Mad Geek
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
End the madness!
As hard as it can be to admit it sometimes, we all like advertisements. Even though we hate seeing them in our Inbox or on billboards the simple fact remains, that they obviously DO work and we DO pay attention to them. This isn't so bad, really, as without them businesses wouldn't be able to make themselves known in the marketplace as well.
With that out of the way, allow me to start my rant.
Spam (junk email) is something akin to those annoying flyers you get in the mail for cute checks with ducks on them every month. The biggest difference between them is the fact that I can delete all my spam at once, whereas the the junk mail in my mailbox requires me to actually move from the mailbox to the trash can. In that way, I kind like spam over the old fashion kind. Of course, to be fair, the flyers in my mail aren't telling me that my wife wants to have a larger, more powerful male member (I wasn't aware my wife HAD a male member).
TV commercials have been around since before the TV. In the days of radio they had their original forms, but for the most part, they didn't really change much. If they were ever annoying, it was before my time and I've simply grown up around them. Movie commercials (not movie previews, but those 2 minute long commercials in the theater before the actual movie) have got to go.
I accept the fact that I am forced to watch TV commercials because I get the TV station I'm watching for free. It's paid for by the Nike spot I'm ignoring. However, in a movie theater, not only can I not change the channel or hit mute, but I paid $8 to see it. If I don't have to pay for a TV program because of the commercials, I don't see why I have to pay for a movie either.
Pop-ups are another area where commercials are invading. While most people think of these when they are surfing online, there is another, more annoying type of pop-up starting to take hold; TV Pop-Ups. Case in point:
Last night, I was watching one of my favorite shows, Iron Chef (Sole Battle, very good) and enjoying it greatly. However, a few moments before and after EVERY commercial break I would hear the sound of knives sharpening against each other and a little banner would suddenly cover the lower corner of the screen. On that banner is Emeril waving to me and asking me to make sure and watch his show next. Sure this is annoying under normal circumstances, but when part of the show requires reading subtitles it's downright maddening.
The really annoying this is that they seem to do this most on show I love to watch. I mean this in two ways; 1) the show I'm watching is being covered by an ad with its own sound effects that interrupt the show and, 2) the ad itself is trying to get me to watch something I was planning to watch anyway!
At this level of advertisements, I believe that not only should TV be free, but they should pay me for my time.
With that out of the way, allow me to start my rant.
Spam (junk email) is something akin to those annoying flyers you get in the mail for cute checks with ducks on them every month. The biggest difference between them is the fact that I can delete all my spam at once, whereas the the junk mail in my mailbox requires me to actually move from the mailbox to the trash can. In that way, I kind like spam over the old fashion kind. Of course, to be fair, the flyers in my mail aren't telling me that my wife wants to have a larger, more powerful male member (I wasn't aware my wife HAD a male member).
TV commercials have been around since before the TV. In the days of radio they had their original forms, but for the most part, they didn't really change much. If they were ever annoying, it was before my time and I've simply grown up around them. Movie commercials (not movie previews, but those 2 minute long commercials in the theater before the actual movie) have got to go.
I accept the fact that I am forced to watch TV commercials because I get the TV station I'm watching for free. It's paid for by the Nike spot I'm ignoring. However, in a movie theater, not only can I not change the channel or hit mute, but I paid $8 to see it. If I don't have to pay for a TV program because of the commercials, I don't see why I have to pay for a movie either.
Pop-ups are another area where commercials are invading. While most people think of these when they are surfing online, there is another, more annoying type of pop-up starting to take hold; TV Pop-Ups. Case in point:
Last night, I was watching one of my favorite shows, Iron Chef (Sole Battle, very good) and enjoying it greatly. However, a few moments before and after EVERY commercial break I would hear the sound of knives sharpening against each other and a little banner would suddenly cover the lower corner of the screen. On that banner is Emeril waving to me and asking me to make sure and watch his show next. Sure this is annoying under normal circumstances, but when part of the show requires reading subtitles it's downright maddening.
The really annoying this is that they seem to do this most on show I love to watch. I mean this in two ways; 1) the show I'm watching is being covered by an ad with its own sound effects that interrupt the show and, 2) the ad itself is trying to get me to watch something I was planning to watch anyway!
At this level of advertisements, I believe that not only should TV be free, but they should pay me for my time.
Friday, September 24, 2004
Princess Diana of Wales, may she rest in peace.
For those of you who haven't heard, Princess Diana, loved the world over for her charm and charity has been killed. I should hope that everyone reading this would have heard, as it happened seven years ago. Good thing we know how to make money off the dead, eh?
Last night I came home after school, dinner/burger in hand, and switched on the TV. There's a ritual I perform where I run up a certain list of channels in a certain order to see what is on; Cartoon Network->History Channel->Discovery Channel->TLC->Comedy Central->Food Network. Always those channels, always that order. Three hops into my sequence, there was a special named "How Princess Diana Actually Died". Like watching an AT-ST about to step on an Ewok, I had to see what happened.
They took everything witnesses said and every consipracy theory that have been floating around and tested them with a panel of "experts". Listed below is what the police reports said happened:
Princess Di and her companion were unbuckled in the back seat of a Mercedes-Benz sedan. Their driver had bit to drink and was driving faster than normal in Paris, France. Upon entering one of Paris' many tunnels, the driver nearly ran right into the back of a Fiat Uno in the far right lane. He swerved and ended up only clipping the other vehicle, damaging the Fiat's rear-left brake light, and the Benz's front right driving light and leaving a white paint streak about 1.5 feet long on the Benz's front quarter panel. Di's driver, still steering to the left to avoid the Fiat, swerved back right to try and regain control, but instead caused the vehicle to nearly hit the Fiat again. He over-steered one more time to the left, and smashed the car at 65MPH into a concrete pillar in the tunnel. The driver of the Fiat was never identified and the vehicle never found.
Here are the opposing testimonies and theories:
People heard the sound of a bomb from the tunnel and not a crash.
The damage to the Benz was so extensive, no crash at only 65MPH could have caused it.
If a Mercedez-Benz at 65MPH clips a Fiat at 35MPH, it would obviously throw the Fiat into the tunnel wall, but it didn't which meant that this was a professional driver.
The Mercedez was facing the opposite direction in the tunnel and could not have fallen that way after a crash.
Panel of "experts" said; no way a crash can sound like a bomb, crash damage at 65MPH should not have crushed the car so badly, no possible way the Fiat could have NOT been thrown out its own lane.
The long and short of it was, through extensive computer simulation, driving range tests, crash tests, audio tests, and even a visit to the actual tunnel to recreate all of it, they proved that not only were all these things possible, they were also very likely (as in the same thing happened in every test). Each and every test proved more and more that the police report was most likely very accurate in its assesments and that the experts really had no idea what they were talking about. All this is happening while the narrator is saying "but we may never know what truly happened, and anything is a possibility."
While I usually applaud people's efforts to try and understand things themselves, and simply not accept what others tell them, I was really just disgusted with this thinly veiled attempt to cast doubt and suspicion on someone's tragic and ACCIDENTAL death. Princess Diana perhaps wasn't the most perfect person to live, but she WAS a very charitable figure who made sure people knew that she loved helping them. To try and make an entire program on it, be proven wrong, and STILL air it was both funny and sad to see.
Last night I came home after school, dinner/burger in hand, and switched on the TV. There's a ritual I perform where I run up a certain list of channels in a certain order to see what is on; Cartoon Network->History Channel->Discovery Channel->TLC->Comedy Central->Food Network. Always those channels, always that order. Three hops into my sequence, there was a special named "How Princess Diana Actually Died". Like watching an AT-ST about to step on an Ewok, I had to see what happened.
They took everything witnesses said and every consipracy theory that have been floating around and tested them with a panel of "experts". Listed below is what the police reports said happened:
Princess Di and her companion were unbuckled in the back seat of a Mercedes-Benz sedan. Their driver had bit to drink and was driving faster than normal in Paris, France. Upon entering one of Paris' many tunnels, the driver nearly ran right into the back of a Fiat Uno in the far right lane. He swerved and ended up only clipping the other vehicle, damaging the Fiat's rear-left brake light, and the Benz's front right driving light and leaving a white paint streak about 1.5 feet long on the Benz's front quarter panel. Di's driver, still steering to the left to avoid the Fiat, swerved back right to try and regain control, but instead caused the vehicle to nearly hit the Fiat again. He over-steered one more time to the left, and smashed the car at 65MPH into a concrete pillar in the tunnel. The driver of the Fiat was never identified and the vehicle never found.
Here are the opposing testimonies and theories:
People heard the sound of a bomb from the tunnel and not a crash.
The damage to the Benz was so extensive, no crash at only 65MPH could have caused it.
If a Mercedez-Benz at 65MPH clips a Fiat at 35MPH, it would obviously throw the Fiat into the tunnel wall, but it didn't which meant that this was a professional driver.
The Mercedez was facing the opposite direction in the tunnel and could not have fallen that way after a crash.
Panel of "experts" said; no way a crash can sound like a bomb, crash damage at 65MPH should not have crushed the car so badly, no possible way the Fiat could have NOT been thrown out its own lane.
The long and short of it was, through extensive computer simulation, driving range tests, crash tests, audio tests, and even a visit to the actual tunnel to recreate all of it, they proved that not only were all these things possible, they were also very likely (as in the same thing happened in every test). Each and every test proved more and more that the police report was most likely very accurate in its assesments and that the experts really had no idea what they were talking about. All this is happening while the narrator is saying "but we may never know what truly happened, and anything is a possibility."
While I usually applaud people's efforts to try and understand things themselves, and simply not accept what others tell them, I was really just disgusted with this thinly veiled attempt to cast doubt and suspicion on someone's tragic and ACCIDENTAL death. Princess Diana perhaps wasn't the most perfect person to live, but she WAS a very charitable figure who made sure people knew that she loved helping them. To try and make an entire program on it, be proven wrong, and STILL air it was both funny and sad to see.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Death to the Teddy-Bear Picnic!
So, in true marketing fashion, Lucas has released the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD today. While I still plan on getting the set (eventually), it is not lost on me exactly how much more money Lucas will be getting from this. A few years back, he re-released the original three on VHS with "Added Bonuses" which included a few extra frames here and there, some painfully inconsistent special effects, and a 20 minute interview with Lucas himself at the BEGINNING of EACH movie.
Though I generally don't agree with "remastering" a movie to such degree, there were some improvements made as well; namely the Ewok ending (or as Harrison Ford calls it, The Teddy Bear Picnic). I personally think the Rebel Alliance would have done just as well without the Ewoks, and resent Lucas for forcing them upon us.
However, in an effort to rectify this decision (and/or to make more money) coinciding with the new DVD release is a new game release called Star Wars: Battlefronts. While watching a commercial for this game last night, my opinion of it went from "Looks cool" to "Gotta get that!".
What does this have to do with my feelings towards Ewoks? How about the ability to blast them at random! (yay)
In the game, you can pick which side you wish to fight on and from there, go nuts. In this particular TV spot, they were showing things from the Empire's side, and there was a little Ewok in the sights of your sniper rifle. Yeah, I cheered. Yeah, Tine hit me.
The major problem with Ewoks is that they were never fully developed. They were there strictly for marketing stuffed animals to kids. When we are fist introduced to them, they are fierce flesh-eaters (remember? they were going to EAT Han and Luke). Sort of makes you look differently at that horrible Ewok movie, and the cartoon series it spawned.
It's the same story with Han Solo; when we are fist introduced to him, he outright kills Guido in cold-blood without so much as a flinch. Of course he does! He's a freakin' pirate!
So there you have it; the galaxy is in the hands of a ruthless smuggler, cannibalistic plush toys, and a kid with a sword.
Though I generally don't agree with "remastering" a movie to such degree, there were some improvements made as well; namely the Ewok ending (or as Harrison Ford calls it, The Teddy Bear Picnic). I personally think the Rebel Alliance would have done just as well without the Ewoks, and resent Lucas for forcing them upon us.
However, in an effort to rectify this decision (and/or to make more money) coinciding with the new DVD release is a new game release called Star Wars: Battlefronts. While watching a commercial for this game last night, my opinion of it went from "Looks cool" to "Gotta get that!".
What does this have to do with my feelings towards Ewoks? How about the ability to blast them at random! (yay)
In the game, you can pick which side you wish to fight on and from there, go nuts. In this particular TV spot, they were showing things from the Empire's side, and there was a little Ewok in the sights of your sniper rifle. Yeah, I cheered. Yeah, Tine hit me.
The major problem with Ewoks is that they were never fully developed. They were there strictly for marketing stuffed animals to kids. When we are fist introduced to them, they are fierce flesh-eaters (remember? they were going to EAT Han and Luke). Sort of makes you look differently at that horrible Ewok movie, and the cartoon series it spawned.
It's the same story with Han Solo; when we are fist introduced to him, he outright kills Guido in cold-blood without so much as a flinch. Of course he does! He's a freakin' pirate!
So there you have it; the galaxy is in the hands of a ruthless smuggler, cannibalistic plush toys, and a kid with a sword.
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Return of "The Blueberry Birds"
I think the title say enough there, don't you?
Well, my first test came and went without much ado. It took about 7 minutes to do. I was so worried that I had screwed up (as no one had yet finished) that I reworked all the questions three more times. After deciding they weren't going to get any more correct (or incorrect), I simply turned it in and left.
My "art" class has been fun. For my Fine Art credit, I'm taking basic metal sculpting. It's been alot of fun, as I love to work with my hands. Everytime I walk into the shop, I'm greeted with the smell of burnt metal and flux. It smells alot like the smoke that most firecrackers put off (makes sense since most of them use a type of metal to achive the different colors and effects), and always makes me happy . . . it's a guy thing I guess.
History has been murder on me. The instructor is really good and explains things very well, but he does so for an hour and a half straight. The class starts at 8:30 PM to make matters worse. I WOULD say my engineering classes are about the same, but I've been ditching those! Before you think I'm simply sluffing; they are self taught courses that simply teach me to use specific programs, then turn a text document with what I have learned from it. I saved all my lessons to disk and simply do them at work when it gets slow.
I recently won an auction on eBay which will become the first piece of hardware in the computer I'm building for myself; a 1995 Honda Civic heater core. Confused? The heater core will be put into my water-cooling set up that will cool all the hot componants in the system. Normally, you'd need a special radiator to do this, but those can cost $100+ and this cost me $0.99 instead. Robert says I'm insane for even thinking of putting a type of fluid inside my computer, but he said the same thing when I had to start the computer he was building with a screwdriver (it's safe . . . really!).
He, Andrew, and I are heading down to CES in January and I'm really excited for it! CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is a sort of 'geek Mecca' that is held in Las Vegas every year. Tine has given me the 'OK' to go and drool over all the new gadgets that are being developed and possibly released over the next year and I'm already giddy with excitement.
Talk to you all later!
Well, my first test came and went without much ado. It took about 7 minutes to do. I was so worried that I had screwed up (as no one had yet finished) that I reworked all the questions three more times. After deciding they weren't going to get any more correct (or incorrect), I simply turned it in and left.
My "art" class has been fun. For my Fine Art credit, I'm taking basic metal sculpting. It's been alot of fun, as I love to work with my hands. Everytime I walk into the shop, I'm greeted with the smell of burnt metal and flux. It smells alot like the smoke that most firecrackers put off (makes sense since most of them use a type of metal to achive the different colors and effects), and always makes me happy . . . it's a guy thing I guess.
History has been murder on me. The instructor is really good and explains things very well, but he does so for an hour and a half straight. The class starts at 8:30 PM to make matters worse. I WOULD say my engineering classes are about the same, but I've been ditching those! Before you think I'm simply sluffing; they are self taught courses that simply teach me to use specific programs, then turn a text document with what I have learned from it. I saved all my lessons to disk and simply do them at work when it gets slow.
I recently won an auction on eBay which will become the first piece of hardware in the computer I'm building for myself; a 1995 Honda Civic heater core. Confused? The heater core will be put into my water-cooling set up that will cool all the hot componants in the system. Normally, you'd need a special radiator to do this, but those can cost $100+ and this cost me $0.99 instead. Robert says I'm insane for even thinking of putting a type of fluid inside my computer, but he said the same thing when I had to start the computer he was building with a screwdriver (it's safe . . . really!).
He, Andrew, and I are heading down to CES in January and I'm really excited for it! CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is a sort of 'geek Mecca' that is held in Las Vegas every year. Tine has given me the 'OK' to go and drool over all the new gadgets that are being developed and possibly released over the next year and I'm already giddy with excitement.
Talk to you all later!
Monday, September 13, 2004
Not a bad weekend . . .
Well, even though I was pretty tired all weekend, I think we had alot of fun!
We went to Media Play Friday afternoon and picked up a movie that Tine had on hold. It was "Tuesdays With Morrie" with Hank Azaria and Jack Lemon (tear jerker). While there, though, my wonderful wife found the entire first season of Samurai Jack on sale and bought it for me! I consider this a major step in our relationship, as she is now able to accept my cartoon addictions.
We went to Media Play Friday afternoon and picked up a movie that Tine had on hold. It was "Tuesdays With Morrie" with Hank Azaria and Jack Lemon (tear jerker). While there, though, my wonderful wife found the entire first season of Samurai Jack on sale and bought it for me! I consider this a major step in our relationship, as she is now able to accept my cartoon addictions.
It's even gotten to the point where she watches Megas XLR (pop culture geek cartoon) with me!
Friday night we double dated with some friends, Robert and Debbi Parker. They've always been like a family to me, and it was realy nice to be able to go out with them. Robert and I were as polite as we could be and refrained from the xBox all evening and instead retired to the office to talk about his new router and try to configure Windows XP SP2 (not quite as seemless in its integration as one would hope).
Saturday we slept, and shopped, and slept. We went out again, this time just the two of us, to a nearby diner "The Midvale Mining Company". It was REALLY good, and REALLY cheap! Tine's meal was about $4.50 and mine came to only $5.00. When you consider the fact that the plates were twice the size of my head and stacked with food, it was really impressive!
Sunday was a nice and quiet day. We had church, and napped, and watched some TV, and napped. As we were going to bed a huge electrical storm rolled in. There was lightning and thunder everywhere, but the rain didn't come for another hour or so. It was sort of nice to stand out on the front "porch" and watch the rain coming down in buckets with the lightning and thunder.
I came in to kiss Tine good night, where she suddenly got scared and started smacking my head. Evidently, while I was outside, an Earwig decided to hitch a ride on me. In her assault, however, she did more damage to me than she did the bug, and knocked the thing somewhere in the room. We tore that room apart (we hate Earwigs) but never found it.
Well, a nice, restfull weekend is over and I am at work now. I have a test today in Math, and am not really looking forward to it. Wish me luck!
Friday, September 10, 2004
Goodbye window seat! :'(
Well, my work is moving me! I work for a company called Unisys that manages other companies IT departments. Many different industries have found it cheaper and more effective if they outsource their tech support and so our company picks up the department for them. Our location here takes care of 6 or so different help desks, of which I personally answer calls for three of them.
Originally, I was supposed to go and work for the City of Minneapolis Help Desk, but they decided I'd be better working for the GSA. The GSA (General Services Administration) is a branch of the government that takes care of awarding contracts, from fighter jets to toilet paper, to private contractors. Think of it as a reverse eBay!
The nice thing about it was that I didn't have to take many calls, and I was placed on the far side of the center where I overlook the Salt Lake City Airport's secondary runway. I have my own window and a large amount of space all to myself! The best thing about it was that no one really went over there much unless it was to talk to me or to get something out of the storage room near me. I also enjoyed ALL government holidays and the perks of working for/with the Federal Government.
But, alas, all things must change. I have been moved to the Marriott Hotel queue where I will be answering calls non-stop from people who can't read their screens or follow instructions. While this may or may not sound bad to most of you, the real kick in the teeth is the loss of my wonderful desk. I will instead be sitting in the exact center of the call center under a light that doesn't quite work right.
As today has been rather slow, I have taken the opportunity to move my stuff to the new desk and clear out the last person's belongings. Evidently the last occupant simply walked out one day many weeks ago. In going, he left four steno notebooks, three legal pads, 5 pens, $0.15, a package of Windex wipes, an Eddie Bauer bottle (with something growing inside), and a rather nice looking coffee container. While moving my filing cabinet in and his out (as it's easier than moving stuff by itself and changing the locks), it was discovered that the "very nice" coffee container's lid does not sit on top very tight AND contained five-week-old coffee.
I haven't drank coffee now in about 2 years, and after smelling that stuff spill all over the lower drawers, I don't think I could ever want to again! The cream that he had used has curdled, and the coffee itself has turned into some sort of vinegar-esque liquor. The odor has permeated the skin on my hands, and its now all I can smell.
On a positive note, I'm hoping to get out of here early so I can work in the computer lab at school early, so I can get home early, and Tine and I can actually have a date night! w0ot!
Originally, I was supposed to go and work for the City of Minneapolis Help Desk, but they decided I'd be better working for the GSA. The GSA (General Services Administration) is a branch of the government that takes care of awarding contracts, from fighter jets to toilet paper, to private contractors. Think of it as a reverse eBay!
The nice thing about it was that I didn't have to take many calls, and I was placed on the far side of the center where I overlook the Salt Lake City Airport's secondary runway. I have my own window and a large amount of space all to myself! The best thing about it was that no one really went over there much unless it was to talk to me or to get something out of the storage room near me. I also enjoyed ALL government holidays and the perks of working for/with the Federal Government.
But, alas, all things must change. I have been moved to the Marriott Hotel queue where I will be answering calls non-stop from people who can't read their screens or follow instructions. While this may or may not sound bad to most of you, the real kick in the teeth is the loss of my wonderful desk. I will instead be sitting in the exact center of the call center under a light that doesn't quite work right.
As today has been rather slow, I have taken the opportunity to move my stuff to the new desk and clear out the last person's belongings. Evidently the last occupant simply walked out one day many weeks ago. In going, he left four steno notebooks, three legal pads, 5 pens, $0.15, a package of Windex wipes, an Eddie Bauer bottle (with something growing inside), and a rather nice looking coffee container. While moving my filing cabinet in and his out (as it's easier than moving stuff by itself and changing the locks), it was discovered that the "very nice" coffee container's lid does not sit on top very tight AND contained five-week-old coffee.
I haven't drank coffee now in about 2 years, and after smelling that stuff spill all over the lower drawers, I don't think I could ever want to again! The cream that he had used has curdled, and the coffee itself has turned into some sort of vinegar-esque liquor. The odor has permeated the skin on my hands, and its now all I can smell.
On a positive note, I'm hoping to get out of here early so I can work in the computer lab at school early, so I can get home early, and Tine and I can actually have a date night! w0ot!
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
I hate birds
Well, Labor Day weekend came and went without much hub-bub. Tine and I slept alot (no, A LOT!) and pretty much spent the weekend in a daze. Her more than me, really. She's had this horrible sinus congestion for about a month and last week went into the doctor's to get some anti-biotics. I (in all my infinite wisdom) suggested she also take a Benadryl to help. 30 hours later, she was awake (sort of).
We DID get to see her parents and help them load the truck for their move to Tucson. Her dad has been offered a position there and will be working there for about a year. They are paying for his living, vehicle, cost of moving, and cost of travelling up here every few weeks! Not bad!
We also got to stop by our friends house, the Barker's. It was Roy's birthday and we got there just in time for cake. Shortly afterwards, we went to our freinds/family the Parker's. Debi and Tine sat down in their normal seats (Tine has claimed the rocker closest to the office as hers) and Robert and I tried to figure out an xbox game Andrew left him. It's ironic that the hardest games to master, and require the most skill and technique are sports games! After playing 3 horrible quarters in this NFL game, we were able to successfully complete a pass which later led to a 1st down!
As for the title of today's entry: Monday morning (1PM) we came out of our stupor and decided to run some errands. Upon coming out to the cars, we found the locals (animal life) had some fun of their own over the weekend. It seems that many of the birds in the area decided to binge on the little berries that grow next to our parking spots and then pass them directly onto our cars. Really, they hit Tine's car the worst, but mine had some splash-back. The passenger side of the Focus now has what I have dubbed "Machine-Gun Turds" about an inch in diameter and bright blue ALL over.
Anywho I've got some work to do, and since we slept for most the weekend, there isn't much else to write about! Laters!
We DID get to see her parents and help them load the truck for their move to Tucson. Her dad has been offered a position there and will be working there for about a year. They are paying for his living, vehicle, cost of moving, and cost of travelling up here every few weeks! Not bad!
We also got to stop by our friends house, the Barker's. It was Roy's birthday and we got there just in time for cake. Shortly afterwards, we went to our freinds/family the Parker's. Debi and Tine sat down in their normal seats (Tine has claimed the rocker closest to the office as hers) and Robert and I tried to figure out an xbox game Andrew left him. It's ironic that the hardest games to master, and require the most skill and technique are sports games! After playing 3 horrible quarters in this NFL game, we were able to successfully complete a pass which later led to a 1st down!
As for the title of today's entry: Monday morning (1PM) we came out of our stupor and decided to run some errands. Upon coming out to the cars, we found the locals (animal life) had some fun of their own over the weekend. It seems that many of the birds in the area decided to binge on the little berries that grow next to our parking spots and then pass them directly onto our cars. Really, they hit Tine's car the worst, but mine had some splash-back. The passenger side of the Focus now has what I have dubbed "Machine-Gun Turds" about an inch in diameter and bright blue ALL over.
Anywho I've got some work to do, and since we slept for most the weekend, there isn't much else to write about! Laters!
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Wow, my first blog.
Well, here I am. Everyone keeps telling me I should keep a journal, and while I realize this isn't the same, perhaps it will help get me started!
I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm 23, happily married, and of unknown ethnicity. Actually, I know what I am, as do many of my friends, but most people who see me just assume I'm some variant of Hispanic.
I recently re-started my college education, and am taking 5 classes this semester. It's been a tad stressing getting back into the habit of waking up for work at 5:30AM and getting home from school about 10PM, but I think I'm doing ok. If anything, I hope the physical and mental stress that long hours and homework exert will help me shed some excess weight. That way I can replace the idea of dieting with schoolwork, and people will stop telling me to go work out.
As the title of my blog suggests I am a geek. While this is becoming more and more of an acceptable term, some people still consider it funny that I should willingly call myself this. Thing is, being a geek is far more preferrable to being a nerd. Nerds have no social skills; geeks are just really "into" specific things. Some people call themselves "gear-heads" because they are really into engines or motorcycles. I just call them "car-geeks" (this seems to bother a friend of mine who is a mechanic). I don't really consider myself a full-out, hard core, "balls to the wall" geek when compared to those I know out there. I guess I'm more of a "jack-of-all-obsessions" geek instead.
To be perfectly honest, I don't really know what to put in here. So I will sign off until I can think of something more to contribute.
Laters!
I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm 23, happily married, and of unknown ethnicity. Actually, I know what I am, as do many of my friends, but most people who see me just assume I'm some variant of Hispanic.
I recently re-started my college education, and am taking 5 classes this semester. It's been a tad stressing getting back into the habit of waking up for work at 5:30AM and getting home from school about 10PM, but I think I'm doing ok. If anything, I hope the physical and mental stress that long hours and homework exert will help me shed some excess weight. That way I can replace the idea of dieting with schoolwork, and people will stop telling me to go work out.
As the title of my blog suggests I am a geek. While this is becoming more and more of an acceptable term, some people still consider it funny that I should willingly call myself this. Thing is, being a geek is far more preferrable to being a nerd. Nerds have no social skills; geeks are just really "into" specific things. Some people call themselves "gear-heads" because they are really into engines or motorcycles. I just call them "car-geeks" (this seems to bother a friend of mine who is a mechanic). I don't really consider myself a full-out, hard core, "balls to the wall" geek when compared to those I know out there. I guess I'm more of a "jack-of-all-obsessions" geek instead.
To be perfectly honest, I don't really know what to put in here. So I will sign off until I can think of something more to contribute.
Laters!
