Random Access

Saturday – 14 June 2008
It’s clear and sunny out; hopefully, it will be a little warmer than yesterday.

This day started with a good morning ping from , not a bad way to start the day. He pointed me in the direction of this article from John Scalzi’s Whatever blog. I don’t suppose that I should have read the NPR article, Obama’s VP Search: Avoiding Party’s Past Mistakes, because about the time I hit the third sentence in the section entitled “Handicapping the VP Short List,” I was done. “Gracious exit…!?” My ass. That exit was to “gracious” as Utah’s Black population is to the state total population. (Translation: “Not very.”)

Quick note for those of you in the SLC metro area: The Utah Foster Care Foundation Chalk Art Festival continues today. Go down and cheer on/vote for and Team Chalk-O-Licious. Here’s their work-in-progress:

(click for ‘s (quick) post about this piece)

SaraRules and I are going to head into Aspen in a little while. That should be fun and interesting.

Stray Toasters

• From NPR: Songs for Dad: Father’s Day Jazz
• Men in Black is still fun – and funny – movie.
• By way of Wired: Coolest Movie Metamorphoses – From Wolf-Man to Hulk
• USA Today has a poll asking how readers would feel about an Obama/Powell or McCain/Powell ticket.
• I skipped “Blog Like It’s the End of the World Day” – not for lack of ideas, I just couldn’t get into it.
• Worthplaying.com takes a look at LEGO Batman

Quote of the Day
“Football (soccer) is like chess, only without the dice.” – Lukas Podolski

Up out.

Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment wasn’t really hitting on anything today.
Instead, I returned to DNS & BIND. And by “return,” I mean “started reading anew.” It’s been a while.
That worked out better.

Even though I’ve never been to the Aspen area, I wasn’t inclined to go out gallivanting today… for two reasons:

1. SaraRules is at work… and, thus, not around to hang out
2. I was “on the clock” and had work to do. (I have a work ethic, sue me.)

Today’s reading locations have included:

• The dining room table… under the lamp of antlers.
• The window nook
• The front porch
• The back porch
• The kitchen counter

The view from the front porch isn’t awesome, but I wouldn’t mind catching a sunrise over it… if the sunrise wasn’t 5:41 AM. The back porch looks up the mountainside. It’s green and has a few trees. And, by the time I moved out there, it had the sun. Oh, the warm, joyous sun. (Not to be confused with the angry sun.) Aside from a butterfly, some birds and a few other assorted insects, I haven’t seen any of the local fauna.

Speaking of fauna: I saw some deer or antelope (hard to tell in traffic at 80 MPH) on the… dunes?… outside Green River yesterday. And, I saw my favorite not-sheep along Route 6, too.

Stray Toasters

• The local wireless connection doesn’t like iChat, it seems. Other programs do just fine, but iChat craps out at random. I’ll have to test it with City later.
• The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen starts today. Check out the ticket prices. Somehow, I think we’re going to skip this.
• “Unboop”
• I had iTunes on random and Rocket Man came on.
  Not Elton John.
  Nor Kate Bush.
  Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Interesting version. I checked All Music Guide and it seems as though it’s been on a LOT of albums/CDs.
• Robert Cray’s Smoking Gun is still a great song.
• So is Diamond in the Rough, by Shawn Colvin.
• Thanks to for making sure that I saw Classics in LEGO
  …which, in turn, led me to this…
  



• She bop -he bop – a we bop
  I bop -you bop – a-they bop
  Be bop – be bop – a-lu-bop,
  (I hope He will understand)
  She bop -he bop – a we bop
  I bop -you bop – a-they bop
  Be bop – be bop – a-lu-she bop

And that’s all for now.

13 June 2008
Greetings from Snowmass Village.

As it had been almost three weeks since I’d seen SaraRules, I decided that a trip was in order. I had originally planned on taking the train out here, but Amtrak apparently decided that this was the weekend to do track maintenance. So, no go. *blah* We looked at other methods of getting me here: Airplane. Bus. ICBM. We finally settled on me coming out next week. Okay, to say that “we” settled on it, isn’t exactly right. We said that it seemed as though it would be next week before I would be out here. In the back of my head, I was calculating the mileage and planning to just hop in the car and drive it. And that’s exactly what I did. Hello, surprise visit. The hard part, as usual, would be making sure that I – or anyone else who knew what I was planning – didn’t tip my hand.

Fortunately, as most of my work for the past few weeks has been training-related (i.e.: LOTS of reading) – and since books are rather portable – I was able to parlay that into working on the road. The drive out here was rather nice, despite a few construction zones in both Utah and Colorado.

I have driven through Colorado twice before – when I moved to Utah and again a couple of years ago – but, both of those trips were east-to-west. And, both of those trips were along I-70, so I’m… familiar… with the road. But, I noticed things heading eastbound that I hadn’t seen before. And, I also stopped in a different part of Grand Junction than usual.

Before last night, I had never seen more of Glenwood Springs than what you get from I-70. That’s a shame. The part of it that I drove through last night seemed nice… for a small town. And, from what SaraRules has told me, the cost of living here is still a little higher than SLC, but not quite as bad as in Aspen.

The drive into Snowmass Village wasn’t bad. Until I got “to” the condo complex where AMFS is lodging SaraRules for the summer. Apparently they don’t believe in putting street signs in locations where you can see them easily, especially at night. I drove right past the entrance. I continued all the way up to Snowmass Village Town Center, which I knew to be too far. *sigh* Turn around and drive back towards Aspen. Fortunately, I was able to see the sign for SaraRules’ complex this time. Turned in, found the building, parked.

The look of surprise on SaraRules’ face – a combination of “I’m glad to see you” and “What are YOU… doing HERE… NOW?!” – was worth the drive. We unpacked the car and I got to relax. I also met her roommate, Rachel. The condo itself is nice: 2BR/2BA, nice kitchen and living/dining areas. It’s roughly the size of my apartment, maybe a little bigger. And one of the owners has a thing for bears. Pictures. Figures. I am almost at the point of wondering if she’s a shaman and it’s her spirit guide.

Today’s biggest hurdle was getting Defiant (in Windows mode) to recognize that there really was a wireless connection, so I could connect to work’s network and do some morning housekeeping. In OSX mode, it found it immediately. A few button-pushes later and I was in like Flynn.

Stray Toasters

• I chatted with MarknTyme a little while ago; there have apparently been a couple of teen phone pr0n incidents in his school system.
• 3 Smart Things About Music
• The Onion has news about the new WoW sequel: World of World of Warcraft
• Adoption system seen failing kids from minorities
• A question to those of you who use laptop/notebook computers: If/when you connect to a secondary monitor, how do you configure your setup? For example, I use Defiant‘s monitor as my primary monitor, whereas uses his laptop’s screen as his secondary. What do you do?
• Egypt bans 92-year-old’s marriage
• 
• I still have no idea who I want to use in next weekend’s ‘Clix tourney… although I still think that Phoenix would be fun as a power piece.



• Celtics stun Lakers to move to brink of title
• Leonardo DiCaprio as Captain America…? I don’t know. I wouldn’t be upset if they went with an unknown here, to be honest.
• Internet addiction nominated for entry in the Manual of Mental Disorders
• Hmm, maybe Gary Gygax was “a little” older than he let on…
• For :

Two cups of coffee into the game, I can make like Tom Sawyer and get “…right on to the friction of the day.”

Namaste.

Derek read the article in my earlier post about teens sending naked pics of themselves via their cellphones and had this to say:

(3:07) cell phone porn…. wtf did you expect people
(3:07) the phone has a camera on it
(3:07) not to mention the internet

(3:09) and if the kids were smart, they would do it on their nintendo wii, because they only need 1 hand to operate that 🙂

I don’t think that there’s anything that I could even attempt to add to that… other than to say “Quote of the Day.”

Happy Hatching Day to:

…and…

Today’s workout was good; it was a rehash of Tuesday’s routine, with a change in some of the weights:

• Bench Press: 3 sets/10 reps – 1 set each at: 225 lbs, 205 lbs and 185 lbs
• Flys (Nautilus, high-to-low): 3 sets/10 reps, 110 lbs
• Bent-over Rows (barbell): 3 sets/12 reps – 1 set @ 95 lbs, 2 sets at 105 lbs
• Bench Dips: 3 sets/15 reps with 45 lb plate
• Lateral Raises (with forward extensions x3): 3 sets/4 reps, 12 lbs
• Push-ups: 1 set/10 reps

Pre-workout weight: 174.6 lbs.

Hopefully, I won’t be as sore on tomorrow or Saturday as I was yesterday and earlier today.

I also noticed something today that was rather geeky/amusing: When I was working up to my 300-pound bench press, I would internally emphasize that moving the weight was a matter of willpower. Which, all things considered, it is: Push the body, push the weight. “Mind over matter.” Pretty basic. It’s still in the back of my head when I’m working out, more often than not.

Today, I noticed something else: I was reciting the Green Lantern oath (the second one, “In brightest day…”) in my head as I was doing some of the exercises… especially the ones that “hurt” or that I didn’t want to do. To be honest, the cadence of the oath even fit the pace of the exercises. And GLs are all about willpower… so, it fit.

Geeky, yes.
But that’s just the way I’m wired, I guess.

Thursday – 12 June 2008
So far the day goes well. That’s always a good thing.

<< Rewind <<
Last night, I was unbelievably lazy. I’d planned to do some straightening around the apartment. Nope. Didn’t happen. I think that the closest I came was putting the Sentinel in the case behind Phoenix… and then deciding that I liked the way Phoenix looked alone on the shelf better.

I did play City of Heroes, though. Not only did I play, I tacked two-and-a-half levels onto Kurigari. I hooked up with a good team and we ran through a few missions in The Hollows. It’s still a crappy zone for ground-pounders, but at least I’m less than two levels away from Superspeed. (Hover and Flight just don’t fit this character, so I’m not using them.)

I also watched Justice League Unlimited and ST: DS9, along with a couple of episodes of L&O: SVU. Decent episodes of each show: “Chaos at Earth’s Core,” “Emissary, Part II” and… I don’t remember which SVU episodes.

One thing that’s not a win: I’m remembering why I don’t watch G4’s Attack of the Show with any regularity. I keep comparing it – unfavorably – to The Screen Savers. TSS was a good show, you got tech news and info… with a little levity thrown in on the side. But the humour was smart and witty. AotS… just seems to go for the quick/cheap laugh or thrill and throw in something technical for fun or as an afterthought. Or maybe I’m no longer part of their core demographic.

> Play >
Coffee is a wonderful thing.
Coffee cake would be a nice addition… but I don’t have any.

Stray Toasters

• I have a doughnut. It’s not coffee cake, but beggars should not choosers be.
• Dinosaur
• By way of Indexed:



• Thanks to for pointing out Religulous. I’m interested in seeing this.
• Teens sending nekkid pics of themselves on cell phones! Oh, my! We never saw this coming, did we? Not in a million years. Apparently, Utah news sources are jumping on the bandwagon. Let’s hope that this doesn’t go over the same way as “the emo epidemic” did.
• …of course, then there’s this: Health group denounces Incredible Hulk for smoking
  Because, Heaven knows that kids would never see anyone smoking out on the street or anywhere else in everyday life. Flaming idiotsticks.
• 
• I’m spoiled. I had to change out a workstation’s power supply… with a manual screwdriver rather than a drill/driver.
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” file: Man in court over comedy TV show
• Trial halted over judge’s website

The show must go on.

Namaste.

I just saw one of the new The Incredible Hulk trailers, with Robert Downey, Jr.’s cameo as Tony Stark. Not bad. I’ll admit it: I’m looking forward to the movie. I’m probably one of seven people in the world – aside from Ang Lee and Louis Leterriere who liked Ang Lee’s Hulk.

As usual, I’ve tried to stay away from reading most reviews of the film. I’d prefer to draw my own conclusions.
If it’s good, great.
If not,… well…

I’m sure that it can’t be any worse than Cool World.

Hello, knee-jerk reaction: Verizon, Time Warner Cable, and Sprint to Block Usenet

Wednesday – 11 June 2008

That’s representative of today’s weather in Salt Lake City. The forecast says that we should even break 60°F. Considering that Monday’s high was 80°F, I’m not overly enthused. I shouldn’t complain too much: SaraRules said that there was snow in Aspen this morning.

The morning has been relatively uneventful. So far.

Last night’s Scion game was fun. No one died. Correction: “No one from our group died.” A few otherwise-innocent bystanders? Well… um… oops.

Stray Toasters

• called me this morning to relate the following story: She heard someone (on the radio, I believe) singing a song called If You Could Hie to Kolob…to the tune of the theme from The Beverly Hillbillies. I was intrigued by this. I looked up the lyrics and hummed the theme to myself. It worked. Beautifully, at that.
• If you’re unfamiliar with “Kolob,” click here for more information.
• Thanks to for pointing out the following t-shirt/bumper sticker:

  

• I took some… creative license… with a couple of HALO 3 screenshots a few months ago, but neglected to post them:

  
  (click images for larger size)

• Time travel back to 1000 A.D. : Survival Tips
• Loonybin88 sent me a link to this:

• My friend Jonni has posted a new song on his MySpace page: End of Alone. Check it out.

Namaste.

Today is Kris’ birthday. I called her this morning… but didn’t get an answer. I tried again this afternoon with much better success.

After work, I headed home to change clothes and have a bite to eat.

Next up: Scion… for the first time in nearly two months.

Workout
Today’s workout wasn’t too bad… considering that it’s been a week since I was last in the gym.

• Bench Press: 3 sets/10 reps, 185 lbs
• Flys (Nautilus, high-to-low): 3 sets/12 reps – 1 set @ 95 lbs, 2 sets @ 110 lbs
• Bent-over Rows (barbell): 3 sets/12 reps – 1 set @ 55 lbs, 2 sets at 70 lbs
• Bench Dips: 3 sets/15 reps – 1 set with 40 lb dumbbell, 1 set with 45 lb plate
• Lateral Raises (with forward extensions x3): 3 sets/4 reps – 2 sets @ 15 lbs, 1 set @ 8 lbs
• Push-ups: 1 set/10 reps

Post-workout weight: 175.6 lbs

Stray Toasters

• Terence Stamp talks Valkyrie and Superman II
• …which reminds me: General Zod – 2008 Presidential Candidate

  

• Best and Worst-Dressed in Sci-Fi
• “Genuine Leather”



• How… HOW… in the Nine Hells do you manage to hit yourself in the head with a nail gun?!
• Edo Period-style Pac-Man fan art
• Giger-esque furniture from old motorbikes

Namaste.

The meeting was… a meeting.

• Strategy.
• Vision.
• “You’re doing a great job.”
• Blah Blah Blah

After the meeting, Coworkers Mike and Tyranist came over to my desk to shoot the bull. In the course of conversation, Tyranist asked Mike about his new baby. Mike, not missing a beat, quipped back:

“Oh, she’s fine. Healthiest of all our children, at that age. But, you know… since she was an artificial insemination baby, we were kind of hoping for a fun, ethnic child.”

Tyranist and I both laughed – quite a bit – over this. After I regained enough composure to speak I had to ask if the kid was either half-his or half-his wife’s. He confirmed, “Oh, no. It was her eggs and my guys, but you never know. *shrug* That’s why we were kind of hoping.”

A few minutes later, and I wish I could remember exactly what led up to it, we were talking and Mike held up his right hand, clenched in a fist, and said: “Power to The Man!” Again, Tyranist and I found this amusing. And to that, I say to Mike:

All this fun and it isn’t even lunchtime, yet.

Namaste.

Tuesday – 10 June 2008
Okay… it’s not really 4:30.
But it is 7:30.
And I’m already in the office.

We’re having an 8:00 meeting and they have breakfast here for us.
Is this to make us full and complacent and amenable to anything that comes up…?
Doubtful, but it makes my inner conspiracy theorist grin.

More later, the robot overlords protectors have provided me with a banana and a bagel.

Not that I needed any more/other reasons to love her, but SaraRules just clinched Quote of the Day with this:

SaraRules: So, it wasn’t the best idea to read what white people like, and then go to a birthday celebration of nothing but white people.
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
SaraRules: I’m serious. It was weird. People didn’t know who Usher was. And just curious, is it appropriate to refer to part of Michael Jackson’s career as the “when he was still black” era?
Me: Politically correct, probably not.
Me: Appropriate, yes.
SaraRules: Yeah. Plus the site spends so much time going off about organic food, and Priuses, and people in outdoor clothing and stuff. And that’s totally where I am.
Me: *snicker*
SaraRules: I’m in white yuppie granola purgatory. It’s not hell yet, but you never know what the summer may hold.
Me: {{{ hug }}}
Me: Stay Black, love. Stay Black.
SaraRules: hahahahhahaha!
SaraRules: Damn.
SaraRules: That was funny.
SaraRules: Yeah, you win.

What more could I possibly ask for?

just sent me a link to the following:

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Pon Farr Edition) from Darth Mojo on Vimeo.

Two disclaimers:

1. The audio is pretty much NSFW in 98.3% of work environments
2. You can watch the first… minute or so… and just skip to the 3:20 mark without missing anything.

What made this even more surreal was that a Goldfrapp’s Strict Machine (audio only) started playing on iTunes almost immediately after I was done watching the video.