Signature

The following comes from my brother's email signature (the middle bro). He's pretty cool.


There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences. --P.J. O'Rourke (1993)
There is no freedom without the freedom to say no.
"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." -- Mark Twain

How about that reality television

I have always dislike reality tv. At least 99% of it, anyway. But this year I've gotten into the Biggest Loser, and was so thrilled tonight that the girls made it above the yellow line! Ok, so that probably makes no sense if you don't watch the show. But if you know, then you know.

Oh, and Dan was finally punished for his hubris. Good times!

IT Dept Hates Me

Nah, maybe not so much hates me. Thinks I'm a technical hypochondriac.
This is not a big deal...
Here I am, with the best intentions in the world, transferring a call on line one to somebody's voicemail. Then line two rings, and I can't hear the call I'm trying to transfer. So I can't tell when voicemail picks up and because I can't risk to put putting somebody to the wrong line, I put the 1st call on hold so I can get rid of line two and transfer the poor person on line one.

Whatever, I can live with it. But somebody told me to send a work order to IT, and 3 weeks later they come to me to check on it. And look at me like I'm a new species of crazy while I try to describe it, sputter, and give up. Whatever!

I have a mental block when it comes to a certain level of technology. Like, anything more complicated than the basic level. I discovered how to sort shit in excel and you'd think I'd found gold. Then I forgot how to do it. The mind rebels!

hey yo

I feel like things are looking up for me a little bit, but of course that means something shitty is about to happen, right?

Oh yeah.

One last thing -- when did my parents turn into the old couple on Everybody Loves Raymond? I guess my mom isn't much of a meddler and the dad on the tv show isn't as openly racist as my father, but in many points the similarity is striking.

Final thoughts

So I've been working on a website at work, and it's kind of cool and fun except that it's just become part of the same shitstorm of frustration and willful bunglage that is work. I think I just invented the word "bunglage". It means that everything tends to go to shit as much as it possibly can - when things go to shit when you hoped they wouldn't but knew they probably would, that, sir, is bunglage. From the latin, bunglar: to bungle, that which sucks or is lousy. But I am no lexicographer, my dears! Bungle, bumble, bugle. I have typed it and thought it too many times and it has lost all meanings. Oh shit, I googled it and it's not really my invention. Okey dokey, I can live with that. I found this blog when I did my search. Coolness.

It seems I can't make a move on the website without some infelicitous (awesome word that I didn't invent) happening. I finally managed to tab the lines of code in line with the IT departments requirements, but a long line of text has fecked up the column widths. Everything is spaced all funny on this little insignificant page, and I just hope I remember how IT guy told me I should fix it when I go back to work on Monday. I think so. I'm just going to abbreviate the long line of text.

Anyway, shit happens, right? I'm clearly running out of steam here, and no matter the paucity of my social engagements, I should be able to find something better to do with my Saturday evening. Ta ta for now!

Further ramblings

I have gotten even sicker of the presidential race. At least I'm learning to be ashamed of this, because I should really want to participate. Here's what I feel, and I'd like to hear your opinions as well: I think Hillary, Barack or John McCain would probably all do a decent enough job. My most favoritest would be Prez Hill, Veep Barack. Or maybe vice versa. I'm sure many of you disagree, but I could give a crap. lol. I respect your opinions and whatnot, but barring some really good persuasion, or unless Bill C and Barry go strip club hopping together, that's gonna be my ticket.

One of my favorite things on NPR is Science Friday, on All Things Considered maybe, hosted by Ira something. This week they talked a bit about the disheartening news about using food crops for bio diesel. Which I mean, hello? Did anyone else hear that and think, god, why is that news to me? What I'm saying is, why didn't I/everybody else already think of this? If we use corn to make fuel, then we will have less corn for food. Other countries will need to grow more food, they will need more land to grow that food... hey, look at that rainforest! But we should be using less corn for food anyway. And eating less meat (it takes a lot of pounds of grain to feed a cow, to get one pound of beef. why not just eat the grains? I guess if you have celiac disease, that would be a good reason to go for the steak). Just a bit less, say one day a week, have like tofu or garbanzo beans instead. It's an idea, if you are giving up steak for Lent anyway why not give it a try?

Anyway, after covering the bad news they talked about new developments in sustainable biofuels, like perhaps using algae or some nonsense to make ethanol or even oil. That was pretty cool. I like hearing about science things, even though it's not really my thing.

You know, perhaps a blog is the wrong place for this next topic but I'd like to get away from the navel gazing, introspective, self-absorbed thing. It's very dull. LOL. I say this after how many tens of thousands of words, how many hundreds of uses of "I" or "me" on this page? Perhaps it's more honest to talk about oneself rather than pretend that what one writes can be truly independant of oneself? Oh, but exceptions present themselves immediately -- anybody else worried about this type of thing? No? It's boring? Then forget it.

I haven't been good about keeping up with people, except that I talk to Whackly about once a week. I think I'm doing ok with others then I sort of look up that it's been say, 2 weeks, or 4 months since I've spoken to them. I'm sure when I figure out the internet access shit that will get better, but in the meantime, if I've alienated anyone please don't take it personal.

So I tried blogging from my cell phone but no dice. For the last 3-4 weeks I haven't even been able to check my email from the damn thing.

Hi all. Happy February. I'm going to ramble on for a bit

I'm all moved in and comfortable in the new place. I knew it wouldn't be hard to just move downstairs, but it was even less stressful than I thought it would be. I think I blogged a long time ago, about how I need to get rid of a lot of stuff. I found in moving that I really have cleaned out quite a bit of junk, but there's still more that needs to be done. I need time to get used to the idea of parting with stuff. Stuff goes back and forth between the "keep" and "donate" piles a few times before meeting a final fate.

Some of my former coworkers probably remember recieving a blue fleece vest with our company logo on it. Do any of you still have it? I did until yesterday, and I only gave it up to give it to my mom. I still have lots of clothes to get rid of, things that are probably fine but I just don't wear. Then there are the books, a small but useless assortment of knicknacks and decorative items, and papers. Lots of papers. Old bills and insurance crap, printouts of whatnot. While I am generally a miserably untidy person, the stuff is pretty well stowed away at the current time.

I quit smoking, again. 32nd time is the charm! Nah, really like the fourth or fifth time. Sadly, I have been giving myself a loophole: that maybe after 6 months or so, if somebody else is smoking and they offer me one, I'll indulge. But I hear that isn't the best way to handle such an attaching, inveigling habit as this. So don't offer me one, in the unlikely event that I'm around you. As far as habits go, it's not the worst, but it's bad enough and not worth the trouble.

So I was feeling crafty and changed the template for the ol' blog

It's been like, a while, so I figured why not? Also, I'll be working on a website at work, so I should try to gain some glancing acquaintance with HTML.

test, test, 1, 2.

I hope this shit works. I'm trying out mobile blogging, so I can post from my cell phone, whilst I am stuck in the insane asylum or nunnery some of you might think I've been in.

---

Festive festivities

I went to my company's holiday party last week. It was ok; the best part was having a couple of free drinks and leaving early. I volunteered to sit at the entrance table, giving out nametags and drink tickets- never again, I think. Borrrring. Well;, perhaps I am exagerating. Fewer r's in boring, maybe just the one will do.

fall tv

Are the new shows everything you've dreamed of? Bionic Woman? Meh. Chuck. Slightly less meh.

My tv shuts off by itself sometimes. Like it's commenting on my choice of program.

Hi there!

So it's been about 2 months since my last post. In this interval very little has happened. This weekend it is my hometown's 125th anniversary or birthday or whatever towns have. I remember the centennial, when I was four. I remember my mom made me a little pioneer outfit, and her friend Eileen made me a little pioneer bonnet. Eileen was also an Avon lady and made me sit in a corner for not eating my vegetables, when I was going to her house for daycare after kindergarten. But that is all in the past.

I have been a bit reclusive and cut off lately, it's ok. I kinda like it. It's probably good for the ol noggin, right?

Oh nanners

I went to a pic-a-nic last night, you know. Sassafras and marjoram, but was it hot or what? Steamy. And I went into the forest that was near the picnic. And I was lost in the woods! But I wandered on for a while and I found myself again.

Some people at the picnic prepared a Southern delicacy called low country boil. I was nervous, but it wasn't like I expected. Sure, it was crabs, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn and onions boiled together in big, nasty vats. But they took the stuff out of the vats and stacked it neatly in serving trays and the corn and potatoes didn't taste all shrimpy and weird. Also there was an open bar, although they only served until 6:30. Actually, that was a good thing.

Cat story

This is a picture of my bro's cat; the cat's name is Boy. Also, the cat is a boy, or was one before, you know, the surgery and all that unpleasantness. The caption was provided by another brother. Boy was named by my nephew when he was like, 4 or 5. That cat is eight years old or so but he looks like he's a million, doesn't he? They used to have another cat called Socksie. I believe they were brothers. Also, guess what? Socksie had white feet! Then a few years ago Socksie died, under mysterious circumstances. I believe Boy killed him.

Quick like a bunny

That's how fast I read. If bunnies could read, that is, and who's to say they can't? It took me under 8 hours to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and if you think that's a lame thing to brag about, I won't disagree with you! It is super duper lame, yet I persist in my childish pride. In fact if you trim out the inevitable breaks, it was probably more like 7 hours. Yeah. Lame.

How about I tell you the tale of my Quest for the Book? At six am or so I went to Wal-Mart and bought the book. Remember how I said I was going to go the bookstore thing last night? Really, I did, but I just stood and talked to my friends there for a few minutes and left. You may not know this about me, and I'm only really figuring it out myself recently, but I hate standing in lines. Lines bother me, not waiting. I was happy to go home and wait until morning for my copy and not stand around 3 hours waiting for it with a bunch of jerks. Very early this morning I woke up and went for the book. Even though I'm not a big fan of Wal-Mart, I knew it was a place that was open and had books. Sometimes that's what matters!

I was very pleased with this book. I've had a poor track record at guessing what will happen in the new books or figuring out clues once I'm reading the book. Seriously, someone had to point out things like Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley - the simplest puns. (nocturnally and diagonally in case there's anyone else out there with the same brain block) Snape and Neville, among others, had the fates I thought they would. I got a piece of the plot figured out early on, although not entirely. Maybe Rowling put in a few easy clues for those of us who are a bit obtuse. :)

I think I was a little leery of writing a post like this, because I don't want people to make fun of me for being a Harry Potter fan. But I don't care, or more accurately, I don't want to care about that. Yeah, I'm sure some of the adults out there in costumes or whatnot were kind of creepy or weird, but there were also many who, well, weren't creepy or weird and just had fun. In fact my friend knitted a Gryffindor scarf for her boyfriend and he wore it to Barnes and Noble very proudly. Ok, they might be weird but I view that as a wonderful quality, and they weren't at all creepy. Haters gotta hate, but I encourage you to read some of the cool articles and reviews out there by bright and fascinating people, good stuff. I bet some of the kids whose parents brought them out for the "Midnight Magic" stuff will remember it for the rest of their lives.

This book, for all the sad parts, left me with a good feeling. It seems the author genuinely cares about the creatures of her imagination and the fans who've come along for the ride. It's hard to put into words, and it's not anything huge, just that it seems like the person who wrote this book must be quite nice. From what I've read in the past, she actually has a lot more material and backstories for the characters than she put into the books. I don't think she'll put out anymore about the Harry Potter-verse but it would be amazing if she did.

I do feel as though I've been babbling on for long enough. I have, haven't I? So I'll stop here.

If you would like a spoiler, the biggest spoiler, the one that's probably out everywhere now, but what the hell -- there's an acrostic in the second paragraph of this post. Don't look for it if you don't want to know.

Also, I'd love to hear what you thought of the books -- even if it's just "It was good" or "It sucked". Did anybody go out for the book at midnight? Do you have a favorite part or line (just be careful with spoilers).

Here are two of my favorite lines: "I was a fool!" and "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Note: the two lines are not from the same conversation, if you were thinking What The Hell. There was also a great little callback to the first book, I believe it was, an exchange between Ron and Hermione...but oh look! I'm babbling again. See ya.

I'm excited about the last Harry Potter book

And I don't care who knows it. :) A couple people are actually going to a party at a bookstore so I'm going to go join them, I think. I'm terrified of hearing spoilers, so I'm staying off the interwebs until I'm done reading the book. I think. Hey, if anyone feels like discussing the book w/me, comment below or email me at gmail.

I'm watching Mad Max

I've never seen it before, it's very good. I enjoy the whole genre of the post-apocalyptic near future - can someone give me a better phrase for that?

I'm trying to think what else is important to say.

There isn't much to say, I guess. My oldest brother's girlfriend's mother died a couple of weeks ago. Today the girlfriend and my brother came over for lunch and she and my mom talking about funerals. My mom wants to be cremated. She also said my dad can get a free plot at the veteran's cemetary in Mandan (or maybe Minot?) which is way the hell far away. I was not thrilled to hear about this, but it's good to know their wishes. I think we will try to get the money together to have their eternal resting places in our time zone. I mean, in the unlikely event that my mommy and daddy die which I am going to make them promise to never, ever do. I would like a wooden casket and then I'd like to be buried out in the woods and left to rot. That sounds restful. I mean, once I'm dead. Not, like, today or anything.

Here's another video I like

I used to watch VH1 a lot to find new music, isn't it weird? Especially after Drive 105 died and went to hell, it's hard to find music that I'll like a lot and listen to endlessly then I will get so sick of it that I will never want to hear it again. The music I end up hearing is missing the "I like it a lot" part and a surfeit of the "sick of it and never want to hear it again" thing. So this video is catchy as hell and very cheerful, no? Here's another link. The theme that connects the last video I posted and this one are interesting lyrics and lots of pretty colors.