy Shop
  • Driving a car with an iPhone
    
• Glittergeddon!
• For : The Spider Awards: Wired.com’s Arachnid Hall of Fame
• Scamville: The Social Gaming Ecosystem of Hell
• For Tyranist: Science fiction from outside the English-speaking world
• Howl’s Moving Castle made out of LEGO

It looks as though the sun has finally won the battle.

Namaste.

Sunday – 08 November 2009
This has been a good weekend.

Friday was SaraRules’ birthday. After work, we went out for dinner. SaraRules’ first choice was Red Iguana… unfortunately, there was an hour-plus-long wait to get in. No go, Flight. Her second choice was Sawadee, a Thai restaurant near downtown. I didn’t know that it was even there; in my defense, I don’t get to that part of the city very often. The food was very good (and very spicy!). After dinner, we met up with some of the usual suspects at Clitorati, including a special guest appearance from and .

Yesterday was a good day. It had a good mix of laziness and productivity. SaraRules went to her quilt club in the morning; I hung out with Chris and Perry. After we got home, we headed back out to run a few errands. Back home again. SaraRules took a nap, I assembled a bookcase. Later, we headed to Abravanel Hall to watch Utah Symphony perform a pair of works by Brahms:

• Concerto No. 1 for Piano in D Minor, op 15
  
• Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, op. 98

Pinchas Zuckerman conducted and Jonathan Biss was the guest pianist. The performance was good. I was particularly impressed/pleasantly surprised by Mr. Zuckerman’s attire – he wore a slightly oversized black silk (I think) shirt with a pair of black slacks, rather than the traditional tuxedo that most conductors wear. Our seats were in the first tier, about five rows from the stage. This afforded an excellent view of the orchestra and of the conductor… as well as being close enough to hear Mr. Biss breathe. Seriously. When playing particularly intense passages, he breathed heavily. Very heavily. So heavily, in fact, that SaraRules said that it was like watching and listening to Darth Vader play.

This morning has been quiet. Breakfast.  Football. (If only the Ravens could act like they remember how to play the game. *sigh* I’ve been spoiled by being able to watch them play for the past three weeks, but I think I’m glad that I can’t watch this one.)  This evening, we’re heading over to the in-laws’ for SaraRules’ birthday dinner (with the family) and football.

Stray Toasters

• Complaint Box: Public Grooming
  Another of my personal pet peeves is people who clip their nails at their desks at work.
• sent a link to: Comic books are good for children’s learning
• I watched part of The Hunt for Red October yesterday. I like that movie.
• Visually impaired gamer sues Sony Online
• 
• As I mentioned on Facebook:
  

  Thanks for the items and requests… but my Mafia Wars account is wearing cement shoes and sleeping with the fishes.

• Wonder of Wonders: Identity, No Crisis
• Troy Polamalu has already had an injury this season.
  Larry Fitzgerald is still getting it done… and is having a decent season.
  So, what does this mean as far as “The Madden Curse” goes?
• Tiny jack-o-lanterns carved in seed pods
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Swarm of Giant Jellyfish Capsize 10-Ton Trawler

Namaste.

06 November 2009
Happy Birthday to SaraRules!

Also, Happy Birthday to :

Today is bright and sunny. Unfortunately, it will only be “moderately warm,” as temperatures are only expected to reach the low 60s. I guess that comes with the whole “Autumn” thing. This morning, after waking up and getting ready for the day – and card-/gift-giving – I had breakfast at Paradise Bakery and Cafe with The Birthday Girl, who has the day off. Great way to kick off the day.

Speaking of the day, it feels like today’s going to be a great big “Mulligan.” As far as “things to look forward to” go, there’s  have dinner with SaraRules this evening and Clitorati tonight. I know that it’s early and that I might actually find some motivation to do something that qualifies as “productive” along the way, but at this point…. bupkis. Good thing that I have my DreamCast here to help me get through the day.

Stray Toasters

• posted a link to The Geek’s Guide to Being Interesting
• By way of SaraRules: A Common Nomenclature for LEGO Families
• …and from xkcd:

  

• Technology and Your Local School: What to Donate and What NOT to Donate
• Sweet monkey-squeezin’ Jesus…
  

  J.J. Abrams, who created the TV show “Lost” and directed this summer’s “Star Trek” film, is in discussions to produce a movie about Japanese toy line Micronauts, which Hasbro just acquired.

  I used to have a ton of Micronauts toys when I was a kid. This could either be an awesome movie… or it could be Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen Suckage. (I’m hoping for the former, though.)

• Speaking of toy-to-movie transitions, SaraRules found out that a Jem movie may be in the works.
• Have Yourself a Merry LEGO Christmas
• Doom Patrol #4 came out yesterday. I have pretty much decided to drop this title, but yesterday’s release was not only a “Blackest Night” tie-in issue, but it also had something packaged with it that made it Simply Irresistable, to quote the late Robert Palmer:

  

  A yellow, Sinestro Corps ring… which now rests comfortably in my display case. On the shelf with my other non-Green Lantern corps figures/accessories.  Two rings down, six to go…

• High Octane, High Art from Mini

Namaste.

Thursday – 05 November 2009
It’s a lovely day outside. The Weather Channel even says that we might brush up against 70°F  today. That’s a good thing in my book.

Today is also NBN Thursday… or at least, it’s supposed to be. The day is trying to turn into “Too many monkeys, not enough sticks to beat them with,” however. But, I’m trying to take  advice from U2: “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.” On the plus side, Paul just gave me a smiley-face sticker for the way I handled a couple of things. Yay for stickers!

Last night, I stopped at Whole Foods and picked up a couple of stuffed chicken breasts for dinner. I cooked them… or thought I did.  Mine was pretty much cooked through; SaraRules’ wasn’t quite as done. So, back in the oven they went. When we did “Dinner Redux,” they turned out very well. Post-dinner, we watched G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra; SaraRules picked it up at a Redbox location. Silly, yes. Cheesy, a bit. But, it was fun. Stephen Sommers did a good job of turning a toy/cartoon property into a popcorn movie. (FAR better than Michael Bay did earlier this year with another Hasbro property…) Would I buy it?  Sure. Like I said, it was fun.  Also, it would be good to have for “turn your brain off” fare or something to have in the background while I’m gaming.

Stray Toasters

• I should not listen to DMX when responding to certain IT issues/requests…
• Magic and Bird: A Rivalry Gives Way to Friendship
• Congrats to the New York Yankees on winning their 27th World Series.
• pointed out the following program: Master of Arts in Diplomacy
• New York City Opera Rises from Turmoil
• For :

  

• Hand-cut paper street maps of world cities
• Holy crap!  13 days until NECA/Wizkids releases the new Hammer of Thor ‘Clix!
• Wu-Tang album covers redesigned as Blue Note album covers
• All Folked Up: The Punk Rock Collection, Vol.1

Namaste.

Tuesday – 03 November 2009
I can see clearly now
The rain is gone…
Not that it’s rained here recently, but the haze that usually hovers over the valley is gone… or at least it has thinned a bit.

Happy Birthday to !

Last night, we headed over to the in-laws for dinner and football. Both were very good – we had lamb and fresh vegetables…. and an eggplant dish whose name I can never remember.

Instant Replay: Football

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
27 – 35
The 6-0 Saints hosted the 3-3 Atlanta Falcons. I wasn’t expecting too much from this, but it was a very good game. Both teams scored on their opening drives.  Not only that, both teams played well – all game long, on both sides of the ball. Boilermaker Watch: Saints QB Drew Brees had yet another game with big passing yards. He threw for 308 yards, with two TDs and one interception.

Stray Toasters

• Fastball Special
• pointed out Put This On: A Web Series about Dressing Like a Grownup
• We have found a home for Couch 1.0, now we need to arrange to get it there and then acquire Couch 2.0…
• Americans for the Arts has a new ad campaign: “Feed Your Kids the Arts!”

• Gambit != Gamut
  • gambit
  • gamut
• First, RB Jamal Lewis says he’s retiring after this season.
  Next, GM George Kokinis gets the boot.
  , it looks like your team is just falling apart. What’s next?!
• I’m missing the ability to play X-Men: Legends… Stupid “No, we’re not making the 360 completely backwards compatible” Microsoft!
• Digital Bread Crumbs: Following Your Cell Phone Trail
• No matter how bad your day is, at least you’re not this guy…

• I want a new black or grey hat, preferrably a fedora.
• Josie and the Pussycats has been replaced by The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan on Boomerang.

Namaste.

Monday – 02 November 2009
Another lovely workin’ day in the valley. It’s clear and sunny… and supposed to get into the low-to-mid 60s today. That’s not a bad thing at all.

Last night, SaraRules and I watched Chinatown, a movie that I got from Netflix weeks ago. It started off slowly, but told an interesting story of deception, murder and greed in 1930s Los Angeles. I wasn’t aware that it was a Roman Polanski film, until the pre-movie credits began. We both thought that it was a very good movie and I would  recommend it.

After Chinatown, we both set about our respective hobbies: SaraRules did some quilting, I glued and assembled some of the WWG pieces I had cut out earlier in the day. SaraRules put on X-Men Origins: Wolverine while we worked. I tried not to pick out “too many” continuity gaffs. “Tried” being the operative word. All things considered, it’s still a decent movie.

Stray Toasters

• In honor of the Ravens’ win yesterday – and because my in-laws got me a snazzy purple and white shirt for my birthday – I’m in black and purple today:

  

  I’m even wearing my purple LEGO cuff links.

• PassiveAgressiveNotes.com
• pointed out this xkcd comic:

  
  (click for full-sized version)

• Fall Auctions – Traditional Offerings at Bargain Prices
• Despite being fun – and addictive – at the outset, I find that Mafia Wars no longer holds my interest or attention.
• “Apple Sense… tingling!”
• Congress prepares to curb bank overdraft fees
• Mechanical computer uses matchboxes and beans to learn Tic-Tac-Toe

Namaste.

01 November 2009
Welcome to November.

Is it a “bad” thing that I wish that more people and places remembered that the next American holiday after Hallowe’en is not Christmas? *sigh*

Alas, poor Yorick Thanksgiving! I knew it, Horatio.

At least we are keeping the holiday spirit alive here at home: SaraRules changed the fabric in the picture frames in the bathroom to the Thanksgiving-themed fabrics we found last week:

Last night, SaraRules and I opted to stay in and hand out candy to kids here in our complex. We were partially successful – we had two sets of Trick or Treaters. We even got into costume for it. Oh, well. We also wound up Hallowe’en with a couple of horrible… I mean “horror”… movies. (Actually, they were both pretty bad.) We watched a pair of Uwe Boll movies:

House of the Dead

and

Bloodrayne

SaraRules actually owns House (on VHS, no less!) and she found Bloodrayne on Netflix’ Instant Queue.  I’m not sure that there’s ever been a movie based on a videogame that’s been “good,” but I do know that neither of these movies qualifies. We MST3K-ed both movies… and had fun doing it.

This morning, SaraRules fixed a coffee cake, which we ate while watching football. Also during the game, I set my digital cutter to work on some WWG pieces – I got a lot cut out, I just need to glue and assemble now. After the early game, we went to the store to pick up some things for dinner tonight – we’re having jambalaya. Tonight will be another low-key night around the homestead.

Instant Replay: Football Update
Today has been a good football day. A good day, indeed.

Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens
7 – 30
The Ravens (3-3), after a three game losing streak and a bye week, we looking to make up some lost ground in the AFC North.Coming into today’s game, the Broncos hadn’t only allowed more than 10 points in the second halves of their games; with their 6-0 record, they headed to Baltimore to notch another win. Quoth the Ravens: “Nevermore.” This was a helluva game, especially if you are a Ravens fan. On the first play of the opening drive, Raven’s LB Jarret Johnson introduced Broncos QB Kyle Orton to the turf, on an for a sack with an 8-yard loss. And the hits just kept coming. Orton was hurried, rushed and sacked twice. And it wasn’t just the Ravens’ defense doing some work today, the offense and special teams helped out, including a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown, by CB Ladarius Webb. The Ravens looked – and played – like a team on a mission. And it was good. Amen.

Ray, how does a big win against a previously undefeated football team make you feel?

Yeah, I’d be feeling like that, too.

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
30 – 25
The Dolphins took a trip to New York to take on the Jets in Giants Stadium… …and were able to hold on for a win. Go, fish!

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Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers
16 – 24
The Chargers hosted the Raiders and were able to keep them at bay long enough to eke out a win. Sorry, SaraRules.

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Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals
34 – 21
The Cats traveled across the country to take on the Arizona Cardinals… …and came away looking like the cat that ate the canary.

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Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears
6 – 30
Um… sorry, .

…and the Game of the Day:

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
38 – 26
Brett Favre took the Vikings to Green Bay to take on his former team. How would it be to go back to Lambeau Field after playing there for sixteen years… and being gone for two? Let’s just say that Favre had a solid game: 244 passing yards. Four touchdowns. No interceptions. No sacks. It was every bit as good a game as I was expecting. Congratulations, .

Stray Toasters

• SaraRules and I picked up our wedding bands from the jewelers yesterday. We had to have them resized, because they were both (at least) a half-size too small.  For those of you who haven’t seen them before, here’s a look:

  
  (click picture for larger image)

  The bands were custom-designed for us by . She asked us what we wanted on them… and we both drew a blank. After some discussion, asked us what our interests were and that she would adapt something from that. That made it easier for both of us: SaraRules is a quilter and I’m a collector/gamer. We wanted something that represented both of us, and that’s what we went with:

  • SaraRules chose a log cabin quilting pattern
  • I chose a Green Lantern symbol. (Duh.)

  The pattern, quilt square/lantern, is repeated around the ring.

• I realized something this morning. After sleeping in my wedding band, I had a negative imprint of the ring’s pattern on my skin. It took me a moment or two to realize why it looked so familiar.  It looked like this (the symbol on Kyle’s uniform). I had always wondered how/where they came up with the symbol; now I have a better idea.
• If you get a chance, vote for SaraRules and me!
• Computer Activities for Those with Speech and Language Difficulties?
• I don’t mind the extra hour of “fall back” when we go from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time… but I do miss the late-in-the-day sunlight.
• No word yet on when S.F. Bay Bridge will reopen
• SaraRules and I made a pilgrimage to The Garden of Sweden yesterday. We bought stuff, too.
• Zombies as American Zeitgeist Proxies
  Oh, yeah… we watched the original Night of the Living Dead last night, too.

  

• This makes me chuckle:

  

• The iPhone Now Officially Runs Doom
• I believe I’m craving a Slurpee… but I don’t think I’ll be getting one tonight.