Random Access

Wednesday – 13 June 2012
Middle of the week means new comics and Pasta and Movie Date Night. I’m good with both of those.

Last night, I went to the gym with special guest star, Dave. He wanted to check out one of my upper body workouts, so we went through my chest and biceps workout. The full one:

• Elliptical: 10 minutes/1.05 miles
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 135 lbs
• Incline Chest Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 120 lbs
• Shoulder Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 60 lbs
• Fly (machine): 3 sets/8 reps, 100 lbs
• Fly (dumbbell): 3 sets/8 reps, 20 lbs
• Curls (barbell): 3 sets/8 reps, 40 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell): 3 sets/8 reps, 25 lbs
• Wrist Curls (barbell): 40 lbs (approx)
• Reverse: 3 sets/15 reps
• Forward: 3 sets/15 reps
• Plank: 3 sets, 30 seconds

It was a good – and tiring – workout. But, it was also nice to have company while working out.

Stray Toasters

• Among the songs that Team Diva likes are:
• Mr. Bass Man, as performed by The Muppets
• The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana), theme from The Banana Splits Adventure Hour¹, which I used to watch (in reruns) as a kid.
  
• Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It (They can almost sing along with the “na-na-na-na-na-na-na” part of the chorus.)
• Sugar Sugar, by The Archies
• Burn Notice returns tomorrow.
• Trailer for crowd funded zombie web series: The Silent City
• While I’ve always had a soft spot for LEGO ads, I particularly like this ad campaign:

  
    

• New enery source for future medical implants: sugar
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Romanian gang attempt to rob moving truck
• By way of Dave: Luther Campbell fights to coach Miami Northwestern football
• What the Lines of a Red Solo Cup Actually Mean

Namaste.

¹ – The live-action parts of the first season of The Banana Splits Adventure Hour were directed by Richard Donner.  (Yes, that Richard Donner.)

Wednesday – 23 May 2012
Midweek is upon us again. That means new comics and Movie Date Night.

It rained this morning. I’m sure that my lawn appreciates that, especially since I’m having… issues… with the two zones in my back yard. Nothing insurmountable (I hope), but a little annoying nevertheless.

Last night, for the first time in five months (according to Foursquare), I went to the gym. Yeah, I know: Five months. This morning I was a little sore. But it was good and it was worth it:

• Elliptical: 15 minutes, 1.5 miles
• Lower Back Extensions: 3 sets/12 reps
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 135 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 20 lbs
• Flys (dumbbell, bench): 3 sets/8 reps, 20 lbs
• Compound Row: 3 sets/10 reps, 100 lbs

Not surprisingly, my muscles were “a little” tired by the time I was done. But, I was glad that I went. And glad for a couple of ibuprofen this morning, too.

Stray Toasters

• My friend, Sunny, posted a link to these: Kitchen Power Grommet
  I think I covet these a little. Too bad I don’t current have a home improvement project for which I could justify them.
• Black Mormons and the Politics of Identity
• Air Force One airfare: $179,750 per hour
• Covet: Round 2 – The Command Center Workspace
• 
• Inspired by The Avengers:
• Avengers-Inspired Eye Makeup for Those With a Super Steady Hand
• Avengers-themed cocktails
• Seriously cute dresses inspired by costumes from The Avengers
• …and, in a related note: The Official Cinematic Avengers Timeline
• From The Big Picture: A wildfire that forced authorities to temporarily close a section of U.S. Highway 34 east of Yuma County, Colo. This wildfire caused at least a half-million dollars’ worth of damage on Colorado’s plains was sparked by a power line snapped by strong winds, according to a report on March 23. (Tony Rayl/Yuma Pioneer via Associated Press)
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file:
• Police: Group Staples Roommate’s Lips Shut, Tortures Him with Power Tool
• Bride who faked cancer ordered to repay donors
• Relive Your Childhood with These Nostalgic Wallpapers from Your Youth

Namaste.

Tuesday – 22 May 2012
Today’s another sunny day in the valley.
Tomorrow, however, there’s rain in the forecast, long with a nearly 15 degree drop in temperature. Yay.

There will (hopefully) be a new Adventure Babies: Team DiVa video short in the next few days… if I can catch them doing one of their new cute habits.

Stray Toasters

• Experts explain why PSA test is not worth risk
• There’s a rumour going around that I might actually go to the gym this evening. (I started it.)
• A ‘Leap’ forward in gesture-control interfaces?
• Tracking the Junk Food the World Eats After Dark
• Are Bananas Really as Bad For You as Cookies?
• 
• Lucasfilm Retreats in Battle with Wealthy Neighbors
  I’d read about this last week, but wanted to get a second verifying source.
• Miles Davis: his wardrobe, his wit, his way with a basketball…
• Stuff and things. Yadda Yadda Yadda.
  (Not to be confused with Boom De Yada or Boom De Yada.
• Engineering Infrastructures for Humans
• I skimmed over a new ad for DC Super Heroes: LEGO Batman 2 and thought that LEGiOn of Super-Heroes would make a great game. Hey, a guy can dream.
• Hitchhiking Director John Waters Picked Up in Ohio by Indie Rock Band
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Baby trapped in tumble dryer after ‘joke’ goes wrong.
  (Also, the child was in a washing machine, not a dryer. And, no, that doesn’t make it any better.)  I’m glad that the child in this story is reported to be fine, but I have nothing “good” to say/think about the father in this video. Seriously, what kind person puts his child in a washing machine?!  Even as a “joke.” As my father would say, “That doesn’t even make good crazy peoples’ sense.”
• Cake Wrecks. ‘Nuff said.
• The history of the U.S. electric grid

Namaste.

Sunday – 25 March 2012
This has been a very busy – and productive – weekend. So much so that I could use another weekend to recover from it.

Saturday, SaraRules!, Team DiVa and I did the Running of the Leopards 5k:

(Though you can’t tell through their jackets and blankets, the twins wore leopard print, to commemorate the occasion.) Pre-race, we met up with some of my coworkers and took group shots and general chat. Before the gun, we moved to the rear of the pack — no need to obstruct the faster racers with the stroller, after all.

We finished the race at:

 594    Robert Neal  11756  48:15.9 
 595    Sara Neal    11755  48:16.7

…so, all in all, not bad for a moderate stroll.

Post-race

Saturday afternoon, we treated ourselves to lunch at Pawit’s Royale Thai. As usual, it was quite good. After getting the girls home and down for naps, SaraRules! took off for some well-deserved kid-free time.

Today, we got up and strolled over to Rich’s Bagels for breakfast. Next came some errand-running and then: fence-building. Okay, more accurately, “gate-building,” but you get the gist. Steve, my father-in-law, came over to help us replace our old (and not really “there”) gate:

Old and busted:

Post-wind damage (looking into the back yard)

View from the back yard, looking towards the front yard

What was left of the gate after I took it down

New hotness:

Steve (with miter saw), getting ready to cut like a D.J.

The new gate!

I had never been really happy with the old gate. It was 8-feet wide and not well supported. And, as I discovered today: It wasn’t really a gate, per se. The previous owners had simply taken a pre-fab 8′ section of fencing, put some hinges on it and let it fly. How do I know this? Because I saw the exact same fencing at Home Depot during a trip there this afternoon.

*facepalm*

The new gate has two 4-foot wide doors and is MUCH more stable than its predecessor. I’d like to thank Steve for coming out and helping with the planning and construction. (And for NOT putting a nail through his thumb this time!)

After the gate construction was done, it was time to think about getting dinner ready. We were having SaraRules!’ parents over for dinner this week. At their request, we grilled burgers. (Hey, it’s not like it takes a lot of arm-twisting to get me to fire up the grill…) We also had grilled vegetables and chips to round out the meal. And it was good. Steve and Bonne also helped get the little ladies ready for bed before they headed home for the evening.

And now, all I want to do is crash on the couch and veg for a couple of hours.

In fact, I think I’m going to do that… right… now.

Namaste.

Monday – 19 March 2012
Another work week begins and this one has brought snow flurries with it.

The past few days have been good. And a bit busy. Highlights included:

• Taking Adventure Babies: Team DiVa to Sugar House Park for a walk on Friday. We parked near the duck pond, so they watched the birds before we started our walk.
  Diana (rear) and Vanessa, watching the ducks and pigeons
• Green Lantern/St. Patrick’s Day
• Judging a HeroClix tournament for Dr. Volt’s Comic Connection.
• FINALLY watching the first episode of Green Lantern: The Animated Series
• Attending Utah Opera’s The Elixir of Love with SaraRules!
• Corned beef and cabbage!
• The season finale of The Walking Dead.

Stray Toasters

• Esperanza Spalding: Jazz as “Radio Music”
• Monkeys.  It is Monday, after all.
• The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect – book and Smithsonian exhibition
• Listen to a sane debate about nuclear energy
• 
• The Art of Sho Murase
  Check out the “Heroines” link.
• The Mad Men Index

Namaste.

Tuesday – 13 March 2012
I went outside this morning to find that the gate to our side and back yard was… mostly gone.

*grblsnrkx*

We had some strong winds overnight and the gate finally gave way. I’ve never been a big fan of that gate, so aside from the annoyance factor this just means that I get to/have to replace it sooner than I had expected. Yay.

After work last night, we took Team DiVa for a walk around the neighborhood. Just as we were getting ready to leave, Natalie (one of our Pin-up Girl baristas) and her boyfriend, Nick, stopped by.  We spent a few minutes chatting before setting off.  The girls handled the stroll well, watching the houses, cars and people as we strolled past. Another Adventure Babies outing successfully completed.

As an added bonus to the evening, SaraRules! also baked a few RubySnap Scarlett cookies. Win.

Stray Toasters

• Zombies, Run! Turns Your Exercise Routine Into a Game of Survival
• White House appoints new federal CTO
• The Most Astounding Fact About the Universe, As Told By Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• How to Be Creative
• Little League
  
• DARPA Director Bolts Pentagon for Google
• Use of Homeless as Internet Hot Spots Backfires on Marketer
• Ordinary Batman Adventures

Namaste.

Monday – 12 December 2011
A new work week begins. My day started with a couple of smiley-faced little girls waking up to face the day before I left for work. Yeah, that’s the way to kick off an otherwise grey and drab Monday morning.

Friday was Diana-Vanessa-Daddy Day.

Diana (left) and Vanessa

We stayed at home for the early part of the day, but ventured out in the afternoon. We stopped in to see SaraRules! at her office… where the girls were fawned over by some of the staff. We also popped in to say “Hi” to and before heading home. As an added bonus: I got to pop in and visit the Clitorati crew Friday night.

Saturday, we started the day with family pictures.  Jenny and Julie came over and took our photos. The girls were actually quite cooperative, even through their dress changes. After pictures (and feeding the girls), we headed to Downtown Philly Cheesesteaks for lunch.

Yesterday was fairly low-key. We slept in a little. There was breakfast. Even though we didn’t get to see it, the Ravens whooped up on the Indianapolis Professional Football Club. We also took the girls for a stroll around Liberty Park. (And… I’m counting that as a workout!) The park was far more empty than I would have suspected for a Sunday afternoon, but that just meant fewer pedestrians to avoid along the way. We ran a couple of errands and then had dinner with the in-laws.

All-in-all, it was a very good weekend.

Stray Toasters

• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Could online ‘warriors’ in Call of Duty be forced to obey the Geneva convention?
• Coming up this month at Utah Symphony:
• Cirque de la Symphonie
• Here Comes Santa Claus!
• Video Games Live: Bonus Round
• My 360 red-ringed… again. *grblsnrkx*
• Among Gingrich’s Passions, a Doomsday Vision
• Newt Gingrich Is Bizarrely Terrified of a Fake Sci-Fi Weapon
• 
• Total lunar eclipse is a rare treat
• The Best Jazz of 2011
• Cyber crime aftermath: Beyond the indictment
• 
• Lowe’s pulls advertising from TLC’s All-American Muslim
• How to Dress for a Job Interview
• What to Do If You’ve Lost Your Bags, Wallet, Everything
• HP sued over security flaw in printers

Namaste.

Thursday – 24 November 2011
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates it!

I think that I’m most thankful for my family and friends. After that comes the usual things like: Health. Happiness. Having a job (especially in this economy!).  Home.  (And the fact that the pipes didn’t freeze this year!)

This morning, SaraRules!, the girls and I did the Cottonwood Heights Thanksgiving 5K. We were a little late getting to the start (Kids + Concept of Planning = Yeah, right…), so I’m not sure that our chips made the official timekeeping start. So, I used my phone’s stopwatch to track our time. We came in at roughly 55:30. Not bad for not running AND for pushing a stroller up and down hills.

And, speaking of the girls (and to paraphrase A Few Good Men):

Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I think I’m entitled to.
Col. Jessep: *You want answers?*
Kaffee: I want the cuteness!
Col. Jessep: You can’t handle the cute!

Diana (left) and Vanessa

So much sugary-sweet cuteness. I tried to warn you.
(Bear suits courtesy of Jessica and Corey Shuman)

Today, there shall be family, food, and football. All of these are good things.

Workout
Before I neglect to post it (yet again): I actually made it to the gym on Tuesday night:

• Elliptical: 10 minutes, 0.9 miles
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs — I think I’m going to have to drop back to 135 lbs, until I get back in shape…
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Flys: 3 sets/10 reps, 80 lbs
• Compound Row: 3 sets/10 reps, 100 lbs
• Calf Raises: 3 sets/10 reps, 80 lbs

Stray Toasters
Closed for the Holiday.  Please check back tomorrow.

Namaste.

22 September 2011
This NBN Thursday finds me, to quote Roy Rogers and/or Aerosmith, “back in the saddle (again).”

It’s been a good two weeks away with SaraRules! and the girls, but it’s nice to be back. Well, as nice as it ever is to go to work. Getting up and out the door was a little difficult as the little ladies didn’t sleep well last night. At least there was coffee.

Stray Toasters

• I finally broke down and joined Twitter. Oddly, the two things that pushed me over the edge were:

1. WizKids Games posted previews of upcoming ‘Clix figures there
2. Minor dissatisfaction with Facebook’s continuing “It ain’t broke, but we’re fixing it!” policy.

• The Cult of Physicality
• 
• Carter: Davis execution shows system is “unjust”
• Pictogram Music Posters, courtesy of
• House defeats Republican spending plan
• By way of : Samuel L. Ipsum
• Have You Seen This? Unhinged Trike Racing, courtesy of… *sigh*… I don’t remember
• This is more true than you might think…
  
• “Floamy”
• World’s Eeriest Abandoned Places
• From the “D’oh!” file: Gore’s loose lips let new iPhones slip
• The Line It Is Drawn: Comic Book Characters/Children’s Picture Books
• Public Said to Be Misled on Use of the PATRIOT Act

Namaste.

Friday – 05 August 2011
It’s my day off. So far, I’ve celebrated that by sleeping in, watching the Juno mission launch on NASA TV and then going to the gym. All things considered, I’d have to say that’s a good way to start the day. I’m trying to figure out how to spend the next few hours. “Housework” just does not hold an appeal, so I believe that I’ll go gallivanting around town.

Today is also my friend, Christine’s, birthday:

Last night, SaraRules! and I had dinner at the local Outback Steakhouse. And it was even her idea. Win-Win! Cheese Fries. Prime Rib. Delicious. After that, it was a lazy do-nothing kind of night, complete with Burn Notice and Suits and – for the first time in a long while – a whole episode of Le Late Late Show avec Craig Ferguson in Paris.

Workout
As I mentioned, I actually dragged myself to the gym today:

• Elliptical: 15 min, 1.45 mi
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps — 2 sets @ 165 lbs, 1 set @ 175 lbs
• Sit-ups (incline): 3 sets/15 reps
• Flys (dumbbell, bench): 3 sets/10 reps, 20 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Shoulder Press (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 40 lbs

It wasn’t the world’s longest workout, but it was more than enough to get the blood pumping.

Stray Toasters

• Guardians of Internet Security Are Targets
• Office equipment open to hacker attacks
• How Can You Dress Well at Every Age?
• Let’s Be Friends Again often pokes fun at the comics industry, but I particularly appreciated the commentary that accompanied this comic:
  
• Are Dolphins flirting with Brett Favre?
  I hope not…
• Atlas rockets could carry astronauts to space again
• Ford Is Purging CD Players From Their Cars
• From the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Japanese company makes creepy dolls that look like their owners

Time to get “right on the to friction of the day…”

Namaste.

Friday – 22 July 2011
It’s my 9/80 day off. Hallelujah. Of course, I have The Leash this week, so I’m also hoping that nothing blows up over the weekend.

Last night, SaraRules! and I attended our third childbirth classes. During the second half of the class, we went on a tour of the Labor and Delivery Unit at Intermountain LDS Hospital. In addition to getting the lay of the land – and seeing a few newborns in the nursery – we also got to see a… I guess you’d call it “freshly-delivered”… placenta. Our instructor talked a bit about it and gave us a chance to look at – but not touch – it fairly closely. That freaked a few people out. (Neither SaraRules! nor I were among the squeamish.)

As a side note: While at the class, I checked in at the hospital on Foursquare…

…which crossposts to Facebook…

…which led to a series of comments on Facebook AND text messages, asking if either something was wrong or if the babies were coming early. So, I responded to those with “calm down, it’s just another class night” messages.

Then, this shows up in today’s Real Life Comics:

It made me laugh.

After sleeping in this morning, I managed to get myself out of the house and into the gym:

• Elliptical: 15 min/1.5 miles
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps — 2 sets @ 155 lbs, 1 set @ 165 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Sit-ups (incline): 3 sets/15 reps
• Flys (dumbbell, bench): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Tricep extensions (dumbbell, standing): 3 sets/10 reps, 40 lbs
• Leg Extensions: 3 sets/10 reps, 70 lbs
• Leg Curls: 3 sets/10 reps, 70 lbs

Not a bad way to start the day.

Stray Toasters

• Spotify: Check!
  (I haven’t heard Morris Day’s Oak Tree in years…!)
• How Finland became an education leader
• Superhero graffiti in San Francisco
  Gotta love the John Stewart GL on the last panel.
• 
• Science on Screen coming to 8 theatres across America
• The Borders Goodbye Email Is Like Watching Old Yeller in Slow Motion
• WizKids! has released dials for four figures from the upcoming Superman set (1, 2).
• Should we change how we elect presidents?
• 
• A Tribe Called Quest: The Rise and Fall of a Legend
• Xeni Jardin has opened an open Google+ thread for jokes.
• The Brilliance of Dwarf Fortress

Namaste.

Monday – 18 July 2011
A new work week dawns in the valley with clouds and a forecast of rain and/or thunderstorms. But, it doesn’t appear as though the rain will alleviate the high temperatures we’ve been experiencing. Fortunately, there’s air conditioning technology to keep us cool.

The weekend was a good and, though brief, enjoyable one. I even managed to drag myself to the gym Saturday morning. I got out of the house a little later than I had planned, but still got in a brief workout:

• Elliptical: 15 min, 1.41 mi. (approx. 5.7 MPH avg.)
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs
• Sit-ups: 3 sets/15 reps
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Flys: 3 sets/10 reps, 100 lbs

From there, it was back home for a quick shower and change of clothes and then on to meet Chris, Alex and Harley for pre-tournament breakfast. The tournament was good; there were ten participants. It was also one of the closer events we’ve had: less than fifteen (15) points separated first and third places.

Later in the evening, SaraRules! and I headed over to shockpuppet and ‘s house for a reception for and his fiancee, Erica. It was a nice gathering. We also found the oft-mentioned “fairy path” that shockpuppet created — although, at the time of night we saw it, it was more “creepy, dark, wooded path” than “fairy path.”

Sunday was planned to be rather laid back. Instead, it started off with a bit of automotive stress: I ran out to get bagels and some milk for breakfast. The bagel stop was fine; however, as I was attempting to leave The Store, the car decided not to start. *sigh* I gave it a minute and tried again. Nothing. I called SaraRules! and had her come to jumpstart the car. No go, Flight.

::: grblsnrkx :::

So, the tow truck was called. And off to the local Pep Boys we went… because, apparently, my Sunday mornings are not complete without a trip to Pep Boys. Turned out that it battery was dead. I had them check the alternator and starter — both of which were fine after testing. And, thanks to being a member of Pep Boys Rewards, the towing was half-off and the battery was covered under warranty. So, the out-of-pocket cost was FAR less than it could have been. I’m just not sure whether it’s a good or a bad thing that I’m getting to know some of the techs there on a first name basis…

Groove. Boogie. Sway.
The Monday morning musical shuffle selection wasn’t bad this morning:

• The Wiz (Original Cast Recording) – Ease on Down the Road
• No Doubt – Just a Girl
• Luscious Jackson – Naked Eye
• Girls Aloud vs. Madonna – Some Kind of Beautiful Stranger
• Guy (ft. Teddy Riley) – Teddy’s Jam

Not a bad way to kick off the work week, I’d say.

Chew on This: Food for Thought
Muslim hate crime victim asks TX court to spare life of white supremacist who shot him
Wow. Seriously… “Wow.” How many of us could – or would – do the same in Mr. Bhuiyan’s position?

Stray Toasters

• Congratulations to my friend, Bret, for having a/another tropical storm named after him.
• Brainscans in the Uncanny Valley
• Politicians Can’t Agree on Debt? Well, Neither Can Economists
• Sides Aim to End Lockout This Week
• 
• The American Man: What I’ve Learned
• Gun-Totin’ Brunnhilde
• Japan wins 1st World Cup title in penalty shootout
• A Resilient Team Soothes a Nation
• LEGO Folding Farm
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Bee-wearing competition
• 21 Google Plus circles you can actually use

Namaste.

Tuesday – 12 July 2011
Yesterday was the world’s longest Monday ever. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it was long. I think that was mostly due partially to the fact that I split my day to go to a doctor’s appointment with SaraRules! (She and both kids are doing well, by the way.) While I was out, I made a few stops:

• The Train Shoppe (What?!  I was downtown already.  Don’t judge me!)
• 7-Eleven, to partake in 7-11 Free Slurpee Day, and
• RubySnap, to pick up a few cookies.  Tami, RubySnap’s owner and Director of Appetites, also introduced me to Nina, their Coffee Toffee cookie, topped with chocolate and a brazil nut:

  

I also made a quick stop at home before making it back to the office, where the clock taunted me for the next… six… hours…

After work, SaraRules! and I went to dinner at Pawit’s Royale Thai Cuisine. We ran a couple of errands – including failed stops at local 7-Elevens to partake of more free Slurpee goodness – before heading home for a lazy night watching Top Gear.

Before bed, I decided to do some sit-ups. My abs still hurt from Friday’s workout. Feh.

Today is also the birthday of my friends: Jake, Natalie and Paul:

This morning’s iTunes musical oleo included:

• Barenaked Ladies – Brian Wilson
• Orgy – Opticon
• Parliament – Testify
• Jonathan Coulton – Shop Vac

I consider that another good musical start to the day.

Stray Toasters

• Space station crew prepares for spacewalk
• Why you want to go to college: In 140 characters or less
• Example of Augmented Reality in Mobile Apps, courtesy of the folks at Sawaya Consulting
• Thanks to for pointing this out: Holy Batman and His Bloody Amazing 9,000-Brick LEGO Batcave!
• 
• Immigrants May Be Fed False Stories to Bolster Asylum Please
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Feds: Man created ‘nonexistent airline’ as front for prostitution
• …And She’s Funny, Too: A GQ&A with Mila Kunis
• By way of comes How to Migrate from Facebook to Google+
• 
• Traveler flies high with 10 million miles
• Free Slurpees come with a twist: They may cost you
• Morgan Stanley client data goes missing

Namaste.

Sunday – 10 July 2011
This has been a good weekend. It’s also been rather productive, as well.

Yesterday morning, SaraRules! and I woke up at ridiculous o’clock to meet up with Angy and and head south to Mona.

Our destination: Young Living Lavender Farm

Our reason: The 2011 Lavender 5K Race.

This was the second year that SaraRules! and I have done the race… and this time, she was doing it while seven months pregnant…

…so, as expected, our times were a little slower than last year. But, we finished:

Name   Bib No   Chip Time   Gun Time       Pace
Sara    473     1:08:15.5   1:09:21.6     21:57/M
Angy     44     1:08:16.1   1:09:21.1     21:57/M
Robert  462     1:08:16.5   1:09:21.4     21:57/M

While we were taking it slow, forged ahead with a “slightly” faster pace:

Dave   147     31:59.1     32:18.0     10:17/M

Yeah, “slightly” faster. All told, it was a fun way to kick off the day – if WAAAAY earlier than normal. We came home and had some downtime before doing work around the house. And we wound up the evening with Resident Evil. Mmm, pre-bed zombies.

Workout
Friday, I managed to drag myself out of the house and get to the gym. I got in a decent workout:

• Elliptical: 15 minutes, ~5.7 MPH
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs
• Sit-ups (incline): 3 sets/15 reps
• Curls (dumbells, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Shoulder Press (dumbbells, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 35 lbs
• Tricep Press: 3 sets/15 reps, 50 lbs

…and my stomach is still feeling those sit-ups.

Stray Toasters

• On Friday, NASA completed the last launch of the Space Shuttle program – STS-135 saw Space Shuttle Atlantis take to space. As it was my day off, I watched the event.
  • STS-135: The Shuttle Program’s Final Space Odyssey
  • Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off

  I don’t recall if I saw the first shuttle launch, although I’m fairly certain that I did. I remember the Challenger and Columbia accidents. I’m not sure what lies ahead for NASA and the American space program, but I’m waiting to see what what they come up with and where we go.

• 30 Comic-Con exclusive toys you’ll sell your organs for
• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file:
• Bachmann Believes Black People Were Better Off During Slavery?
• The Seattle Police Department Is “Very Embarrassed” After Leaving Unattended Semi-Automatic Rifle on Trunk of Patrol Car
• New Dallas series given go-ahead
• I Was Absent That Day

Namaste.

Monday – 27 June 2011
Another work week begins… as June draws to a close. Where does the time go? It seems as though June just started.

This was a good and rather busy weekend. And, it was productive, to boot: The yard has been mowed and edged. Another of the great wild shrubberies in the front yard has been introduced to the Sawzall. I have become a fan of the pruning blades for the Sawzall, might I add. And, the consolidation of SaraRules!’ and my offices has begun.

We also managed to hit the Utah Arts Festival; we went on Saturday, with our friend, Jana. The weather was quite nice and perfect for an afternoon in the sun. I picked up a few railroad-related prints while there. Imagine that. And, I also managed to come home with a half-pound of cinnamon-roasted almonds.

Yesterday was a somewhat l0w-key day. We went to the Wasatch Front Farmers Market in the morning. We ran into my friend, Peggy, and her family, which was a rather unexpected but pleasant surprise. We also made a pilgrimage to the Garden of Sweden. And had dinner with the in-laws.

Workout
Friday, I made it to the gym.  I think that I remember what I did…

• Elliptical: 20 minutes, 1.9 miles (I averaged somewhere between 5.5 and 6.0 MPH)
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Lat Pull-downs: 3 sets/10 reps, 100 lbs
• Leg Extensions: 3 sets/10 reps, 60 lbs
• Leg Curls: 3 sets/10 reps, 60 lbs
• Calf Raises: 3 sets/10 reps, 60 lbs

My left calf is still a bit sore. It’s made going up and down steps… fun… over the weekend.

Stray Toasters

• RV-sized asteroid will buzz the Earth on Monday
• New York governor signs same-sex marriage into law
  • Beyond New York, Gay Marriage Faces Hurdles
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Black student locked in locker, fellow students walk off yelling “Slave for Sale!”
• Is a Summer Suit Really Necessary?
• 
• Why Did DC Cancel Superman’s Team-Up with a Muslim Hero?
  • If I Had to Reboot the DC Universe
• Vatican Is Introducing Portal as One-Stop Information Site
• 4 things you didn’t know about sunscreen
• Month at the Museum 2: Science Never Sleeps
  While I think that this would be a lot of fun to do… I’ll have my hands full with a couple of newborns at this time.
• 
• The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments, available online
  

  You’ve long heard it spoken of in hushed whispers. Not just a book of kids’ chemistry experiments, but THE book of kids’ chemistry experiments. Supposedly, according to utterly unsubstantiated rumor, the experiments contained therein are so dangerous that the book has been banned by the government and removed from America’s libraries.

• Atop TV Sets, a Power Drain That Runs Nonstop
• How to check your Android for rogue apps
• Final launch of Atlantis shuttle is a tough ticket

Namaste.