Tuesday, June 29, 2004

PC Load Letter

Sitting here watching Queer Eye with Melissa and trying to blog during the commercials. We'll see how this goes.

In keeping with the decorating Susie homemaker theme, a few weeks ago I put up some curtains in the bedroom. We used nickel rods with matching ball finials and sheer white cotton drapes with a little bit of a pattern on them. Got it all from Pottery Barn. I really do love that store. Why shop anywhere else? I'll put up a picture of the room once I take one and figure out that whole hello picture blogging thing. Oh and around the same time we purchased a Wusthof Classic 8 inch chef's knife. Wow. Taylor, thanks for the recommendation and Mary, you were so right.

Singles has been on television lately, not sure why all of a sudden, but we've been watching it when it's been on. I remember listening to the CD in high school. It was very big my Junior year. Well we realized neither of us actually owned it. Maybe I listened to my sister's copy? Melissa quickly corrected the problem and we have been listening to it for the past week.

Last night before bed we caught a bit of Office Space. Man I can relate to that movie. What would you do if you had $1000000? (And saying you would invest it misses the point Samir.)

Played 18 at Lions on Sunday. I just could not hit my 5 iron, and since that was the club I had decided to use as my longest iron and off the tee, that was a bit of a problem. Wound up shooting a 117. On the upside Jerry shot a 112. Go Jerry.

I've been thinking about taking lessons at GolfTec. We'll see. I've also been thinking about this.

Friday, June 25, 2004

wisdom

I could get a job
I could pay the phone bills
I could cut the lawn
cut my hair
cut out my cholesterol
I could work overtime
I could work in a mine
I could do it all for you
BUT I DON'T WANT TO!!
-Barenaked Ladies "Enid"

Thursday, June 24, 2004

cloudmakers

After seeing Jerry's projector adjust itself, and then reading about the air force's use of robots, I'm a little freaked out. I am starting to understand why Melissa is scared to see I, Robot. Who else thinks the Captain's quote in the CNN article "If you shoot the robot we don't care" is going to come back to haunt him? And what about this line, "A human always is in the loop because the military doesn't want to give machines complete discretion." Well yeah! We don't want a SkyNet now do we?

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

24601

Today I woke up at 7:30, read my email before 8:00, finished breakfast before 8:30, and cut the grass by 9:00. Who am I?

The Alge-Breakup Equations - Math and relationships, that just might describe senior year of high school. Be sure to read page two.

What are the downsides to living in a gated community? Imagine yourself arguing that point to a forty year old man with two kids and let me know what you would say. Related question: How do fire trucks and ambulances get into a gated community?

Spent most of last night talking to Doss and watching AFI's 100 Years 100 Songs. I really love movies with songs in them. Did you know White Christmas was written for a movie? A song written for one little scene in Holiday Inn becomes a Christmas standard. Now I have a whole new list of movies to see. It's getting to be a big list.

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Unfairenheit 9/11 - The lies of Michael Moore. I am so glad to finally read an intelligent piece written from the other side.

Monday, June 21, 2004

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man

Spent most of the weekend watching the US Open. I was pulling for everyone's favorite South Korean former weight-lifter, and though he did make the cut, it was not his weekend. Turns out it was almost no one's weekend out there at Shinnecock. At times I felt like I was watching a blooper reel of golf shots. Congrats to Taylor for going with Phil, but I would have been a lot happier paying my dollar if Phil had won, or at least forced a playoff. Damn three putt on 17. Why Phil? Why? It was like watching Smarty Jones all over again. Been a rough couple of sporting events rooting for the favorite. Hopefully Texas can end that streak for me.

I realized my computer was quite old when I read Penny Arcade a while back and Tycho made fun of someone whose processor was less than 1/3 the speed of current processors. Yeah well I fall into that category too. There was a time when I would spend every last dollar to update my system. Now, I can't justify it. I mean what can't I do with what I have? I'm sure some game will come out that I want to play and I will have to do it then, but for now, what's the point?

Salmon is pronounced 'sa-m&n. There is no l. I don't care how the waiter at Zio's says it.

The Mansion at Judge's Hill is an excellent place for a wedding reception. Nicely done Lloyd and Sara. Pok-e-Jo's is a excellent place for a rehearsal dinner as well. Two very different places. One memorable wedding weekend.

I like the idea of boutique hotels. Melissa and I stayed at one in Seattle last year, the Alexis Hotel I think. The Mansion is considered in this class of hotels. There's just something about staying somewhere unique that has a history that appeals to me. Is the idea of spending a night in a hotel in your own city just to get away from it all a crazy idea? Do you have to go for more than one night?

"The Influence of Media in Presidential Politics" - need to read that when I get a chance

Still reading Catch-22. The feeling of futility that seems to be a theme in the book makes it hard for me to read in my current job. When I finish it I hope to finally crack open New Spring. (Is there a better way to make links for books?)

I hate writing diagnostic code. I understandnd that testing the LEDs is a neccessary manufacturing activity. That does not make it interesting.

Shot a 57 on the front nine at Lions last Wednesday. Will I ever find out what it's like to play double bogey golf? Will I ever play the last hole finding my ball by sound again? I honestly do hope the answer to both those questions is yes.

Someone, anyone, please put your slightly used Atlantic Technology 370 front speakers on ebay. I promise to pay you the minimum I possibly can.

Would you believe I have been occasionally getting up around 7:30 in the morning lately and sometimes exercising? Me neither.

Friday, June 11, 2004

photo update

Pictures from the Memorial Day weekend party at Jerry's and from the boating trip for Lloyd.

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Just admit you have no freakin clue

Looking at the weather channel forecast and seeing the terms T-storms, Scattered T-storms, and Isolated T-storms all in a row just makes me laugh. I mean just look at the pictures with the big cloud and the sun peeking around the corner just a little more in each picture. What does it all mean? "Oh man its really gonna come down today." "I mean its certainly going to rain somewhere sometime, just don't ask me where or when." "Rain? Shine? Who knows?"

Why I didn't see Interview with a Vampire in the theater

A movie theater chain I have never heard of, GKC, is offering R-rated cards which allow parents to sign off on their child seeing an R-rated movie without actually going to the movie. The CNN article says the movie industry is upset because they think the government will step in to stop it and it will open up a debate about movie ratings. I think it's a great idea since I think a parent has a better idea of what is appropriate for their child than the movie industry does. What does everyone else think?

Index Plus a Few

Taylor once asked me why I hated mutual funds so much and I fired off a list of reasons with Jerry adding supporting comments as necessary. Most of my thinking had been formed by Motely Fool articles. Since then the Motley Fool has changed its opinion on the topic to a degree and The Case for Mutual Funds explains that opinion.

Friday, June 04, 2004

5 Steps to a Healthy Life

Good health and good sense are two of life's greatest blessings. -- Publius Syrus

The boys at the Motley Fool tackle something other than financial matters and do so using their usual wit, humor, and directness.

Death and Taxes ... and in-game taxes?

It seems that online game purveyors are actually doing some creative thinking regarding their fee structure. Linden Labs has a game called "Second Life" where you buy real estate and build homes. The key detail is they have a real estate tax and "real estate tax revenue now exceeds subscriptions." You can pay for things with in-game currency or with US dollars and there is even an on-line currency exchange. I guess I should get cracking on coming up with the perfect fee structure and starting my own gaming company.