Before heading off to whatever New Years Eve celebration you have planned, remember these immortal words of that most inspirational of bands, Sprung Monkey:
Party like a rockstar, kick a little ass!
Rock it like a pornstar, slap a little ass!
(see crazy money fantasy from Dude Where's my Car? if you have no idea what I am talking about)
SNL last weekend was hilarious because Justin Timberlake was the host and musical guest. This is his second time on the show and it rocked!! The funniest part was this video. It is hilarious!! I even put it in my Myspace.
Your tax dollars hard at work: Barney's Holiday Extravaganza
You know what's really scary about this video? I'm not 100% sure that Bush knows that the dog he is talking to ISN'T GOING TO RESPOND.
The Daily Show's version is way better: Barney's Holiday Extravaganza - The Daily Show Version
Side note: Notice that they never say the cat's name? There is a good reason for this. The cat's name is "India", which caused quite the little party in India a few years ago. Apparently some folks there don't like the President naming something that poops in the box, spits up fur, and could easily be punted 50 yards after their country.
The risks of ransacking a nativity scene (SFW)
I know I have a truly sick sense of humor because I laughed at this so hard a little Pepsi came out of my nose:)
 | Today our fluffy dog Bob is five! Yeah Bob! He grows more and more white hairs as he ages and now he has a little white soul patch under his chin! It is awesome!! |
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Detroit Free Press - Racy Green Oak mall displays stir up protests
Saw this on the news the other day and I just had to say something. I live within ten minutes of the mall mentioned in this article, so it caught my attention when a group of folks from one of the local churchs started protesting the display in the window of the mall's Victoria Secret.
I don't understand the concept of protesting against underwear displays. You seem to be implying that underwear of and by itself is somehow evil. Aren't you sort of giving the impression to young impressionable girls that they should avoid underwear altogether? Hey, if that is your message I'm all for it:) Maybe I'll show up this weekend with a big sign that reads, "Looking at underwear may make you sin. Avoid the temptation and don't wear any!" I bet the ladies from Holy Spirit would love that:)
Moreover, I don't understand what the big deal is about seeing women's underwear on a mannequin. Did someone walk by the store and think, "Oh my God look! You can see all the way to that mannequin's mold seam. Someone should do something about that!"
Trying to link seeing underwear in a store window with women's dignity is insane. Hey! If you want to wear granny panties all the time, that's your choice. Don't ruin it for the rest of us!
CNN: Mixed reaction to Cheney's daughter's pregnancy
For those unaware, the Vice President's daughter Mary Cheney announced Wednesday that she is pregnant. Normally that would be a huge press opportunity, with the expectant mother brought out into the Rose Garden so everyone can comment on her "glow" (whatever the f#%k that is. The only people I've ever seen glow are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and congratulate her for being so fertile and all that, not to mention trip over themselves telling the VP how to clean up baby spit-up off a Halliburton tie. What a wonderful picture...
Sadly, it's not to be. You see, the vice presidents daughter is...<looks around to make sure no one is listening and whispers>....gay.
That's right. A lesbian. A lesbo. A carpet-licker if you will.
So what would normally be an event that the press and white house would be positively wetting themselves over is now something that moral conservatives can comment on so they can appear even more heartless than usual. And as is always the case whenever anyone tries to defend why exactly gay couples shouldn't be allowed to love and marry like us straight folk, they resort to some truly horrible logic:
Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America described the pregnancy as "unconscionable" and said "It's very disappointing that a celebrity couple like this would deliberately bring into the world a child that will never have a father. They are encouraging people who don't have the advantages they have."
I see. So if you are a gay couple with connections and money, we don't think you getting pregnant is an issue. We are just concerned that you might convince some poorer, less connected lesbians to follow in your footsteps. We can't have that! Ah...right...
Focus on the Family's Carrie Gordon Earll had this gem to share: "Just because you can conceive a child outside a one-woman, one-man marriage doesn't mean it's a good idea. Love can't replace a mother and a father."
That's your logic? If you have to choose between two people being in love raising a child and two people who don't love each other but happen to have a different number of orifices, you would go with option B? Cause that's the way I read that sentence. I know I haven't been on this planet all that long, but I saw enough truly horrible parenting growing up that I know that simply putting a penis and vagina in the same house does not result in well-adjusted, happy children.
Because they will sometimes IM you things like this:
"Your code no longer doesn't not fail."
http://www.spraykondom.de/spraykondom/info01.php
(sorry, in German, but you get the idea)
rated T for teen (mildly nsfw due to condom shenanigans)
So, um... spray on condoms? Wow, that'll test your trust of latex rubber.
My super-powers include:
- consuming my weight in caffeine
- Starting 4 home projects around midnight and finishing nothing.
- Writing my best code between 1:00am and 3:00am.
- Sending out code updates at 3:30am and having them work the next day!
- Resisting the urge to make purchases of things sold at 4:00am on TV.
- Getting up 5 hours later and working again.
- Withstanding the mind-crushing pain of my caffeine withdrawal headache this morning with more caffeine.
CNN: First daughter's purse swiped, source said
Nice work there secret service guys. This is the crack squad defending our leaders?
FDA: Tamiflu patients need monitoring
The FDA is adding a new warning label to Tamiflu, a drug used to reduce the effects of the flu. The new labels warns to look for signs of "delirium, hallucinations and other unusual psychiatric behavior" in people taking the drug after more than 100 cases were reported in Japan.
Awesome!
So now in addition to feeling great because your flu symptoms have been significantly reduced, you get the added benefit of disconnecting from reality?!?!?! What more could I ask for from a drug? This would be like finding out that alchohol also reduces your chances of getting pregent. You can't ask for a better combo!
Ladies and gentlemen of the blogsphere rejoice. Eric is back with another "ramblings of the head" (tm) post!
<waits for thunderous applause to die down>
All the standard disclaimer apply. This is my thoughts and opinions alone. No one's elses. Get your own opinions you sheep:) If you are looking for funny or amusing you're reading the wrong post.
Sue doesn't label them as such, but she has managed to write the last couple rambling posts on our blog. And I've been secretly (why does that word not look right no matter how I spell it?) jealous of all the comments and rage her posts manage to bring out.
My turn.
I know I've brought this up with a few people, so I'm sorry that you have to read it here again. Don't think I'm attacking or picking on you in any way.
A while ago I wrote a post about things I regret doing in my life. What I found most interesting about that post was the reaction I got. Several people reacted something like this:
"Eric, you shouldn't regret the things you done. Don't carry all that baggage around. You're a good person. We all love you."
Each one told me some version of this. Different people emphasized different parts of that statement, but more or less that was everyone's reaction. In every case, I had the same thought:
<angry buzzer sounds> Ohhhhh I'm sorry. That answer is incorrect.
The point of that post was not to ask for forgiveness. It wasn't about disliking myself. Or about me feeling like my life would be better if I didn't regret these actions. Or thinking that I'm not a good person because of all these things I've done.
Everyone one of those thoughts was missing the point. Are you ready for the point? Ok here it is: Those regrets offer a window into me. The inner me. The me that thinks about the things he has done, wishes he could do them differently, then shrugs his shoulders and thinks that at least this regret means I have a chance at doing a better job in future.
That's why I carry this regret around. Because if I didn't, every one of those actions would be just as likely today as they were when I choose them on the first go around. I'm wiser now then I was at 17, but that wisdom was earned with this regret. I carry them with me to remind me of what could be every time I make a decision like that without thinking.
I don't WANT to lose my regrets. In some very important ways, they are who I am. Or at least who I aspire to be.
Sue : "You only take E when you need to and you need to!!" Dance for Life - Tiesto: Cause I am listening to it.
Sue : U of M foozeball sucks balls! Go OSU!
We are drunk! Absolut rocks out lives! Wow, I can't believe Sue knows how to spell Absolut.
Spinning in circles is not good when drunk.
WAIT!
Jay and Silent Bob rulez! Especially when drunk!
WAIT!
STOP TYPING WAIT!
Paul, you should write a drunk blog. Its easy! First you get drunk. Then you log into blogger. Then you type stuff.
Sue is blowing the dog's mind right now by rave dancing with her.
Sue : "Save this so that later Eric and I can shoot each other and f$%! like stoned test bunnies!"
Sue : According to Myspace, half of my high school class has lesbian tendencies. Guess I did not catch on to that train.
Me: Too bad.... Although Sue did mention that she would like to double team Eliza Dushku with me. WHICH IS AWESOME!
Sue: This cartoon RULES!!
When last joined our heroes, they were tied for first place against the evil Team B on the way to Mike's ranch house. And for this final installment, we bring you the magic of ....color photos! Yes, thanks to some tremendous advancements of science, for the first time you will be able to read AND SEE our heroes as they compete for glory!
Our heroes after winning the first event. As it was in ancient times, fake fur vests are worn by the team who won the last event.
VICTORY!
This is a continuation of my Cavemon Part I post from Monday. I would encourage you to read that first so you can be in the right state of mind for how much this morning hurt:
When we last joined our hero of this story, he had stumbled into bed thinking, "Fuck! We have cave'mon events tomorrow at 9:00am and I'll be lucky if I show up with both shoes on."
Dare I say, what a hook! I know you have all been waiting breathlessly for what sort of physical games developers dream up. Well, wait no longer!
Cave'mon Day 2!
7:00am - Cell phone rings. I wake up in a panic, assuming I've overslept and race for the phone. Its Sue calling me on the way home. Sue had assumed I would turn my phone off. Internally I think this is Karma punishing me for my actions last night. Two seconds after hanging the phone up I'm sound asleep again.
8:30am - Real wake up call. Oh god. The light! She burns my eyes! Seriously consider killing the man who invented the telephone ring.
9:00am - I've somehow made it to the lobby on time, where no one is looking all that happy. We are all staring at each other deciding on what if anything we should comment on from last night.
They have a breakfest bar. I curse it. Food and me are not on speaking terms at this point. Even that 20oz of Cola and I are arguing, but we stay together for the sake of the kids.
9:30am - Robot guy Mike arrives with a few more folks. Adam lends me some extra jogging pants he had because I all I brought are jeans. I send the rest of the day in another man's pants (and get a constant ribbing for it).
Mike has folks draw names to create teams for the events. I'm paired with my boss Steve. Just to set the picture, Steve is a pretty big guy (say 220 lbs) in his 40s. He's wearing one of those skin tight Under Armour shorts, a fleece, and a skin tight cap. The image of him in those shorts still haunts my dreams.
10:00am - Time for some events! All our events are designed so that the really athletic young guys don't have too much of an advantage over the 40 year old guys who's only exercise is chasing 9 year old children. We have a total of 5 teams. For each event we gave 5 points for first, 3 for second, and 1 for first.
First up is "wack a ball". Each team member hits a golf ball and whiffle ball off a tee. Farthest combined distance wins. However, the twist is that for golf, the ball is placed on top of one of those small traffic cones and for tee ball, the tee is set up for 5 year olds. Nothing like watching a guy who has a 1 under par average try to hit a golf ball that is raised up a foot off the ground instead of the usual 1/2 inch. We broke a LOT of cones:)
Steve has the longest golf drive by far, and I had the longest tee ball shot, so we easily win this event. 5 points for the good guys!
10:30am - Next event is a sort-of-cross between discus and the hammer toss. Mike had a tied a large ten lb weight to a 2 foot ski rope. You spun around however you wanted and threw the weight. We sucked at this event. Zero points.
11:00am - Next event is a relay event. Three cones set up in a triangle, each 60 feet apart. At each cone there is either a football, frisbee, or softball. You can't run with a ball, so you relay around the cones by throwing the balls back and forth until you pass the next cone. You then switch to the item at that cone. If you drop the ball, you both have to return the cone you are throwing from. First team with both guys around wins. Steve and I also won this event (mostly do to the fact that we never dropped a ball). 10 points for us now.
11:30am - Next is a wagon race (sort of). Same cone configuration. At the first cone is a wagon. Second has a dolly, and third a wheel barrel. And you had to switch puller and pullee at least once. We got trounced in this event (imagine me trying to pull a 220 guy in a wagon).
12:00pm - Time for a break from all this running. After a quick stop at the bar for some snacking (the really brave guys go for beer too. Beer and I are currently not friends due to something beer said about my mom last night), we switch to retarded bowling. Retarded bowling is just like regular bowling except you have to switch the hand you bowl with on every throw.
Its much, much harder then it sounds. First game I bowled a 68! I haven't bowled that low since I was 10. By the second game I had sort of figured it out and managed to throw a 128, which was enough to secure 3rd for us. I think it helped that I started drinking about half way through the first game. At the end of 5 events Steve and I are tied with another team for first place.
2:00pm - Lunch at Hooters (come on, are you really surprised?). This was the best Hooters I have ever been in if you are considering the quality of the ladies only. As always, the food was so-so.
A couple of models from their 2007 calendar were there signing copies. I have to admit that I've never seen a 6'2" blonde model in person. The effect was more intimidating then sexy:) 2 more beers and we are off to Mike's cabin.
I think this blog is already too long, so we'll have to wait and see if the dynamic duo of Steve and Eric can win it all next time!
The rich crazy robot guy I talked about a few posts ago held his annual "Cave'mon" event at his ranch in Texas this weekend and yours truly attended with about 8 guys from work, plus the guy’s brother and few local friends. It’s an annual event where we separate the men from the boys here in the developers group (which is the group I work for).
The details are a little hazy because I may have consumed my weight in alcohol and bar snacks this weekend, but the chronology went something like this. I’m only writing for Friday today. Saturday will have to wait for another post.
10:00am – Get a call from my boss and my buddy Adam that they are at the Northwest Lounge at the airport and already drinking. Adam claims the boss has already had 4:) I feel left out because I’m on a later flight, but let it slide.
6:00pm – Land in Dallas. Call Adam to get a ride to the hotel. They are already in the bar and he informs me he has had 13 drinks today since his last call. I’m going to have to do some catching up and get my own ride to the bar…
~7:00pm – There are 7 of us at the bar. I’ve had ½ a pitcher of beer (which I drank straight from the pitcher because we were low on cups), 2 Jager Bombs, and a jack and coke in the span of 15 minutes. Oh, and I haven’t eaten since noon. Buzz is going good.
~7:30pm – Head to Bone Daddies, a Hooters-like bar in Dallas. I ordered their Beer Can Chicken, which they describe as “slow smoked, whole marinated chicken, 'violated' with a beer can…”. See that part in bold? They aren’t kidding. They brought me a small chicken with a beer can shoved all the way into the ass end. Sort of like…actually, I can’t think of anything it is like. You can just barely see it in the upper right corner of the first image on this page if you are really curious.
We order some monstrous beers and continue drinking.
~7:45pm – On a dare, I ask the waitress her cup size. She lies. “D”. Yea right!
~9:00pm – Of course, someone insists we see some strippers. One of the guys knows a place nearby that is BYOB (in Texas you can either have all nude girls, or you can serve alcohol, but not both). After a quick stop to get rid of the one guy who can resist strippers (easy when you don't drink cheater!) and another at a gas station for some cheap beer, we are ready to see some naked ladies!
~10:00pm – This part's a bit of blur, but I will say this: If a few strippers find out that you have guys with you that think dropping $400 dollars in a night is no big deal, your table will get a LOT of attention. And apparently all those rules about not touching the strippers only apply if you are not giving out $20s like they’re M&Ms. In the next 3 1/2 hours, we 6 consume a bottle of Jager and at least 30 beers.
~10:15pm – Get first lap dance from my boss while he watches. That’s not uncomfortable. Nope, not at all. Moving on…
~12:00am – My boss Steve has disappeared with a stripper who was doing things I am pretty sure are illegal right in front of me. I have no idea where he is. I assume he is upstairs in the VIP room. I won't see him again until tomorrow morning.
~12:10am –A stripper is sitting on my lap telling me her life story despite the fact that I told her right when she sat down that I had no intention of getting a lap dance. Somehow she becomes less sexy when she tells me she has two kids and is NOT working her way through college. Come on hon! Keep up the fantasy for me just a little, all right?
~1:00am – A stripper starts making the rounds around our table who likes to twist nipples. And I mean TWIST! Fucken’a bitch! Who the fuck told you that was sexy? Cause its not! My nipples were still sore two days later. Somehow despite seeing her do it several times, we all fall victim to her.
~2:00am – Nipple twister feels bad for the pain inflicted (plus she’s just waiting for the guys with real money to return to the table), so she sits on my leg and decides to gives me advice on how to please a girl. I remember telling her "I don't need advice, I'm already the best lay you've ever met", but she tells me stuff anyways. For someone who like to twists nipples as hard as that crazy chick did, I was surprised that her answer to everything was be gentle.
~2:30am – We finally call it a night. I know we have dropped at least $600 in this place between the 7 guys we have out. And 2 of us only got one lap dance each at $20, so you do the math…
~2:45am – Get back to the hotel room. Adam asks me how to get to the stairs even though his room is on the ground floor. I stumbled into bed thinking, “Fuck! We have cave’mon events tomorrow at 9:00am and I’ll be lucky if I show up with both shoes on.”
Tomorrow: Separating the men from the boys with crazy events!
Some pics of our recent trip to Ithaca, NY to visit our great friends Paul and Sue. It was very pretty with all of the waterfalls. There were 3 or 4 huge waterfalls. The one place looked like something out of the Lord of the Rings. Very beautiful landscape!
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I am so glad that Granholm held her governorship in Michigan. Congrats to all of the Democrats that have won this election. We have the house! W00t! I am very happy that my vote counted this year. Go Americans, use your voting power and fight for truthiness!!
Use your right to vote and go do it. Don't just sit at home and let others make decisions for you! Vote or P. Diddy will hunt you down and blow your motherf#$in head off... :)
Be thankful that in a few short hours all of those damn political commercials will be done. Ahh, I can hear the silence now...
This is why people should talk in person. Typing does not show inflection or emotion. Thank you all for your comments, I really enjoy when people take the time to express their own thoughts. That is how people learn.
On that note, you all misread my blog. I am a nurse first and foremost and I most certainly would not deny anyone any care for any reason. I may think differently and may not agree but I still give the highest standard of care. I made that oath when I got into it. In the beginning of the last blog I stated that my job is challenging as far as ethics goes and there never is a right and wrong answer and that is why I love what I do! It is not easy saving lives and it really sucks when you know you can save someone and they won't let you, especially when you have patients down the hall that you have worked so hard to save to no avail. Nursing is challenging because it is very emotionally charged work but you cannot get too involved with each case because you would go crazy. I deal with death every single day! It can be really hard to watch people die constantly, feeling absolutely helpless sometimes, even with all of the technology you have at your fingertips. I constantly meet new people and learn about all kinds of cultures and religions. I do not have to believe and like every single one of them and I do not have to understand them. Every time a person dies I stop for a moment and silently shed a tear for that loss but then I have to move on and deal with the ones still living because they need me.
I do not believe I wrote about a double standard. Blood transfusions are not a technology and we do not consider it as such. They have done that since the 1800's. That is like fluid in hospitals. It is a natural medicine. And there is a big difference between 1)getting a blood transfusion to save your life with little or no side effects and a great life and 2)having a ventilator and manufactured, unnatural medicine to keep your heart and blood pressure going and not being able to move any of your extremities. With these comments aren't you carrying the double edged sword? Once again, the first example was being kept alive against her wishes since the daugher was calling the shots. The second lady was doing everything she wanted which is fine. My point was why even have a surgery at all that more than likely will require a large blood transfusion and go through all of that if you will not have the transfusions? Why even use medicine at all? Why is using anesthetic, scapels, ventilators (all manufactured, unnatural things) acceptable and yet the most natural thing BLOOD is not accepted? I just do not get it and I do not understand why Jehovah's witnesses believe this. I am not religious that is who I am.
I am not religious. That is my right. It does not mean I am a bad person. I think rationally first and that is just how I am programmed. It also does not mean that I will hate you because of your religion. I have had friends that were Jehovah's witnesses, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. I like learning about all of them. I just wonder with so many ones out there, how come some people think there's is the best and only? Religion just seems to bring out the worst in people some times and they do not think with their brain. How many wars have there been with religion as the cause? How many people have died just because someone thought they had the wrong religion and killed them?
What does my vehicle have to do with this? This was a religious topic!! I bought a car with my beliefs! Deal. It looks good and I like Ford, I am a Michigander what is wrong with that? Mustangs look good and we do not drive it everyday anyway. For 6 months it will sit in the garage since it is not a snow car. It is a fun car. We work hard and earned it. The Mustang is an icon and we wanted to own one for the historical value and the hotness. Get over it. I will never own a foreign car! In Michigan that is just what you believe.
Hello all. My new job has been going great and I love it but it does challenge me and my ethical beliefs constantly and it makes me a better person. A university hospital is very technologically advanced and sometimes this technology saves lives but sometimes it seems like why are we keeping this person alive with this technology. We had one lady that was in the ICU for 4 months and she did not want any of what we were doing and the nurses knew it but the one daughter of hers that had the power of attorney wanted to do whatever possible to keep her alive due to guilt on her part. Last week the family finally decided enough was enough after 2 months of convincing by the medical team. They drove her home to die. We were thrilled since we knew that was what the patient wanted. That kind of thing happens everyday, when is enough, enough?
Last week though there was a situation that just angered me. I was not the nurse but the patient was near to where I was working that day. It was a woman in her 40's to 50's who had her spleen removed, a very routine surgery that most people recover from very quickly. The thing is that it is a bloody surgery so you usually loose a good amount and so you need several units of blood reinfused via donation. Her surgery went well but she did loose a substantial amount of blood. The kicker was that she was a Jehovah's witness and refused any blood transfusions period. We gave her all the blood that she had donated prior to the surgery which was not much and we gave her all of the non-blood products we could to give her volume but to no use. About 2 hours after she got out of surgery her blood pressure and heart rate just kept falling and she died. How dumb is that? She would have easily lived with a couple of units of blood. You just cannot manufacture something as good as human blood. It just made me angry that someone let there religious beliefs kill them like that. Religion is not worth your own life. I wish people would realize this. I would not have been able to take care of this lady because I would want to be yelling at her and saying why are you so damn stupid even though she was unconscious and on good drugs. Unfortunately you cannot change people's beliefs no matter how farfetched they are. Jehovah's witness is one of the religions I will never understand. After she died I just thought: What a waste of time and resources on our parts. She had a $20,000 surgery for no reason basically. I wish she would have weighed the goods and bads and would have not had the surgery to begin with. I really hate how religion runs people's lives sometimes. It is all fake people and you are just using it as a crutch so as to not face your real life and problems!! Get over it!
Update: Of course I would never ever say this to a patient but I would be thinking it. I would give every patient I have the very best care regardless of their color religion or beliefs.
Update: As a nurse you have to know your boundries and what you believe and sometimes you have to take yourself out of the situations where you have a strong belief. That was the point of this blog. Nursing is hard and there are a lot of big issues that arise.
I'm in Wisconsin again this week. I've been working like a dog here. Its been 13 hour days everyday so far this week. I swear my boss is a robot. Seriously! The dude never seems to need to eat or sleep. I swear he only eats because his overlord master programmed him to do so to fit in. And sleep is probably just him standing in the corner conserving battery juice while his finger is in a light socket.
Maybe I'm just bitter because the guy is in his late 30s and has about $25 million to his name.
Maybe.
Sue and I went and saw The Departed on Thursday. Fantastic movie. If you like dramas at all or if you have liked even one movie with Jack Nicholson, go see this movie. It's one of the best movies Sue and I have seen all year.
Happy birthday baby! Eric is another year older yesterday! We were in the state of New York all weekend so I did not get to post a blog for him. We will post later about the weekend hopefully with the help of some pics from Paul and Sue so that we can do Ithaca justice. Leave a comment and wish Eric a happy birthday all! It makes him happy when there are comments...
Opening Credits: Sugar We're Going Down - Fall out boy (Remix)
Wakin Up: Tango de Roxanne - Mounlin Rouge
First day of school: Leaving on a Jet plane - Jefferson Airplane
Fallin in love: After her (original Satellite) - Dave Matthews Band
Fight song: If I Had it All - Dave Matthews Band
Breaking up: Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Prom: Spotlight - Dave Matthews Band
Life: I've got the Power -Snap (Coyote Ugly soundtrack)
Mental Breakdown: Cry Freedom - Dave Matthews Band
Driving: Tourniquet- Evanescence
Flashback: Goodbye Love - Rent
Getting back together: Happy New Year - Rent
Wedding: My world - Avril Lavigne
Birth of a child: Things I'll never say - Avril Lavigne
Final battle: Possesion - Ferry Corsten
Death Scene: Beer Barrel Polka - Welk, Lawrence and Floren, Myron
Funeral Song: Sweet Emotion - Fog Hat
End Credits: Sometimes I Wake Up Crying - Dixie Chicks
...what would the soundtrack be? (Thanks to R for the idea. I'll go one better and include a link to hear it in iTunes if you have it installed.)
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...
Opening Credits: Violent Femmes - Gone Daddy Gone
Waking Up: Bob Seger - Against the Wind (wrong artist, but close enough)
First Day At School: Ferry Corsten - Are You Ready
Falling In Love: Marilyn Manson - Dope Show
Fight Song: Fall Out Boy - 7 Minutes in Heaven
Breaking Up: Stabbing Westward - Breathe You In
Prom: Fall Out Boy - Music or the Misery (no link...weird)
Life: Garth Brooks - To Make You Feel You Love Me
Mental Breakdown: Michelle Branch / Santana - Game Of Love
Driving: KMC Kru - The Devil Came Up to Michigan (local group from my middle school days I think, so no luck with the link. But this song is awesome!)
Flashback: Rent - Seasons Of Love
Getting Back Together: Eric Prydz Vs Retarded Funk Remix - Call On Me
Wedding: Alice Cooper - Poison
Birth of Child: Dave Matthews Band - When The World Ends
Final Battle: Plumb - Better
Death Scene: Rent - Finale
Funeral Song: Elton John - Rocket Man
End Credits: Dave Matthews Band - I'll Back You Up
I swear I did not cheat (ok, except when a song that belongs to Sue only that I want no claim to came up. Those were skipped. Otherwise there would have been way more chick rock in there.).
Certainly amusing. Poison for my Wedding song? That can't be good. And When the World Ends for Birth of Child is a little, well, depressing. But hey, you can't knock any list that starts with the Violent Femmes:)
Last night Eric and I drove down to Detroit to our favorite club, The Bleu Room Experience, to see Ferry Corsten my favorite DJ of all time! It was awesome!! He rocked. Saturday night we found out he was in Detroit on Sunday so we just said, "Oh hell ya, we are going!" and we did. I worked Friday and Saturday night so we didn't have much of a weekend and this just made up for that ;) The DJ that opened for Ferry was a Detroit guy named Kenneth Thomas who has toured with Oakenfold and Van Dyk as well. He kicked ass too! He did a remix of Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars and it was great! I love that song to begin with. We bought his disc at the end and it is great. With Glow sticks in hand we danced hard from 10:00 pm until 2:00 am and I did it in 3 inch heels! Go me! I found some multi-colored glow sticks at Target for a buck so I was excited to try them out! The colors did not show as well as I hoped but they were just a buck ;) Eric and I knew we were having fun because everyone kept asking us if we had extra drugs to share and we were like no, this is just us. Of course I had a little alcohol to help me. Our new philosophy is to party as if we are high! It is the only way to go.
Because she says things like, and I didn't make this one up, "Sometimes you just have to model through it."
Grab the torch from under the bed. We'll stop at Home Depot for a pitchfork on the way.
The Ohio State vs Michigan State game was ugly today. Part of it was injuries, part of it was stupid mental errors early, but mostly it was just Ohio State was so much better than the Spartans. In nearly ever position, Ohio State was just bigger, faster, and stronger. I was bitter that this game was such a blow out, but at least this was a game where at the end of 60 minutes I didn't think we should have won (unlike say Notre Dame and Illinois).
I'm not sure if that should make me feel better or worse.
Dilbert has their yearly weasel poll up at http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/shop/html/weasel_poll_2006.html.
Here's my votes:
Weaseliest Pundit/Reporter?
Got to go with Bill O'Reilly on this one. If the catagory was biggest windbag on TV, he would also win oddly enough.
Weaseliest Industry?
Tough call. Pharmaceuticals wins I think ("I've patented a gene! I didn't create it or design it, but its mine!"). But I could easily be persuaded that Health Insurance or Corn Growers would fit the bill.
Weaseliest Company?
Fox News I guess. Fair and Balanced my ass!
Weaseliest Politician?
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Iranian President) - "We're not making nuclear weapons, I swear. Pay no attention to all that crap we bought from Pakistan in the 80s and 90s. That was just scientific curiousity. Really! Death to America."
Weaseliest Celebrity?
Mel "I'm not anti-Semitic you f-ing Jew" Gibson
Weaseliest Sports Person?
Barry "Steriods? What are those? If you say I took any I will kill every reporter in this room!" Bonds
Weaseliest Organization?
Republican Party - "They were just overly-friendly emails. Friendly is usually considered good, so overly friendly must be really good, right?"
Weaseliest Country?
Venezuela - I hate all you American pigs. Please buy my oil!
CNN.com - Canada troops battle 10-foot Afghan marijuana plants
Best line from this article:
"A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those forests did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action," Hiller said dryly.
Slashdot.org had a link to an article about a vest that can hug you: New vest offers wearer a portable hug.
I don't know how to tell these engineers this, but that is not a hug. Hugs involve the extra morale boast of noting that an actual human will let you get close enough to touch them with at least your arms. Not "five air bladders [in] what looks like a puffy winter vest." By that logic, those water wing things that kids wear are mini hugs:)
A mini hug
The weather up here is great. It is just right again. I am so happy to be able to experience fall again. It is cool and all of the leaves are changing and falling. Football just is not the same when it is 80 degrees out. Tailgating is better in the cool weather. Halloween is better in the cold. To top it off, this Friday the forcast is for possible snow, a high of 38 and low of 29. I almost cried I was so happy! I love it. Now I need to toughen up, the south made me a wuss in the cold. Here are some fun Michigan things to that I got in an email:
-If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Michigan .
-If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Pellston is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Michigan.
-If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Michigan .
-If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year, you might live in Michigan.
-If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Michigan.
-If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in Michigan.
-If you have worn shorts and a coat at the same time, you might live in Michigan.
-If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might live in Michigan .
-If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Michigan.
- Part 2 - You know you're a true MICHIGANIAN when............
1. "Vacation" means going up north on I-75.
2. You measure distance in hours.
3. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.
4. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.
5. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.
6. You see people wearing camouflage at social events.
7. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
8. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them.
9. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
10. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
11. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction.
12. You can identify a southern or eastern accent.
13. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce.
14. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.
15. Down South to you means Ohio
16. A brat is something you eat.
17. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn.
18. You go out to fish fry every Friday.
19. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.
20. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.
21. You find zero degrees "a little chilly."
22 You drink pop and bake with soda.
23. Your doctor tells you to drink Vernors and you know it's not medicine.
24. You know what a Yooper is.
25. You think owning a Honda is Un-American.
26. You know that UP is a place, not a direction.
27. You know it's possible to live in a thumb.
28. You understand that when visiting Detroit, the best thing to wear is a Kevlar vest.
I cried a little in Target today. They already have Christmas decorations out for purchase:( All I can say is: Bah Hum Bug. Sue and I (ok, mostly Sue) just put out Halloween decorations this weekend!
I think my depression reached its peak when I noted the fact that the Halloween decorations and the Christmas decorations are both for sale at the same time at Target. One holiday at a time please. I know they all help you get me to buy useless crap, but still. Pace yourself people!
I was perusing the news and I finally found something to write about. As I now work in one of the most liberal cities in the country (a huge change from my last job), Ann Arbor, MI, I found this article on CNN very amusing and fun: Marijuana may stave off Alzheimer's Ann Arbor is known for the Hash bash and as I have just learned while researching this that "Ann Arbor has very lenient laws regarding the possession of marijuana - a $25 fine and a simple civil infraction rather than a misdemeanor or felony." I wasn't even drug tested pre job because the city doesn't believe in it. Not that I am a frequent smoker, I don't think that people should be sent to prison for Marijuana smoking. So all you smokers out there, here is another good reason to continue the fun. Who knew THC prevented acetylcholine from breaking down. I guess that all of the Amsterdam people will be clear as a bell when they are old.
I've been an unstoppable programming machine the last two days, even ignoring the fact that I accidentally deleted a day's worth of work yesterday. By the way, when you are getting rid of a folder of older code that you no longer need, be sure you have the older folder selected before you do a delete. Or, at least make sure you have not disabled the recycle bin. Or even, and I know this one is just plain crazy, read what the delete prompt actually says before you hit yes.
I came to a another realization yesterday. I mentioned eariler this week that I don't seem to be able to concentrate for long periods at all lately. But after the last few days I realize my problem is not that I have not been able to focus. The problem was I just didn't have enough to do. I need 8 hours of actual work to do or I tend to wander around the interweb a lot. These last two days I have been working 12 hours a day because...wait for it...yes...I'm SO close...DON'T STOP WITH YOUR SEXY ELLIPSES...YES....I had work to do!
And not that crappy, "write a spec for this product work, e-mail it to everyone, and get sign-off from all the major parties" bull shit work. Actual down to the bare metal, "I don't need no stinking OS to help me link functions, I LoadLibrary and GetProcAddress biatch" coding! Fuck ya. Bring that shit on!
God I'm a nerd. Self-love rambling like this raise the interesting question of how the hell did I ever get an actual woman to stay around me long enough to realize how awesome I am in bed? Or even let me hang out at second base long enough to let me figure out how to be good in bed in the first place? It is a mystry for the ages...
I just cannot seem to get together enough thought and time to create blogs lately. Come to think of it, I don't seem to be able to concentrate for long periods at all lately. Today was the first day in a while where I turned off my computer at the end of the day and thought, "I fucking showed that code who is boss today!" And of course I then worked 12 hours just to make up for some of my slower days.
I think it's my sleep. Or more correctly my lack there of. With Sue working nights, I'm like a cranky 3-year old that has been up way past bed time. I know that I'm tired. I know I should go to bed. But I stay up andwander around the internet or late night TV. Just because sleep seems like time when I'm doing things less fun than I could be doing otherwise. That debatable by the way. Have you seen the shit that on TV at one in the morning? Although I am thinking of getting a muscle shocker of some kind. I can't decide if I want to shock my abs, ass, or just strap it right to my forehead.
I am crabby and unable to concentrate at all right now. Did any of this make sense? Who knows. Might as well ask me to calc the first hundred digits of pi and eat a pie at the same time. Just not possible:)
Anyone have a topic they would like me to ramble on about? I have a lot of time on my hands all alone. And I'm not the WoW junkie I once was, so that can't cover it all. I don't care what. Personal, political, philosophy, mocking, news, whatever. I'm in. I'll commit. I'm a comment slut. Wait, where did that last one come from?
From YouTube - Small Talk
I can't decide if this is safe for work or not. On the one hand, nothing sexual actually occurs and no clothes are removed at any time. On the other hand, I could imagine some weird stares if someone walked in while you were watching it... Your call.
Sue's at work right now.
I'm bored.
Really bored.
But not tired.
Damn it, this sucks.
Entertain me computer!
Bah...
I was in San Diego this week for work, and I have to tell you that I am sorely tempted to pack all my stuff up and migrate to this city. Nice does not begin to describe this place. The weather has lived up the reputation while I have been here; ever day is sunny and 80. The bay is beautiful. We were staying in the valley, which is an interesting blend of beautiful scenery and fantastic, tasteful looking housing (even when you only get to view it from a car driving through it). Last night I had probably the best prime rib and best merlot I have ever had in my life in a restaurant directly on the bay. Did I mention I get paid to do this? :)
Kirk Cameron...what the heck are you thinking?
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/
Listening to these two prattle on really makes me wonder how the human race even survived this long. Each of the three videos annoy me in different ways (at least the first few minutes anyways. I couldn't make it all the way through any of them):
1) Ah, the classic neo-conservative fear tactic: "You and all your family members, friends, and coworkers are all going to burn in hell unless you do what we say is the ONE TRUE FAITH!"
2) Summary: "Hi, I'm Kirk Cameron. I'm an actor with no background in science, but I can claim with 100% certainity why intellegent design is right and evolution is completely wrong." Just STFU and get back to doing what you do best: sappy, over the top sitcoms.
3)I think this one may in fact be the worst of them all. Summary: "Logic and reason prevent you from believing. If you are using them in your life, then you are clearly living in sin and you are going to die". I don't think I even need a punch line for this one, do I?
I have no problem with faith. Really, I don't. I think its greater that you can look at something and see something higher. That part I'm fine with. Its this whole "My god is the right one and everyone else is going to Hell if they don't follow the exact rules my God laid out. Your life would be just perfect if only you see that" bull that I immediately rejcet.
Sigh...Where's that bottle of 151 again?? I need to get intoxicated to get the taste of this out of my mouth.
Good way to start your Monday morning (SFW):
http://www.jonathancoulton.com/lyrics/code-monkey
Today in the news there was a very sad story, Steve Irwin, the Croc Hunter, was killed. At least he died doing what he loved, doing animal conservationism. I was a big fan of the Croc hunter as many people know. I wanted to go to Australia to his zoo! I know that many people made fun of him over the past years ecspecially because he wasn't afraid to show his children animals close up but screw them. He was a cool guy and he would be an awesome dad. I will miss his fun shows on crocs and other animals...
What is our world coming to when this drivel is listed as one of the top stories on the front page of CNN?
Jessica Simpson's voice cracks during 'Today' act
Holy crap I don't care. I DON'T CARE! YOU HEAR ME BOOBS IN CHARGE OF CNN NEWS?!?! YOU HAVE OFFENDED ME WITH THIS USELESS DRIVEL FOR THE LAST TIME! I SMITE YOU! I SMITE YOU ALL!
A good old friend of mine from high school sent me the link below via myspace (funny how I just whined about how much myspace sucks Wednesday and here I am getting blog inspiration from it. Such is the way this crazy life works).
The Advertising Slogan Generator
Enter your first name in the box on this page and hit submit. Mine came out as:
"It Needn't Be Hell With Eric."
I've been lazy writing posts lately. No, its true. Don't try to deny it. What about that post from yesterday you say? A prime example of my laziness. I wrote that almost 4 months ago and was too lazy to finish editing it until about 2 weeks ago. Then I was just too chicken to post it for a while there.
I know all you readers (all 4 of you) depend on me for funny commentary on the news and I know I've let you down. I'll try to do better. Really!
Ok, so here is another thought I know I have shared with a few of you but I thought I would expound in blog form:
How the fuck did a site as ugly as myspace.com become the end-all/be-all of social networking sites? Seriously! Most of these sites look like a 12 year old put them togeth... Look, that's not the point. The point is that they are ugly. And I swear the interface of myspace was deliberately designed to create these ugly web pages. Lets start with the fact that in order to change your page layout, you place the CSS/HTML to modify your page in one of your "interests" field. No templates to choose from. No special field to accept your page altering HTML. Just a note that reads, "put it anywhere. Its not like we care if your page looks like a team of retarded badgers got together and tried to imagine what color combinations would cause your eyes to actually explode out of your head while simultaneously trying to see how many videos of guys getting hit in the nuts one IE window can display at the same time. Just keep getting the girls to post a steady stream of soft-porn images of themselves and the guys to make comments that assure everyone that they will never get laid and we have a gold mine." (example 1, example 2....you get the idea.)
I have a myspace page. Its solely so people I have not talked to in ten years can send me a message saying we should get together. Which I will probably ignore due to either disliking the person to begin with or because I forget about it for a month or so and now it's too awkward to call.
Perhaps this is just another sign that I am getting old. Bah. I SAY BAH! And turn down that crap you call music! Darn kids...
WARNING: This post is the cynic in me talking more than anything. It’s probably going to piss you off by the time you get to the end. Please take a few seconds and breathe before you write a comment.
So I was reading this article by some pompous software engineer about how the mythical programming man-month is a complete joke (he's right FYI), when I came across his claim that the statement "All men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence was derived from an older proverb: "All men are created equal but by practice grow apart"
I never knew this. And the fact that I didn’t leads me to a completely new rambling:
I’m torn between liberal and conservative in a lot of ways. On the one hand, I’m a big social liberal. Gun control (to a point), abortion (to a point), environmental protections, free speech, gay rights – I’m for them all. But…
Sometimes I think that some of the other liberal ideals are driving us towards are society of completely brain dead drones. Schools are a good example of what I'm talking about: We try so hard to make sure no one feels “dumb” or “slower” than the other students. We don’t reward personal accomplishment; we hide it in the name of keeping everything “fair”. We tell everyone they’re “special” without having to do anything.
Some people have to try harder to accomplish the same thing. So? Why is that such a horrible secret that we now hide it our children?
More than anything else, the conservative idea that we need to take personal responsibility for our actions rings true with me. I think that is a large part the problems our society faces these days stem from the fact that no one takes any responsibly for the things they do. It’s always "someone else’s fault". We are all a victim of something (parents, society, the government, whatever). You know what I mean:
“I'm an alcoholic because my father was an alcoholic”
“I abuse my children because I was abused as a child”
Bull shit. You do those things because you choose to do those things. Take the first one: Don’t give me this shit that you're an alcoholic because your father was an alcoholic. You drink because you want to drink. Ever time I hear someone say that alcoholism is a disease I want to whack them upside the head with a beer bottle. To me, alcoholism is when you (key word here) make the choice every day to drink instead of making the more difficult choice of dealing with whatever problem you are drowning with alcohol. That’s the problem with this idea that you are not at fault. You suddenly feel no guilt for taking the easy choice and continuing your poor habit.
And yes, I see some of my habits as this same choice. I don't deny it, but I don't blame anyone else either. I know my bad habits are my own. And I'm ok with that.
If you went to high school with me and want to see what some of those folks look like ten years later (or you didn't and just want to see what sorts of people I went to high school with and a few pictures showing what a sexy bitch I am in black pants and a nice shirt), Angie has some pictures from the reunion up on her myspace page.
Sue and I attended my ten year high school reunion on Saturday. Lots of interesting emotions ran through my head even before we arrived: fear, self-loathing, nervous dancing, anticipation, joy. Sue can attest to the fact that I was so nervous that morning that I was feeling nauseous.
Anyways, the reunion turned out to be really great. There was about an hour in the beginning where Sue and I were sort of by ourselves; not really mingling nor being mingled with. Part of the problem was that the folks who showed up were heavily skewed to the popular crowd; Not exactly my posse in high school. Luckily, our organizer had the brilliant idea that each meal should include two free drink tickets. Once I had a few in me, I was more than capable of mingling, dancing, and joking with people I had not seen in ten years! Special thanks to Chris & Jenny for offering up their tickets. I’m so much more laid back with 6 Jack & Cokes in me as opposed to a mere 3:)
Name tags are definitely a must at an event like this, although I was really surprised how many names I could pull out of the air even ten years later. One of the amusing jokes we had all night related to the fact that, in addition to placing each alumni’s high school picture on their name badge, our organizer decided to place the alumni‘s picture on their guests name badge as well. This of course led to the rather amusing thought that if you see a guest by themselves, you could never be sure if they were really a guest or if that alumni just had a LOT of surgery and a first name change (not that we would judge or anything…)
I have a bunch more comments about this, but for now I think I should get back to work. More to come tomorrow!
Here's a couple of really interesting links of folks who basically say that what those crazy brits were up to would have almost never brought down a plane. I keep telling everyone I meet about them, so I thought it only fair that I should let others read them:) All of these links are safe for work.
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/200608/msg00087.html
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/08/14/tatp_about_that_pyro.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/17/flying_toilet_terror_labs/
Given the number of ex-chemical engineers and bio majors that read this blog, I'm really curious what you guys think of these articles.
We had our new car decaled today and it looks even hotter! Take a looky! We named her Sally and we are both in love....
We finally traded in the Jeep and gots us a 2007 Mustang GT!! Mmm Mustang!! It is hot! I am so excited and I must say that I have the best husband in the world for buying it for me. It is a delayed birthday/congrats on the new job/thanks for putting up with Alabama gift. V8 engine...mmm /drool. We ordered a black stripe which will be added later. We had to wait for the stripe to come in. It purrs like a kitten. It makes me hot just thinking about it ;)
So, I have been at my new nursing job for about a month now. The first week was all just the hospital orientation for all nurses. After that I actually got to go to the unit and work with another nurse for unit orientation where I actually got to take care of patients! For those of you that do not know, I am working on the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at U of M Hospital in Ann Arbor. U of M hospital is one of the best hospitals in the nation and is currently number 12 overall and is in the top 25 in the various specialties in US News and World Reports best hospitals issue, so I have quite the ego now because of the prestige that comes with this institution. Our unit specializes in transplants and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) which is something that acts as an outside lung to oxygenate the blood for people with failed hearts and lungs. It can be used while waiting for a new organ or just to give the organs a rest. The MD that used to be the director of our unit and just retired, Dr. Bob Bartlett, invented ecmo. That is pretty cool. Additionally, the EKG was invetnted at U of M hospital so there is a lot of history of medical excellence here! ECMO is a specialized nursing thing that you have to work up too like continuos dialysis (CRRT) which are two things I plan on working up to.
The one thing that I have to get used to is all of the med students, there are a lot of them and they are mostly cute men. I get shy around cute men so I have to work on that. I also had to join a nursing union for the state ($589 a year) which I was handed a 2 inch thick rule book for. Eric and I also cannot have babies for at least 2 years if I want to get paid maternity leave and I want to keep my job. I could in 1 year with the federal law that lets you keep your job for children for a small amount of time and I would still get benefits paid. You would think that a hospital would understand maternity and that they would not call it short term disability! Oh well, that sounds good to me. We can save all of the money I am making now and go on a few more trips before babies come.
I also have to get used to seeing all of the dark blue with the big yellow M's on them. I went to Michigan State University, so it is weird to see our rival colors everywhere. I bought an MSU scrub top, MSU pens and I have an MSU license plate :) This new job has made me realize how childish college rivalries are, ecspecially when some person is a die hard fan and they never went to the school. I don't get why people get so crazy and freaky when the two schools play sports. Here we live in a state with two great universities and we should be rooting for both and their strengths. Fuck sports! Football never saved a persons life or invented a great new cancer drug, which both schools have done with the research they have done. I am officially a fan of both schools and I plan on buying some U of M tops to wear to work and I will wear them proudly;) (Thus concludes my rant...)
Last Friday I had my first almost code. In basic CPR and in nursing you are always taught to remember your abc's, meaning airway, breating and cardio. These go in the order of importance. You need an airway in order to breath and if you do not have breathing, no sense in helping the heart if the blood is not being oxygenated. Anyways, my preceptor and I had a patient with a very delicate airway and was on a ventilator. Let's just say that the airway was lost because her trachea collapsed so I saw her oxygenation numbers dropping and they finally had to slice open her neck and give her a tracheostomy. They started it there at the bedside to get her air and then we had to rush her to the Operating Room. It was very exciting and my adrenaline was pumping. I was new so I just ran for things the docs needed. It all worked out in the end though and she made it through. I love the ICU!!
I bought Sue a treadmill for her birthday, which I have been using to run 2 miles everyday. Today was the first day I notice that my stomach is just a smidgen tighter. Sweetness! And that’s not the only dividend: Let’s just say that Sue noticed a difference in my stamina;)
My eventual goal is to get back to being able to run a mile in under 8 minutes like I could in high school. I’m at roughly ten minutes right now, so still a ways off. Previous runners, any ideas on how I should be structuring these runs? Currently I pretty much just run at the same comfortable speed until my sides are burning, then I walk until it stops. Repeat until I get to two miles. I have to imagine there is a better system out there.
Little piece of advice for the male readers: Do NOT buy your woman a treadmill (or any piece of exercise equipment for that matter) unless she specifically asks for it. Sue came in the door on her birthday from work, saw the treadmill, and decided to screw with me by blurting out, "What are you saying? You think I'm FAT?!?!?!". I'm sure she wishes she had a picture of that deer in headlights moment:) Lucky for me she then immediately laughed and reminded me that she had been asking for one for months. Otherwise it is entirely possible I would still be standing there with my brain stuck in neutral trying to think of anything to say :)
I forgot I had not posted these pics before.
Update: Added 6 more pictures from another roll of film.
Random little stuff:
1) I just finished Steven D. Levitt's and Stephen J. Dubner's Freakonomics, which is a really fascinating book about using economic theory to tease out all sorts of interesting facts about the world around us. If you get a chance, I would highly recommend it.
2) Man, I just love the news coverage of Mel Gibson. The guy tells a cop, "F---ing Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Then the next day in a statement he says, "There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-Semitic remark." Great! So if I decide to refer to you as a prick and think you are an evil, evil man, it'll be ok with you? Thanks!
And then having the balls to say "'I am not an anti-Semite". Really? Cause I am almost certain that the definition of anti-semite is when you say things like, "F---ing Jews". What an Ass hole.
So, this is a funny picture and a fun story (no surprise, but alcohol was involved)
Sue and I were bored last Saturday night (after seeing Wicked, the cool musical in NYC that afternoon), so we decided to go to our Gym's member appreciation party to sate our love of free food. The theme was Mardi Gras and it was supposed to be at the outdoor pool, but somehow it ended up being in their basketball court (way too prom-like depressing, if you ask me). We get there and are pleased to find open bar for beer and wine, but mostly depressing older people packed in to the space. The DJ is predictably lame, so we decide to slam one or two, get some dinner and get out of there. Semi-cool is the person on stilts with long pants who is making balloon hats and animals for the adults (no kids allowed at party). After her second glass of wine, Sue suggests we get some hats before leaving. I'm a bit buzzed too, so I agree and ask the balloon lady to make me "anything w/ horns, viking, devil, bull, I don't care." (wanted to say, "I'm horny tonight," but didn't want to make the hired entertainer uncomfortable). She gives me a contemptuous look, but goes ahead w/ her version of a viking hat (below). Sue asks for whatever she wants to make and gets a cool twisty snork (remember the snorks!?) thing.
We proceed to get many compliments from party goers on our hats, even though I keep hitting ppl cause my damn horns stick straight out to the side (Sidenote: 10 min later the DJ plays the lame electric slide, but the highlight was seeing the chick in stilts doing it too!)
We ditch the party and decide to go to blockbuster and have "Hot chicks kick ass movie night" renting Aeon Flux (a'ight) and Ultraviolet (bit lame), but wear the hats inside the store. Made the clerk laugh and that was worth it enough for me.
In life, you have to make your own fun (but not your own balloon hats)
ps - as an added bonus, feel free to make this a "caption this picture contest" =)
pps - note the chic plastic stars sue stuck on her temples she got from the party
I received the following spam email today. It was amusing enough that I felt the need to share:
One of our agents has been trying to contact you regarding your home.We have some awesome news. Although it has taken some time, our agent havefound 0 companys that are able to r e f i n a n c e for you.
Good lord I am drunk. I'm in bed at the hotel watching something on some channel that is really funny. I really wish I knew what channel I was watching and what time it is. The show is about the fact that chicks do not like being called a cunt. And in a way that is completely beyond me, they are making it really funny:)
I'M DRUNK!
They just said what channel I am on: HBO. And the show is Lucky Louie. Just so everyone knows, that show is hilarious!
Drinking with the boss is awesome. Gambling with the boss, not so much. I lost a bunch at some Indian casino here in Wausau.
I'm too drunk to write a good rambling blog.
JACK DANIELS! GOOD!
Fox news is depressing. Time to change the channel back to something fun.
Nothing on worth watching. I give up. Time to give up and go to sleep. Sorry for the lack of any point.
Apparently my egotistical rantings about how you either are great at software programming or not was not just my ego talking. According to this PHD paper, a group of researchers have come up with pretty simple test that can weed out the (and I swear their PHD paper actually includes this line), "programming sheep from non-programming goats."
Basically, they decided that there are three models that people need to be able to conceptualize:
They claim that even good programmers have great difficultly getting a good model of concurrency (which I will attest is one of the most difficult concepts to wrap your head around in CS). But they also claim that simply testing students for a mental model of assignment and sequence before they ever see a single programming book is an excellent predictor of CS aptitude. For example, this is the very first question on their test:
Read the following statements and tick the box next to the correct answer.
int a = 10;
int b = 20;
a = b;
The new values of a and b are:
[ ] a = 20 b = 0
[ ] a = 20 b = 20
[ ] a = 0 b = 10
[ ] a = 10 b = 10
[ ] a = 30 b = 20
[ ] a = 30 b = 0
[ ] a = 10 b = 30
[ ] a = 0 b = 30
[ ] a = 10 b = 20
[ ] a = 20 b = 10
As someone who does this for a living, I have trouble believing anyone could get this wrong (the correct answer is (2) by the way). Yet when these UK researchers ran their students through a set of questions like this, fully 39% would fail the test. 39%! And weirdly the things you would expect to affect this, like overall intelligence, GPA, or access to computers has absolutely no effect on this number! Its almost like the good programmers are different not because we are smarter, but because we have a natural ability at creating consistent models of machine logic. Moreover, this number appeared to the researchers to be very difficult to move. Even after 3 weeks of tutoring, "there is very little movement from consistent to inconsistent". That is, either you have a consistent model of assignment, or it is very likely you will never have one!
Ok, all well and good so far. But it begs several questions
Sue and I hate cleaning. We hate it with a passion. So anything that can help us reduce the number of times we have to clean anything in the house is just plain awesome in our book. Enter our newest bathroom contraption:
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