Yes they Can

For some reason several streets in DC were shut down. I only saw the one by the metro stop. My coworkers were talking this morning about having to add to the already crowded metro if they can't drive to work.

I blame the new president and his borrowed slogan from WWII. Can they shut down the city streets like thier plead for statehood?

Yes they can.

I got a good laugh when I chimed into the conversation.

Space Buster!

Awesome! I love my iPod Touch.

While waiting for network access at my new job, I played these free games to help pass the time. I started playing again the other day. I only had a few levels left.

Not sure if it knew I almost won or if they pushed out new free levels, but they did and it has been fun.

I need a life. Lately I've spent a lot of time learning SharePoint - which is arguably work related.

Stole lunch today

As I half heartily listen to this free audio book on music from the 60s, I often find myself wondering who really would enjoy this book. I know I'm one that passively pursues music. There are a bunch of songs and artists I like. Had I an iPod or satellite radio when I was a kid, would I have spent my grade money on tapes or CDs?

I stole some tapes once. My stupidity got us caught.

I also felt somewhat uncomfortable with all the sound waves going through me. I thought it was silly to see people go crazy while listening to stuff even though, in private, I do the same.

Anyway, possibly all that and because I found it a waste of time to find a good song on the radio, are other factors to why I'm no fan boy.

More on today

Spent lunch with a guy friend. It was fun to swap stories.

Learned that Tim Burton is directing a future Pixar film. Well, it's not for the next one called Up.

Went on a long walk while ever listening to information.

Tech notes

I saw a Duracell memory card today. It always fascinates me to see "new" products.

I think it is time for me to "recycle" my many passwords. Well, probably just those not in the Password Safe. And change my non secure default password. I guess it is bad form to comment on security policy changes.

Anyway, listened to TWIT live on the free iPhone app. I also watched my first video podcast. I admit the other month I went to YouTube for the fist time ever. Well, I have seen videos played by others from that site... Or clicked on links sent me.

So many other new stuff to tell. Actually I lost my train of thought. ;)

Oh yeah, no more CAPTCHA on these posts?

I laugh when I hear people get bent out of shape because a site is not designed to thief liking or something changes on the site. I guess I'm just used to changes. Besides, what can I do about it? Crying about it doesn't help.

I also detest direction from upper management to make "new" applications look and act like previous versions when there are more intuitve or even standard ways to do things then the original designs. I wonder who's inteligence should be insulted.

Good start and finish

Was up early and ready for Church at 8am. Talked with old and new friends. It was all good.

More or less waited around the rest of the day. Ate, played with new aps on Touchy, got home taught, talked to my mom, watched a dumb movie, and searched for a ride to a party.

Finally, the ride came! The party was fun.

Oh nuts, Redskins lost

I was hoping they would beet the Cowboys. Just because. Glad I didn't bet on that.

Went to a Horse race the other day. I never went to one before. It was kind of intense on how much data there is to analyze to make an educated bet. So, needless to say, I just bet on what a friend bet on. Oh well, I figure I have spent $10 total on gambling stuff(Slots, horse race, scratch and win.)

I want to try roulette one day. I don't think I have patients for power ball. I'd buy a ticket, but I don't see myself checking if my numbers won.

Football week

Feel asleep during the Gators game on Saturday. My team, the Colts, won on Sunday. The Redskins are ahead right now. The Utes play on Thursday.

Almost sold my vote for $20. Never got the money... so holding out for more would have been pointless.

Burrito Joynt tomorrow!

Stool sample gets a laugh

Last weekend I picked up a novelty item in West Virginia. It was a little plastic jar with a mini, wooden, three legged stool inside. I almost died laughing. I thought my mom would like it so I bought it for her birthday.

Before sending it, I thought my Dad would like it better so I got my Mom a nice card instead.

My Dad opened the package and laughed. My mom, who was on the phone had to find out what was so funny. When she saw it, she laughed too. My Grandma, wanted to know too, so it was explained over the phone and she also laughed.

Stool hedge CPU

Picked up a stool sample the other day. It was a mini three legged, wooden stool in a bottle. I thought it was funny.

My metro hedge purchase ran out. Well, the $600 worth of metrorail credit is all but used up. I bought it off a friend who left the area for half the price. He probably got it for free, but oh well.

My CPU utilization is under 80%, but just barely. I'm downloading podcasts but this is ridiculous!

Power Grid game

I played this game with some friends. It was rather fun, although we only played a few rounds due to time restraints. I thought it was interesting some plants are fueled by trash. I never thought about that before. If that is true, I'll be more happy to throw stuff away.

Anyway, I could not help to wonder why one guy was so anxious to hang out with us. Looks like he came straight from work as did I, but he recently got married and seemed in no hurry to get home. I guess hr needed to get away for a time.

I'm not much of a game person. I usually loose, so it's no fun. Well, like this game Acquire, I think it was called, I thought I did pretty well. At the end however, turns out i did not do as well as I thought. So, to me, the journey was better than the end result.

Tales from the Pit

"Dang Developers." cursed the ugly, friendless Overlord. "I give them a week, they take a month."

Never having learned the rule of thumb to double time expectations instead of dividing them, it was obvious the beast was upset. Not to mention that it expected everyone to cancel vacations, holidays, weekends, and spend 60+ hours a week in the pit like it does.

"Should have done by now."

The slave driver was of no help. It barely knew anything about the tasks it dished out. The position of slave driving was pretty much self proclaimed because of seniority or time spent in the pit.

The old days of throwing crap at a web site and praying it works are gone. Or should be anyway. It's no wonder they are in the mess they are in with rewrites. The underlying database needs serious architecture work. Any redesign on a shotty foundation is risky at best.

It is supposed that in time one gets numb to the lack of best practices. One should kneel and say "Yes Master. I will take a dump on this web page and pray it works."

Risk taking

I need to live it up, and I try.

Jumped on a segway for two hours. Thoght I'd wreck at least once. Almost did 3 or 4 times.

Looking at going kyacking. Rafting, conuing, and even ride a jet ski freaked me out. Looking back on it, I'm glad I did it. I also want to go hang gliding and parachuting.

Thrown under a bus

All these silly phrases I keep hearing. Silly for the use of the term and the reason to use it. Real professional no doubt. Maybe they should just stay out of the street.

Anyway, I'm not looking forward to going back to work. I had too much fun in DisneyWorld. It was fun to watch my parents go from one place to another without consulting a map. If i ever lead an expedition, I'd stumble around and have fun but I might not get the same adventure... obviously.

Anyway, best time of year to go. I think the longest we ever waited was 20 minutes. And that was probably for lunch. I'll have to post some fun stuff that went on.

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.

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.

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.

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.