Rain is no fun

Actually it was relaxing. It 'forced' me to relax. So much I want to do. Maybe tomorrow.

Things are going pretty well. Ask me next week after I find out how much, as a tax payer, I have to pay up to help out all the selfish, overspeculating son's of ... Just give me the keys to the house.

And what is up with this stupid keyboard. It jams up. It's hard to type. Why can't it just read my thoughts?

Ride like a dog

Poor management decision. Bad for morale. Bad for development of good, manageable code.

Did some XML serialization. It was pretty slick. My bridge rocks and is half the size and more efficient than the formally purposes one.

Two more days and I go on a long vacation. No computers.

Miss MJ yet?

I almost listened to all of the All About Books online archive. I'll need to subscribe to new content or get some of the books they talked about. With my Shuffle, I have yet to use up all the space. Touchy is far from being filled.

Well, only 4 more works days for the week. I've already got plans for the weekend et al. Need to find a book for my niece. We were talking about books via email. She 7! Smart kid.

Anyway, I should go. Minimize computer time; it's easier on the wrist and what not. My eyes seem to be getting worse too. That's old age for ya? Maybe I should file for workman's comp?

Bouncing computers

What the heck does that mean? Computers don't bounce, but I know someone who insists on using that term. Probably to sound like he knows everything and is too cool to use the normal term to reboot a computer.

Anyway, all the bouncing will not bring copy and paste to the iPod Touch/iPhone. It is a much needed feature. But like Mr. Bounce, Jobs/Apple is too cool to be normal.

How about the new Microsoft commercials? I never saw the Seinfield ones, but I heard they were rather entertaining if not anything else. I guess the point was to get people to talk about Microsoft or Vista anyway.

Harddrive issues

It's almost painful on the ears to hear all the problems the Harddrive has. Most of the time it's not around,other times my podcasts drown out the noise. At other times I get so involved in what I am doing I block out all sounds.

Started playing with the new Visual Studio. I seriously wonder who really uses XAML or Linq? Pronounced Zammel and link.

Anyway, I need to go. Just wanted to post something.

Boots in the sand

Conected to the house wi-fi and posting from Touchy. That is what I call my new toy. Hard to type on this thing.

Work extra hours?

Oh goody, can I? Um, no thanks. What little social life I do have, I'm going to enjoy it. Besides, they worry too much and I'm prepared for the royal screw job.

For some reason, my boss thinks I bill the client directly. Meaning my hours worked go straight to the the client. I'm salary and work for a stupid company. If the company can't bill the client if I decide to go on vacation that is their problem not mine.

I can't convert the plethora of sick time to paid time off because, as stated above, I work for a cheap, stupid company. They don't even contribute to the 401k; however I do get cheesy gift cards every now and then.

Yesterday, in wake of the bad news I here about in the US alone, I started to feel like it was OK that the small company I work for can't afford all the cool benefits I got from OAK. But my Boss enjoys his armada of cars, his fancy plantation home, and what ever else he's got that could have been put to better use... like matching on the 401k.

Education is important

Many moons ago I decided that after I graduated with my BS degree, I should find a way to keep educating myself. OK, that isn't all that true. I can recall being education minded for a long time but especially in high school. I figured that if I waited to be taught what I was interested in, it would never happen.

So at some point, I decided to start investing in training materials such as CDs, books and videos. I even allocated a $100/month for it. I think I always had an MSDN magazine subscription -- which has grown to become quite the library.

Once I enrolled in the ACM organization, I stopped buying books. I figured it was easier to use their online books -- which gets updated constantly -- than to buy and store the books in my room. Now, it is more a matter of taking time to read up on new stuff.

Beauty and the Beast: New Analysis

I observed this couple the other day. I kept looking back because the woman was very attractive. I wondered that if it were possible, would I real want someone in my face for hours on end like some love sick, purring cat?

I thought the tale of Bell and the Beast. It is not really a tale of a beauty falling in love but more of an example of the Stockholm Syndrome.

So, unless I take prisoners or hostages, I should not hope there is a beauty out there for me. If an tale relates to me, it's the Notre dame one or Moe from the Simpsons.

Haptic toy

I wanted a new PDA so I bought a "used" iPod Touch. I'm having trouble connecting to the wireless at the house, but I am picking up the neighbor's. I did not want to connect to my laptop, but to recharge it, it had to be connected via USB. D'oh!

Oh well. I got it a bit cheaper than I would have paid for a new one. Not sure how much she used it or what. I know she used it because it had/has some stuff on it. The ear phones have not been used - which is good. I like the ear phones I got with me free iPod.

Well, it is pretty hot out. Glad I bought the AC unit. I got my laundry done while I played with my new toy. I don't plan to take it many places. I did not want the phone bit because I have killed too many smart phones!

One big circle?

I guess it wasn't quite a circle that I travelled today, but it was fun. The original plan was to go to a ward EQ football/BBQ, but when I learned it was canceled, I took off to play Frisbee. To my great pleasure, there were people playing flag football!

After that was over I went to check on this river cruise voucher I had. On the way to the waterfront in Alexandria, I checked on my old grill that I plan to use tommorrow while the new owner is away. Of course, I got permission.

Anyway, I stumbled across an art sale in the street before the waterfront. I wasn't expecting to get on a boat, but I had no other plans, so I took the cruise to Georgetown. Amazing,I made more connections. I'd been to a couple locations before but gad not mapped them so close together. I even literally climbed a bunch of stairs to the castle thing on the campus.

I had a couple fruit smoothies in route and bought this guy's CD at the art sale thing. I liked the songs, but wondered how much in royalties and such he probably has to pay to rerecord other's songs.

Thought the Beasty left

It is that time of year again. I wish I was there at Camp Greentop. I went to go watch a movie. It was funny. A good get-away for the most part. Then I come home and my hopes for a peaceful weekend seems dim.

It's bad enough I know it exists. I don't need constant reminders.

I was going to fry up some burgers at the house, now it looks like I will use the grill I sold while those guys are at Greentop. I told them I would. It just seems more of a hassle.

Chicago calls?

I feel out of touch with an old friend who lives there. There was just too many weird encounters: I was ready to leave the day I hung out with him, his daughter was as honest as kids are, I met his sister and I guess he freaked out. Oh well?

Anyway, I was approached about a job there recently. I turned it down but I wonder if I'll ever go back to visit or what not. They guy told me to contact him if I changed my mind.

I just watched a rather silly movie called Michael. I watched the scenes of the city at normal speed. I recalled a lot from my brief visit back in March. If I saw it all, how can I go back when there is so much to see here?

Maybe I should go to another big city. Dallas or something. I love Texans, although it's almost like a bug's attraction to a zapper.

Dang Google

Ok, this CAPTCHA is getting out of hand. It took 6 tries on the last post. I forgot to put Labels! I'm not going to edit it.

Doing links get messed up too. The RSS date is messed up. What's next?

Pentagon Memorial Dedication

I went to it early this morning. It was rather interesting. I admit I was not emotionally attached as most of the people were. I did not know any of 184 people.

I thought I say a friend a couple benches in front of me. I called after him, but I guess he did not hear me. I called his phone and of course he did not answer. I tried to get to him afterwards, but some guy in uniform asked me to take his picture then hold his video camera while he said goodbye to family or friends.

It was quite the shock to me that the President was there. I thought it was awkward that Rumsfeld was there.I mean, I wonder if there was any hard feelings after being "canned" by the President and with the new guy, Secretary Gates... all together on stage.

Guided evolution and LHC

I just thought it was interesting what TWIT said about the new game called Spore. It made me think about what I always thought, evolution of ideas not so much of automatic adaptation or spontaneous sprouting of appendages.

When I logged in this morning the Google image was that of the LHC project. They are trying to recreate the Big Bang on a small scale. I'm curious about the outcome, but somewhat leary anything will come of it.

I have not read into it. I only heard that the project existed. One day I shall look into it in depth. Right now, I'm just bookmarking I guess.

NFL 2008 Picks

Can the Patriots do without Tom Brady? My team, the Colts, lose to the Bears? Giants won over the Redskins, but who could not?

A lot of people I talked to said to watch the Steelers. So watch, I will. Maybe my team will still do well.

If I had a TV and extra time, I might watch for real. When I say watch, I mean check the scores and standings Monday or Tuesday mornings.

Learning new stuff

Wow, already I have been able to get on a soapbox of sorts and share what info I have gleaned from the podcasts i listen to. I was bummed however that Audible did not have the book The House the Rockefellers built. Well, I did not see it.

Speaking of seeing, I'm not the only blind one. I had a housemate drop me off and it felt like we barely got there. We did a couple U-turns and I was let out at the wrong house. Oh well, the right house was a couple doors down.

I had a few ideas for this blog, but of course I forget. So, I just dribble on.

Here's a funny one. I had the missionaries mop part of the floor. They asked if they could do anything for me when they stopped by yesterday.

Thanks for coming

So, I decided to go check out Fort Totten on my own. I could not get anyone to go with me. Well, there was not much there but it was educational I guess.

On the way home, I stopped by a friend's house who was not home. I turned down an invite to hang out and watch TV so i could get home to eat. One Costco size syrup bottle hit the floor and exploded!

After finally cleaning up the spill, I ate something. Should have stayed and watched TV? Did not want tto bug them for a ride home. I was lucky to catch a bus home.

Les Misérables, rain, and what not

I went and saw the musical last night. it sprinkled most of the time. We had lawn seating. I liked the music and all, but I liked the movie better. I want to watch it again.

I went running in the rain this morning. I did not want to play Frisbee in the mud. If it was not raining, I'd go to this Open House at this local theatre.

A roommate got up after I went running. Not sure why he doesn't like me much. I guess the thought I wanted a ride to Frisbee. Oh well, whatever.

Evacuation results

I wanted to get the quote right that I heard on a podcast. I thought I heard a governor of one of the East coast line states say, as a way of warning his own people, that in the off chance they will need to evacuate in the coming weeks. He said "it was stupid to demand to be returned to an area that you were evacuated from."

I can think of a few reason's why LA resident's would demand to be let back in to a place where there was litle or no power and other potential hazards. We are not dealing with the Nation's best and brightest, a lot of them only know government hand outs, and it would give then a poor reason to whine about how the government is doing enough.

Well, hope fully Ike and the others will not hit coast. Especially when I plan on going to DisneyWorld here in a few weeks! Assumption of risk?

Buy low and books

I found a good book podcast. The first one I tried was lame because it was like a reading from the author. Just tell mr about the book and why I might be interested in it. This Nebraska podcast is great.

Last night I spent time online trying to buy loser ETFs and mutual funds. I think I was successful in trading (in my IRA account) some winning shares of a disciplined equity fund with some real estate fund. I figure in a few years the real estate fund will go up because it is down now.

Once I figure out how to get my brokerage account working, I want to buy more losers. I'm still working on rolling over an old 401k. I just tire of filling out forms. Especially when I'm not sure what I'm filling out.

Fall podcasts

What is the point of recording traffic in a podcast? I guess WTOP just records off the radio at certain times.

Summer is over. It has been getting darker every morning, but it is back in the 90's when I leave work. I should go running in the morning from now on. What excuse can I use then?

Well, the work week is almost half done! I can't wait for another weekend. I want to try to set some stuff up for next weekend.

Youth in Asia

I did not want to be the first to bring it up, so I have to say I heard a financial analyst say that the debate of the 21st century will not be about abortion but about Euthanasia. That was what came to mind when I saw the movie IOUSA and how Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will take down this country. And people complain so much about the Iraq war - which is only a small fraction of the problem.

Anyway, in the July 4th podcast, Ric quoted the New York Times about how programs for the elderly are already being cut because of rising gas prices. Meals on Wheels cut back to meal delivery every other day.

If/When I become a burden, financialy or otherwise, I'd rather die. Especially, if I knew I was a burden.

Awesome day

Well, at Ultimate I met a bunch of new people and was invited to a BBQ. I went to that one instead of going to the one I found on Facebook. I'm glad I did, it was a good one.

It was a BYOM, so I grabbed two patties from the store. I watched the guy grill them and told him to [ull them off when I thought they looked done. i don't like crispy burgers. The burgers were very big and juicy.

There were many fun people to meet and to talk too. I felt bad when I talked to the host and she said we had meet before. I assume most people know me, so i rarely introduce myself.

Facebook saves the day

I found a BBQ! That was close. I thought I was going to go all weekend without one. Yesterday was incredibly boring. Well, there were some good moments.

I could have gone to a party way out in Maryland. I saw way out because it just seems like it is way out there. I could have easily gotten there I suppose.

Well, I need to get out and play this morning. Not the biggest fan of Ultimate Frisbee but it is something to do and be with some people i know.

Get out of New Orleans

Is it worth evacuating everyone every time there is a hurricane? I guess I should rephrase, is it worth trying to move back if there is a good chance you will be evacuated again in a couple years?

Let the ocean reclaim the land and Let's move on already. I thought New Orleans was a dirty city when I visited aver 10 years ago. I'm glad i'm not there now.

I was thinking about that. Back in 2003 when I was applying for jobs all over the country,I did apply for a couple jobs in the Big Easy. Not that I was close to getting that job, I'm just glad i did not.