tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87618452024-03-13T22:42:45.855-07:00Life On A Pacific Island___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-71023110471909044882007-02-16T05:54:00.000-08:002007-02-16T20:08:16.203-08:00Not Quite the World's Oldest ProfessionIt turns out that the providing tech support is an older profession than I thought. Check out this YouTube clip to see what I mean:
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-84450620256411577602007-02-03T14:42:00.000-08:002007-02-03T14:43:31.249-08:00Last Potter Book Goes on Pre-OrderGet your copy of the new Harry Potter book pre-ordered now!
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-32591156378829729462007-02-01T19:59:00.000-08:002007-02-01T20:12:53.694-08:00PvP Gets motionOne of my favorite web based comic strips, PvPOnline has launched an animated cartoon series.
Check out the sample that creator Scott Kurtz posted on YouTube.
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-16790233811164171872007-01-15T17:43:00.000-08:002007-01-15T17:51:16.867-08:00Wizard for HireSunday starts a whole new season for many of my favorite shows; Heros, BSG more. But it also marks the debut of a new show on Sci-Fi called The Dresdin Files.
Harry Dresdin is the only acutal wizard listed in the Chicago phonebook. He doesn't wear a pointy hat; he doesn't do kids' parties and he doesn't have a long white beard. What he does do is solve the mysteries that have slipped in to ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1168747210318306612007-01-13T20:00:00.000-08:002007-01-14T19:34:31.155-08:00This Is An Ex-Parrot!I have decided to join a growing group on the nouveau chic on the web of ex-bloggers. I just don't have enough discipline to update on a regular basis so I've decided to revert to just having a web presence and not call it a blog per se.
In marketing I think they call it "rebranding".
The goal here is to take the self imposed stress of not updating often enough off of me.
So what is going to___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1164847661147295982006-11-29T16:48:00.000-08:002006-11-29T16:47:41.150-08:00NaNoWriMo Finished!
51,140 words. That is the final count for my attempt at this year's National Novel Writing Month. That counts as a win. It's not a finished novel and it will probably go sit in the bottom of a desk drawer, never to see the light of day every again. However there are a few good bits that I plan to pull out and hope to buff up in to some passable short stories for submission to publication.
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1164845567440200692006-11-20T13:00:00.000-08:002006-11-29T16:12:47.486-08:00NaNoWriMo Update #2
It's now two thirds of the way through National Novel Writing Month and I'm happy to report that my word count is just shy of 45K. Validation at the website begins on the 25th and I hope to use our holiday road trip to Portland to round out the word count if not the actual word count.
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1163554985359463072006-11-14T17:42:00.000-08:002006-11-14T17:50:04.126-08:00Half Way ThereNational Novel Writing Month is hours away from the half way point and I just finished word #29,299. That means 20,701 words to go. The writing is a little easier this year, having do it once before, but it's still an effort.___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1162843334183917592006-11-02T06:08:00.000-08:002006-11-06T12:02:14.866-08:00King Holding Court
One of the perks of my current job is that Starbucks is on the book, music and speaker promo tour circuit. When an author, band or some other notable's publicist is booking their talent on various television shows, morning radio programs and other speaking engagements the corporate office for Starbucks is on the list. I'm sure that there are also forces at work within the company that place ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1161836395347929122006-10-25T21:19:00.000-07:002006-10-25T21:21:16.426-07:00Micro Epics
While getting as many words on the page will be my goal for next month, I came across this link to a Wired story about epics written in six words or less.
Here a few of my favorites:
Dinosaurs return. Want their oil back.
- David Brin
He read his obituary with confusion.
- Steven Meretzky
Automobile warranty expires. So does engine.
- Stan Lee
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1161832127017985882006-10-25T15:13:00.000-07:002006-10-25T20:08:47.063-07:00Not Lance Armstrong
I am not Lance Armstrong. In fact I can't begin to count the ways that I'm not Lance Armstrong. However, I might have got a glimpse in to his life recently.
As I've noted below we are coming up on NaNoWriMo 2007 This will be my second time for this writing marathon. And like any marathon I've been training for the event; upping my daily word count and tossing around characters ideas to ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1160706703183785272006-10-12T18:49:00.000-07:002006-10-12T19:31:43.183-07:00NaNoWriMo 2006 - Writers Sharpen Your Pencils!
Fall is here indeed. The leaves are turning colors, the kids are getting their Halloween costumes together and plans are being made for just how many pumpkin pies need to be made for Thanksgiving.
And around our house it means one more thing; National Novel Writing Month is almost upon us. For those who don't recall my NaNoWriMo adventure from last year or who are unfamiliar with this event ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1160706680897854172006-10-12T18:05:00.000-07:002006-10-12T19:31:20.946-07:00Comfortably Numb
I'm learning that a big part of being a parent is about discovering who your children are. The other day I learned something new about my youngest. It turns out she likes the music of Pink Floyd.
I was working from home one day this week. Taleena and the two older kids were up in town for a few hours and the baby was asleep in her room, thus allowing me to get a some uninterrupted work done.___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1160706690395744652006-10-12T18:04:00.000-07:002006-10-12T19:31:30.396-07:00Back To School Night
Harris had his first Back To School Night recently. It was proceeded by an ice cream social that Taleena and her mom took the kids to. I got back on the island and up to town just in time to miss the social but make the rest of the proceedings.
When I walked in Harris wanted to show me everything. The Choice Time board, the science station, puppet theater, food toys, et al. While that was___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1158896679651694152006-09-21T15:21:00.000-07:002006-09-21T20:44:39.703-07:00Long time, No post
Well, true to the aperiodic nature of this blog, it's been a while since I've put up a new post here and figured it was high time to fix that.
The summer has come and gone and during that time my job search has continued with a few more tasty nibbles but no real bites just yet. It's also brought a couple of visits from my parents and seen the rise of my new interest in cheese making. But the ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1154658116053996102006-08-03T17:08:00.000-07:002006-08-03T19:21:56.086-07:00A Mid Life Crisis turns Eco Friendly
If there comes a day (in my increasingly less distant future) that I decide to buy a sports car as a way to salve a mid-life crisis this car just might fill the bill
.
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1154546698182840492006-08-02T12:19:00.000-07:002006-08-02T12:26:06.936-07:00Can You Be More Specific?
I've been doing some research on how to make cheese. I saw an episode of Good Eats on the topic and think I'd like to try my hand at it.
Like any other new skill I turned to my local library's catalog to see what books and videos I could find on the topic. I guess I needed to be more specific when doing my search.
The top two hits for DVDs on the topic of cheese making returned a link to a___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1154490184645808092006-08-01T20:38:00.000-07:002006-08-01T20:43:04.673-07:00Three New Inventions
From the "Why didn't I think of that?" category:
Geek Wallets
Clear Canoe
Self Timing Eggs
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1154400258083690692006-07-31T17:50:00.000-07:002006-07-31T19:44:18.143-07:00Boomers Making Death Cool Again
A new social networking site a la My Space and Friendster has cropped up on the webscape. It's targeted towards the west of 50 crowd and touts such features like sending you an email when one of your online friends dies and helping with pre-planned funeral arrangements.
More info can be found here. And here is a direct link to Eons.com.
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1154313133123564922006-07-30T19:26:00.000-07:002006-07-30T19:32:13.156-07:00The Politically Incorrect Alphabet
My news reader caught this.
It's a series of A-B-C flash cards that depict topics that are mostly politically incorrect topics. There is a list in the text section of the site of what each card represents but I think part of the fun is trying to figure each one out.
That being done I have to say that I must not run with a PC enough crowd. I only found about a third of them to represent ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1150346591093634232006-06-14T18:16:00.000-07:002006-06-14T21:43:11.123-07:00Update: Job Hunt
For those following along with my efforts to make a career move I have an update.
The company I've been talking with for the last seven weeks and who has interviewed me multiple times sent me an email today. It seems that the woman who wanted to hire me as soon as the contract was signed with an unnamed (for SEC reasons) US client is no longer in charge of the department. In her email to me ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1149655376022860052006-06-06T12:34:00.000-07:002006-06-09T15:18:04.846-07:00It Ain't Easy Being A Dad
Today I'm finding that it ain't easy being a dad. I'm on nearly the last leg of my trip home after being away for several days to attend the memorial service of my grandfather and while I sit in the train station waiting for the 507 to roll in my son is in the hospital back home. And it's killing me.
The procedure he is having done is a simple one that lasts less than 15 minutes under ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1149477124786338592006-06-04T20:08:00.000-07:002006-06-04T20:12:04.840-07:00World's Smallest Political Quiz
A conversation at dinner tonight brought up a fresh interest in this link:
The World's Smallest Political Quiz
Take a few moments to follow the link. You might be surprised be the results.
___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1149044109803077782006-05-30T17:34:00.000-07:002006-05-31T09:53:54.680-07:00Almost Lost in Translation
I've had occasion twice in the last week to be on the phone with people from the UK and today I was struck for the first time in a while about the differences between the English and American languages. Let me explain.
The first of the two calls was with a man whom I'll call Clive. He is the head of the group that does the actual coding and creation of the software package that this company ___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761845.post-1148960640338518542006-05-29T20:33:00.000-07:002006-05-30T19:52:48.296-07:00Podcasts: Internet Radio to Go
UPDATE: It was suggested to me that this article more properly belongs at my technology centric site Speak Like A Geek. I did consider posing this over there instead but in the end chose this site since this is more of an introductory article and better suited to my non-geek readers.
Podcasting is in it's second year now and many of the first wave of shows are still around. Other shows have___________________________________http://www.blogger.com/profile/10505113548206402283noreply@blogger.com0