Random Access

Thursday – 02 September 2010
Another NBN Thursday kicks off.
And it also kicks off a four-day weekend, as today is my “Technical Friday.”
Maybe I’ll leave a little early to get a jump on the long weekend…

Today also marks the anniversary of the first use of an ATM in the United States.

Last night was Game Night with and Jack and company. It was fun, but our party got our collective recta handed to us, for the most part. Not zesty. We survived, but it was touch-and-go for a while.

After the game – and a stop at Home Depot, to pick up a hacksaw – I headed home and read the day’s four-color haul. It was a good way to wrap up the day.

Stray Toasters

• The art of James Hance
• Leaders Call for Peace as Mideast Talks Begin
• I just found out that a coworker of mine – one whom I like – is… a Steelers fan.
  I’m not sure if we can be friends anymore.
• I Lost 100 Pounds (And Found Out What the World Thinks of Fat People)
• Tony Blair on Clinton, Bush and the American Character
  

  Americans can be all that the rest of the world sometimes accuses them of: brash, loud, insular, obsessive and heavy-handed. But America is great for a reason. It is looked up to, despite all the criticism, for a reason. There is a nobility in the American character that has been developed over the centuries, derived in part, no doubt, from the frontier spirit, from the waves of migration that form the stock, from the circumstances of independence, from the Civil War, from a myriad of historical facts and coincidences. But it is there.

• New River Gorge Bridge attraction not for the faint of heart
• 35 New Hidden Logos of 2010 – Messages Revealed!
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Trapped Chilean Miners Denied Pay While Underground
• 
• Young, Single & Childless: Women Who Earn More Than Men
• Fall Clothing for Men: 21 of Your Most Pressing Fall Style Problems, Solved
• F.C.C. Seeks More Input on Wireless Internet Rules
• Annihilating the Ivories: A Solo Piano Workout Mix

Meetings! Yay!

Namaste.

Wednesday – 01 September 2010
A new month begins.

Today is Comics (and maybe Sushi) Wednesday.

Today also marks the 36th anniversary of the The SR-71 Blackbird setting the record for flying from New York to London in the time of 1 hour, 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds… a record it still holds.

Last night, most of the Clitorati crew met at Desert Edge Brewery for dinner with , Michael and Hannah. It was a nice to see her – and meet Michael and Hannah – even if only for a couple hours. I had the Paella-style Chicken and Sausage Pasta, which was very good.

This morning finds me in the south office. I had a meeting with the landlord and the sbuilding manager about some changes that we’d like to make in our server room. I mentioned two ideas that we had considered; they countered with a variation on one of those plans… that might be somewhat less expensive than we had originally thought. We’ll see how their quote looks when it comes in.

Stray Toasters

• I broke out my grey glen-plaid suit this morning. White shirt. Blue/black/white tie. White pocket square. I’ve been getting the usual “Are you bucking for a raise/promotion” questions. I’ve been countering with “No, I have a meeting with my bishop.” The quizzical looks – since pretty much everyone down here knows that I’m not LDS – have been totally worth it.
• knew that I’ll probably never be a Browns or Indians fan… but I can give their home city a warm nod, if for no other reason than this: Cleveland, the True Birthplace of Superman
• Lovecraft is missing, and all R’lyeh breaks loose
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: NFL player Troy Polamalu gets $1m hair insurance
• Chewbacca, Han Solo and R2D2 drawn as if part of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh
• In New York Ballet Companies, Corps Is a Thrill
• I like how this garage-to-office conversion turned out.
• 
• Wesley Snipes Was Almost Geordi LaForge
• After Years of War, Few Iraqis Have a Clear View of the Future
• The Wilderness Downtown – this comes by way of . It is a very cool blending of technologies. Put in the real address that it asks for – it’s totally worth it. And don’t close any of the windows that pop up!
• 8 Surprising Household Deodorizers
• Method to Grade Teachers Provokes Battles

Namaste.

Tuesday – 31 August 2010
Day Two of the work week.

More importantly, it’s “Dinner with Amy” Day. That’s right. For the first time in far too long, I get to hang out with the force of nature known simply as “Amy.” She’s on a bit of a vacation and is choosing to spend a little of it in the Land Behind the Zion Curtain with the usual suspects. Win-Win.

Last night, SaraRules, , , Matt and I went to see Piranha (not “3D”). It was something.  It wasn’t great… but it wasn’t as horribly atrocious as it could have been. I think that summed it up best in two statements:

I don’t think that I’ve ever laughed that hard at a ‘horror’ movie

and

“Piranha” is totally fun for the whole family! It teaches important object lessons, such as why you should always listen to a cop with a megaphone, never walk on the beach barefoot, the importance and fragility of ecological systems, and why getting naked will always get you killed first. It’s a w1n-w1n!

Yeah. That about sums it up. I would only add that, since we didn’t see it in 3D, that our faces…

…weren’t bombarded with bombastic bulbous boobs, booties and bodies, though there was a bounteous bulk of them.

Okay. NOW, it’s pretty much summed up.
And I still have no idea whether it should get LEGO bricks or lawn darts.

Stray Toasters

• Army Revises Training to Deal With Unfit Recruits
• A Cathedral to the Shrine of Nature
• Nine Women in the Room: A Music Writers Roundtable
• My not-so-inner comic geek approves of this…and slightly covets it: The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection
• Doctors Seek Way to Treat Muscle Loss
• 
• And yet something else for The Covet List: The Pirates of Dark Water (1, 2) has just been released on DVD.
  (I didn’t realize how many notable actors did voices for this series.)
• Restoring Names to Iraq War’s Unknown Casualties
• From the look on her face, someone’s about to catch a beatdown.
• Ninjasaur
• “Hit it, DJ Chocolate Thunder”
  *cracks up*

Namaste.

Friday – 27 August 2010
It’s (almost) the weekend!  Amen.

To kick it off, here’s a little Tony Toni Tone:

That’s what I’m talkin’ about.

Last night was D&D Game Night. We had to reschedule it from Wednesday because of ‘s birthday. The encounter was good… and no one died. After the game, it was back home for a late dinner (Pad Thai leftovers) and an episode of Burn Notice.

Stray Toasters

• forwarded a link to this picture, which I thought was pretty awesome.
• forwarded a link to this picture, which was also rather awesome
• For SaraRules: Rube Goldberg: The Man Behind the Machines
• Thanks to for sending me the link to AnyRail.
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The Last Airbender
• The Art of Gene Gonzales
• Happy 15th Birthday to Windows 95, the Ugly Duckling that Conquered Your Desktop
• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Tiger cub found inside suitcase
• Bananas are radioactive—But they aren’t a good way to explain radiation exposure
• 5 Things to Always Keep in Your Car
• LA Prisons to Use Burning Heat Ray on Unruly Inmates
• SC high school freshmen take junior ROTC
• Nine lives, ten rockets… You do the math.

Namaste.

Friday – 20 August 2010
It’s early.
Very early.
On my 9/80 Friday off.

We’re getting ready to head up to Redfish Lake… where the weather is forecast to make roughly 50F swings from high-to-low temperatures. But, it should be fun. And, I will have my newly-tuned bike (which I took for a little ride yesterday).

Workout
Thursday’s step count: 9,393

Stray Toasters

• TSA digs through woman’s purse and flips out over $8,000 worth of checks
• 1-bit symphony: electronic orchestral composition housed on a single microchip
• Control Your Image: Women Musicians Seize On Social Media

Yeah, that’s all you get for now.

Namaste.

Thursday – 19 August 2010
It’s the NBN Thursday before my 9/80 “off” Friday…
…which is only made better by the fact that I’m working a half-day. Boo-yah!

Today is also, apparently, National Aviation Day.  Who knew?!

Last night was D&D game night with and Jack. It was fun. We had a “somewhat socially awkward” member in our group.  (Yeah, yeah, I know.  “Socially awkward” and “game-playing geek” pretty much go together like Ronald McDonald and Grimace.)  *shrug* It happens.

BUT… the “best” part of the evening was catching sight of one of the players at another table…

…dressed in a white shirt and black pants (okay, so far)…

…and, um, “adorned” with glitter.

Yeah. Glitter. All over his arms and a TON of it on his face. “Go, Team Edward.”  We weren’t quite sure if it was sad or hysterically funny. (We went with “hysterically funny,” just to be safe.)

Post-gaming, I hit up the local blue-and-yellow electronics purveyor to get my copy of City of Heroes: Going Rogue. I looked at a few other things, too, but managed to subdue the urge to walk away with “one of everything.”

Back at home, I found SaraRules and Meliko hanging out. Other than pictures, Meliko hadn’t seen the house, so she’d come over to check it out. She approved. *whew* We took her home (i.e.: “dropped her off at the in-laws’ place”) and visited with the ‘rents for a bit.

Workout
Wednesday’s step count: 4,409

Stray Toasters

• I have not yet read yesterday’s four-color shwag, so don’t go giving away spoilers. Thank you.
• American Lives: James Baldwin, “Lifting the Veil”
  

  The writer James Baldwin once made a scathing comment about his fellow Americans: “It is astonishing that in a country so devoted to the individual, so many people should be afraid to speak.” As an openly gay, African-American writer living through the battle for civil rights, Baldwin had reason to be afraid — and yet, he wasn’t. A television interviewer once asked Baldwin to describe the challenges he faced starting his career as “a black, impoverished homosexual,” to which Baldwin laughed and replied: “I thought I’d hit the jackpot.”

• Who Elected Me Mayor? I Did – an interesting article about Foursquare
• Of the items from The Covet List that I noted yesterday, I not only picked up CoH: Going Rogue, but also the Dark Phoenix statue. Two down, three to go…
• Medevac industry opposing upgrades wanted by NTSB
• What would a steampunk smartgun/smartgun link look like?
• Hindu Deities Conjure Magic in Movement Downtown
  



• For New Orleans cops, scandals linger
• Illinois Unconvinced Corruption Culture Will Fade
• Drug Made Infamous by Date Rapes Gets Second Look for Fibromyalgia
• 
• Towns block chain restaurants to save charm
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: American to Charge for Easy On/Easy Off Planes
  (Or, as the original link put it:  “Stupidest Airline Fee Ever? ‘Express Seats’ Gets Our Vote”)

Namaste.

Tuesday – 17 August 2010
It’s another good-looking day here in the valley.

And, because it was playing on the radio, during this morning’s commute:

Last night, and his son, Josh, came over to watch football and play with LEGO, respectively. We watched the Giants take on the Jets at the New Meadowlands Stadium, home to both teams — last night, the Jets were the “home” team. Both teams looked good, but the Giants seemed a little more hungry for the win… or perhaps they were just out for revenge after the hit that QB Eli Manning took near the end of the first half. Either way, the Giants came away with the win: 31-16.

Workout
Monday’s step count: 4,648

Stray Toasters

• My sister-in-law is coming to town tonight; I need to find some suitable four-color print entertainment for her.
• I also need to figure out what’s wrong with the water cannon sprinkler in the front yard – it’s not working properly. I spent about ten minutes last night trying to suss it out in the dark. Yay for home ownership!
• 
• astronautdinosaur.com – The Art of Scott Listfield
• Where Have All the Giant Robots Gone?
• Dress Code: When You’re Sick of All Your Clothes
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Rochdale man ‘took 200 fireworks on US plane”
• 
• Study finds fraud, abuse in MD energy program
• Musical Interlude:
  • Museum Acquires Storied Trove of Performances by Jazz Greats
  • Your Favorite ‘Great Unknowns’ in Jazz
• Dexter Has Nothing on These Serial Killers
• U.S. Said to Plan Easing Rules for Travel to Cuba

Namaste.

Monday – 16 August 2010
Another work week begins.
At least it’s a great-looking day out there.
And there’s football tonight.

Today’s musical selections come by way of songs heard on the morning commute:

No Doubt – Just a Girl

Oingo Boingo – Weird Science

Yesterday, SaraRules, and I went to see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It was a LOT of fun. I’d say that it was one of the best geek movies I’ve seen in a long time, if not ever. SaraRules said that “…it looked the way I would expect a comic book to be translated into a movie.” I’m not a huge Michael Cera fan – he’s a little like Will Ferrell to me, very hit or miss – but I really enjoyed him as Scott Pilgrim. It was also amusing to see Brandon Routh as one of Ramona’s “Seven Deadly Exes,” and a “super” one at that. It nearly made me laugh out loud when he was flying. All-in-all, it was a fine bit of summer cinema.

After the movie – and after I spent a little time in Paragon City – we headed to the in-laws’ for dinner and a movie. Sunday dinners with the family are made additionally fun by some of the stories told over the dinner table. After dinner, we watched Kick-Ass, which was just as enjoyable this time as it was the first time we saw it.

Workout
Sunday’s step count: 3,640

Stray Toasters

• Signing, Singing, Speaking: How Language Evolved
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: $76k for emergency appendectomy
• Major archeological find at site of Civil War prison
  (Mjolnir?  Cap’s shield?  The Ultimate Nullifier?   Oh, wait… wrong Civil War.)
• Use Coffee Grounds to Clean Sticky Tools
• My Darker Competitive Side
• 14 Warm Weather Style Tips: Use Now, Repeat All Summer

Namaste.

Sunday – 15 August 2010
It’s going to be a great day.
This isn’t to say that it hasn’t already been a good one, but… “as it is written, so shall it be!”

Post-Craft Lake City, SaraRules and I stopped in to say “Hello” to the in-laws. We also chatted about dinner plans for this evening. And movies. And music. And stuff and things and whatnot. Once we got back home, it was, as The Fresh Prince put it,”…time to sit back and unwind.”

This morning, SaraRules fixed a great breakfast — pancakes and eggs, with a side of coffee. Win. After breakfast, we decided to tackle a little yard work. (It’s not going to get any cooler as the day wears on.) The lawn has been mowed. The garden has been tended to. And now, we’re looking ahead at a lazy rest of the day… including going to see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World this afternoon. Amen.

Workout
Saturday’s step count: 3,643

Stray Toasters

• “Wonderful” = “full of wonder.”
  Think about it.
• The Feminine Mystique, Expressed in Silks and Satins
• A Man, a Plan, and a Sharpie: “The Great Typo Hunt”
• I’ve been looking at some home automation items. The idea of a “smart home” is kind of appealing. (Yeah, big surprise. I know. “Geek.”  Duh.) I don’t want a SkyNet-smart home; just something where, if need be, lighting and maybe even heating systems could be remotely controlled.
• 
• And now… a jet-powered school bus.
  Just let that sink in for a moment, then click the link.
• Ten Best Lighthouses to Sleep in
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: New 24 Hour Fitness ID system causes a stir
• 
• OMG, Retailers Are, Like, Totally Giving Me Free Stuff!
• Soon, there shall be yet another British import that gets an American take: Top Gear. Most of you know of my affinity for the show from across The Pond. I’m sure that guys talking about cars translates fairly well in any language – even if it’s just the accent that’s different – but the thing that doesn’t always make the transition is “chemistry.” The Top Gear UK guys have it. While their American cousins may have it – or acquire it as the show progresses – it just won’t be the same.
• Who Gives a Damn about Scarlett O’Hara’s Dresses?

Be Well.
Be Happy.
Be Yourself.

Namaste.

Friday – 13 August 2010
Yes, it is Friday the 13th… (dun dun DUNNNN!)
But, it’s still Friday, which means that the weekend is nigh. With that in mind, here’s a little Janet (“Ms. Jackson,” if you’re nasty…) to help get your end-of-the-week dance on:

And we can’t just leave it like that, so here’s a little Will Smith, too:

After working a little later than usual on Wednesday and having to go back to work Wednesday night (to deal with a potential water leak), I had an extra hour of work on the timecard… of which I availed myself yesterday afternoon: I left a little after 4:00.  It was nice. I stopped at Pin-up Girl, ordered a Peach White Tea and then sat and chatted with Jim and his brother, Paul.

Then I headed home to get ready for some football. SaraRules had a Justice Junior League meeting, so that meant that I was on my own for dinner. (Hello, Papa Johns…?) Pizza went wonderfully with beer and football. and it wasn’t just any old football game… it was the Ravens hosting the Panthers. But I’ll go into the game later.

As if the early part of the day wasn’t enough, SaraRules, Bonne, Melissa S. and I went to see The Expendables. SaraRules called it, and I quote:

Quite possibly the best action movie I’ve ever seen… I’d give it nine-and-a-half bricks!

And, just in case that wasn’t enough, here’s what Bonne had to say about it:

If you prefer action over chick flicks, I have one word for you: Expendables!!!

That’s right: My mother-in-law thought it rocked.  Beat that.

And, yeah, it was pretty damned good. You’re not five minutes into the movie when the bullets – and bodies – start flying. The movie is “a little” thin on plot, but doesn’t suffer from lack of action. You get to see (almost) all of the stars chewing bubble gum, kicking ass and taking names. Something that I wasn’t expecting: The dialogue was actually witty at times. Sure, there were a couple of in-jokes here and there, but the banter was fairly fresh. And, the movie was just plain fun.

SaraRules’ Rating:

Rob’s Rating: 

That was my Thursday, how was yours?

Instant Replay: Football

Carolina Panthers at Baltimore Ravens
12 – 17
The Ravens played host to the Carolina Panthers for both teams’ first preseason game. The weather went from overcast and threatening to “Hey, Noah, where’s your ark?” during the course of the game. The Ravens have a lot of new talent on both sides of the ball. They also have a good number of returning team members. Among the new talent is former St. Louis QB Mark Bulger. Bulger looked a little rusty, but viewers saw that the talent is still there. QB Troy Smith got the short end of the stick, coming into the game as the rain started pouring down, but that didn’t stop him from engineering a drive that culminated in a rushing TD… by Smith, himself, on a QB draw. The Panthers apparently have twenty-nine (29) new players, including six rookie defensive players. They also have two rookie QBs – Jimmy Clausen and Hunter Cantwell – duking it out for the #2 slot. And I have to say: Clausen looked amazing. Seriously. First NFL game – against the Ravens’ D, no less – and he stood in the pocket, looking cool and in control. His passes were solid. His timing was unexpectedly and impressively precise, threading the needle more than once to complete long yardage passes to receivers in coverage. Yes, this was “just” a pre-season game, but it was still football and it was a good game. It’s good to know that both of my teams will be worth watching this season… especially when both teams meet again in November.

Workout
Thursday’s step count: 4,860

Stray Toasters

• Late night + early morning = Rob stopping at Pin-up Girl Espresso for some go-juice.
  Erin and Paul helped me kickstart my morning.



• Hidden World of Girls — Girls and the Women They Become
• Oh, North Carolina Public Schools… I didn’t know just how badly you needed help.
• ‘Tea Party’ members offer a ground-level view
• From Brad Guigar’s Courting Disaster:

  

  (click image to read the question and comments)

• White House against ending birthright citizenship
• 10 great haunted places across the USA
• I haven’t read the book or seen the movie, but I would probably be more inclined to read or see this take on Eat Pray Love:



• Organize your ideas to make more money
• Stock Your Garden with Foods Cheaper to Grow Than to Buy

Quote of the Day
Today’s quote comes from last night, by way of someone sitting in front of us to his friend who had just returned from the concession stand:

“You’re bitching about salt and sugar?! That much food will grow you two spare asses!”

Have a great Friday!

Namaste.

Thursday – 12 August 2010
Not only is it an NBN Thursday…
But there’s an NFL preseason game tonight…

The Baltimore Ravens take on the Carolina Panthers, in Baltimore.
As these are my #1 and #2 teams, this comes out as a “Win-Win” for me.

vs. 

Additionally, The Wizard of Oz was released on this date, in 1939.

SaraRules and I, along with her parents, attended the “Epic Dining” at MacCool’s last night. There was a five-course meal, in which each course was paired with a beer from Epic Brewing:

The whole evening was great.  We sat that the table with Dave and Peter, co-owners of Epic, Dave’s wife, Susan and Michael, Peter’s assistant. We got to talk with them about how they decided to start brewing beer, what they enjoyed about it, and whatever else popped into our heads. It was a great evening, with good company and a fantastic dinner. Pictures of the courses – minus the salad, because I neglected to shoot it before devouring it – can be found here.

Just as dinner wrapped up, I got a call from one of the guys on my team: He had been receiving notifications from a wetness sensor in one of the cooling units. This would make the third time in under three months. Not good. As I was closer to the office than he was, I told him that I’d check it out. And with that, SaraRules and I headed left MacCool’s and headed to the office.

When I got there, I took the front panel off of the unit in question and looked inside. Nothing.

::: grblsnrkx :::

I removed the rear panel and checked there. Nothing.

::: braincramp :::

I went back to the front and looked again… just in case I had missed something. This time, I noticed the remnants of a splash of a water droplet next to the sensor cord. I checked the cord itself — it was damp. Okay, this was progress. The only problem: I couldn’t find any sign of a leak or spill. Upon further investigation, I noted that one of the copper pipes was damp with condensation… and it took a bend just above the splash point. Apparently, enough there had been condensation to form a drop and landed next to/on the wetness sensor cord. It was enough for the sensor to register, but not enough to cause a problem – other than sending out alters – that would affect the unit’s operation. Disaster: Averted.

Back home for comfy pants and comics-reading time.

Workout
Wednesday’s step count: 4,649

Stray Toasters

• JetBlue: Sometimes the weird news is about us…
• In Superman’s Hometown, a Labor Dispute over Health
• With a Google Map, You Can Find Doctors Behaving Badly
• 9/11 museum going up underground in New York City
• LEGO Universe is apparently releasing a Beta Client for Mac. Tomorrow.
• Shopkick can lead you to discounts and sales
• 
• Quick Change in Strategy for a Bookseller
• Five Years Later, The Big Easy Pushes Forward
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: City of Beacon, NY enforces archaic law outlawing pinball, closes retro arcade
• gd

Tuesday – 10 August 2010
Today my niece, Sophia’s, first birthday.

Today is also the day that my friend, Joe, returned home – and to his family – after spending a little more than a year in a country with a four-letter name that begins with “I” and ends with “Q.”

Today also marks the first day of Ramadan and the Feast Day of Saint Stephen.

Last night, I hung out at Pin-up Girl Espresso for a bit after work. Jim, Pin-up’s owner, and I sat and chatted and watched the world go by.  In a surprise move, SaraRules stopped by on her way from work to a Justice Junior League meeting. A little later in the evening, I headed up to the in-laws’ to see SaraRules’ grandparents, who were in town for the evening. It was nice to visit with them for a while. SaraRules and I wrapped up the night with last week’s episode of Burn Notice. All-in-all, it was a good day… even for a Monday.

Workout
Monday’s step count: 5,069

Stray Toasters

• I got a call from The Train Shoppe yesterday afternoon: My train set has arrived!
• SaraRules posted a link to a fun item yesterday: Operation Opera: If Arts Were Sports…
• Pentagon Plans Steps to Reduce Budget and Jobs
• ‘Dora the Explorer’ turns 10 (‘diez’) as model for Pre-K girls
• The Ebell Club, a Women’s Social Club, Tries to Remain Relevant in Los Angeles
• I wonder if this really works…



• What if the Avengers Movie was made in 1952?
• Oddest Musical Pairings
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Churchgoers, strippers protest each other in Coshocton County
• Excellent Perseid Meteor Shower Expected Aug. 11-13
• Honey Nut Cheerios = Win!
• 
• Glimmerglass Recycles Its Sets, Not Its Ideas
• Mavis Staples: Tiny Desk Concert

Experience slips away
Experience slips away
The innocence slips away….

Namaste.

Monday – 09 August 2010
The weekend has ended and a new work week has begun.
And, quite frankly, I could use another weekend; this last one was packed pretty full.

Saturday morning, SaraRules, , and I attended the funeral for our friend, Dave. It was a nice service. Dave’s brother, Tommy, delivered the eulogy/life reflection. Correction: He delivered two of them — one that was the “family approved” version and one that he had originally written, but been vetoed on giving. Both were good, but I think that Dave would have particularly appreciated the unexpurgated version.

After the service, we headed back home. I needed to change for a tournament; SaraRules, and were going out for lunch. The tourney went well, as did the lunch, from what I gathered. Later, came over for dinner and a movie; we watched Batman: Under the Red Hood, which she hadn’t seen. After she left, SaraRules and I watched The Royal Tenenbaums. It was an… interesting… movie. Like other Wes Anderson movies, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it after seeing it.

Sunday, after a tasty breakfast, SaraRules, , and I headed up to Park City to attend the Kimball Park City Arts Festival. As I noted on Facebook:

[I am] getting ready to head to the Park City Kimball Arts Festival with three lovely ladies. It’s kind of like being Bosley from ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ but without the bad 70s fashion.

It was a good event. We wandered up and down Main Street, looking at the various items. We wound up coming home with four (4) new pieces of art:

• One piece (Cafe Society) by Audrey Heller, from whom I’ve wanted to purchase something for a few years,
• One piece by Larry Stephenson which just “spoke” to me (third row, second from left), and
• Two pieces by Merina Terauds

Later in the evening, SaraRules and I went up to her parents’ for dinner and a movie. We watched From Paris With Love, which turned out to be better than any of us had anticipated. There was a nifty in-joke that made us laugh rather heartily about halfway through the film.

After we got back home, SaraRules and I watched Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959). I had never seen it, but SaraRules remembered it with nostalgic fondness. (I did, however, remember watching the Filmation cartoon series adaptation of the movie, however…)

Workout
Saturday’s step count: 817 (I neglected to put on the pedometer after changing pants Saturday afternoon)
Sunday’s step count: 4,792

Stray Toasters

• How to Be the Perfect Host in the 21st Century
• By way of SaraRules:
  • Parisians Find Playground Under the Streets
  • Blue Whales Align The Pitch of Their Songs with Extreme Accuracy, Study Finds
• My sister-in-law, in a reflection on race relations, posted a link to this in her blog last week: Strange Fruit: Anniversary of a Lynching
• 
• Cupcakes to Suit Geeks’ Tastes
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” files:
  • Finalist dies at World Sauna in Finland
  • Celebrating Turkish bridegroom kills relatives
• Nope. High fructose corn syrup does not cause pancreatic cancer
• Nucular Toonami!
• Huge ice sheet breaks from Greenland glacier
• The Star Trek and train buff in me appreciated this strip:
  



• Is AOL Finally Crashing and Burning?

Tonight: Hanging out with the grandparents-in-law.
Tomorrow: ‘Clix  with the guys.

Namaste.

Thursday – 05 August 2010
Today…
…aside from being NBN Thursday…
…and aside from the Rush concert being tonight…
…is also the birthday of two of my friends – Christine and Land:

Last night, I played D&D (4E) with Jack at Hastur Hobbies. It was fun. No one died during the encounter… although a couple of characters came close. We even had a couple of new players in the group — one of whom, with his near-encyclopedic knowledge of some rules minutiae, reminded me of Brad or Chris.

Workout
Wednesday’s step count: 5,068

Stray Toasters

• Froyo 2.2… I am learning to both love and hate you.
  • Google CEO: 200,000 Android devices sold each day
• Meetings.  YAY!
• Ethics training. Double YAY!
• 
• Zombie Survival Scanner (iPhone app)
• WizKids/NECA posted a new “Web of Spider-Man” figure preview last night: Wolverine
• MarknTyme sent me a link to this video last night:
• Today is apparently National Underwear Day.  Who knew…?!
  • How to Choose Comfortable Underwear
• Video Game Hall of Fame inducting Pac-Man and pals
  • Five Disturbing Truths about Mario Games
• Critical flaws discovered in widely used embedded OS

No, his mind is not for rent…

Namaste.

Wednesday – 04 August 2010
Middle of the week.
Comics and Sushi Wednesday.
Hopefully, it will be quiet, compared to the last two days.

I found out yesterday that another friend – a former coworker from the USPS – had died on Monday night. I really wasn’t kidding when I said that I’m tired of having so many friends die.

Last night was relatively low-key. The highlights included yard work and watching a recorded episode of NCIS: Los Angeles.

Workout
Aside from mowing the yard, yesterday’s workout only consisted of walking: 5,069 steps

Stray Toasters

• HALO Goes Old School
• It No Longer Takes @#$%& to Use ‘Foul’ Language
• By way of Nyx: Planets, meteors prepare show for western skies
• Michael Gray – Somewhere Beyond

  The Shelly Poole Borderline song/video referenced near the end of the video can be seen here.

• ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Explored Dreams Within Dreams Years Before ‘Inception’
• Mac Daddy Love Handles
  (Doesn’t have the same ring to it as “Grand Funkmaster Dis,” but what can you do…?)
• Flour Investigated as E. coli Source
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” and “Monkeys!” file: Woman calls 911 in attempt to get a date
• Grandmaster Flash: The Message

• British Couple Hosts Awesome Cosplay Wedding
  While I might otherwise be a little jealous, I did get a Green Lantern symbol incorporated into my wedding ring, so I think I at least tied them for coolness/geekiness.
• Superman Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz Dies at 68
• I’m a sucker for a story about good customer service.  By way of comes this tale: Creative Griffin case mod nets owner a family of cases

Namaste.