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Another long-delayed entry. They happen sometimes.
I took a trip to Albany last weekend with Courtney to visit Stacy. She's doing pretty well, on track to finish up a BS in Biology in the spring. We basically just hung out, visiting the local malls for different things and watching the new Star Trek movie. She actually liked it, which I think is a first.
The trip to Albany took about nine hours, though Google Maps predicted six or seven hours. Of course, most of the trip was smooth sailing... but silly me, I should have expected that it would be remarkably difficult to leave the DC area by way of major highways on a Friday night rush hour. Two hours to get out of DC? That was aggravating.
Oh, by the way, New Jersey? Expensive and lame. What's up with the full service gas pumping and expensive Burger King food? I can pump my own gas. Grumble.
I took Friday off from class and work not only to drive to Albany, but to work on term paper stuff as well. Now, I didn't actually get much writing done--though I did do some--but I was productive in other ways. I went and perused some of the data I collected for one class with my other class' professor, I returned the instrument that I borrowed, and I talked with yet another professor, asking him to be my thesis advisor. He accepted, and we talked a bit about plans for research and how best to finish up this particular degree. I'm looking at wrapping up the MS in the next year or two... we'll see how that goes.
I return to work tomorrow morning after four relaxing days off. Courtney's family came down for Thanksgiving as is now the tradition, and we visited local wineries and Mt. Vernon over the course of their stay. Courtney & her mom both roped sister Kendall into seeing this year's "Twilight" movie... another tradition in the making. Food prep went smoothly, with Courtney carrying the brunt of the effort by kitchen design and by preference. The apple and pumpkin pies were first to be finished, of course, and the last of the easily-edible turkey leftovers were dispatched via sandwiches this very evening. (Leftover bits for stock & turkey soup, however, are still quite available.)
So yes, that was a quick catch-up on some of my goings-on. We've got a company holiday party to attend on Thursday evening, still working on those two term papers (due in about two weeks, give or take)... yep, it's almost December. Even though I was out and about today in short shirtsleeves, I changed my desktop background to my favorite winter picture from home: the winter storm to the south at sunset.
So continues the descent of the temperatures, and the long slide back into winter. :-)
 Current Mood:  pleasant What I'm hearing:: Courtney playing games on the other laptop |
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Courtney & I went out and about today on some errands, and stopped by Target to work on starting a gift registry there. We have one at Bed, Bath & Beyond already, but we figure it doesn't hurt to diversify a little.
The sweet thing about doing wedding registries at Target is that they give you a laser scanner and turn you loose in the store.
Today I learned something about turning a couple loose in the store with what essentially looks like a phaser. After the impulse to blast everything in sight started to wear off--"I'm sorry madam, I didn't mean to temporarily blind your child... twice... at point-blank range..."--it quickly became apparent that the tastes of males and females in this situation are exceptionally different.
For example, the female will likely use the scanner to log requests for boring, domestic items, such as:
- queen-sized sheets
- a hairdryer
- a bookshelf
- a vacuum cleaner
Meanwhile, the male will likely use the very same scanner to add fascinating, useful items, such as:
- a Lego Indiana Jones set (featuring the flying wing plane from the first movie)
- a 30" tall, 70 light robotic Christmas flamingo
- matches (for burning things)
- a hex key set
I can't stop giggling like a moron. I like this wedding registry stuff.
I'm also proud to say that the hex keys didn't get deleted from the actual list.Current Mood:  amused |
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"So this was your first race?"
"Yeah."
"They get easier."
"Good."
* * *
I ran my very first race today.
It was a bitch, but I'm pleased with my performance. It was pretty close to what I expected. I'm pleased. Tired, but pleased. :-)
( Pics behind cut )
Sweet Jesus Christ, that was a hard run.
In the end, my final time was 37 minutes and change. My original goal was 35 minutes, but the elevation and amount of walking I had to do made me change that to 45 minutes halfway through. Whatever the case, I wasn't DFL, and I survived my first race with a time close to my original goal.
Now it's time for me to get some sleep. There's a lot of paper- and presentation-writing to be done for class and such, as well as that whole full-time employment thing. That, and I need to recuperate if I'm going to consider this other crazy 5K I discovered for next weekend; it has mud pits, tire obstacles, and walls, and can be run in a costume. Goggles are recommended; it reminds me of the Do Stuff For Stuff Challenge at RIT.
We'll see. I've done well today. :-)Current Mood: pleased What I'm hearing:: "Take On Me" - A Ha |
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I got a phone call from Mom a little while ago.
If you've ever had a similar phone calls, you probably can already infer what happened. Not really a very Good Friday.
Snickers had a very rough night last night, and a day about the same. Mom & Dave took her to the vet's office, but there really wasn't much more to be done. Snickers went comfortably and peacefully, and was buried in the sunshine near the trees she used to run through with Shadow, her mom.
Of all the things I miss about Snickers--and make no mistake, there are many--I think it's the belly rubs and the walks I'll miss the most. Especially the walks. She was always there for me, ready to go, during the hardest times. She was one of my pillars. And now she's in a better place.
Good puppers, Snickers. Good puppers.Current Mood:  so sad What I'm hearing:: my own tears |
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Last time, I talked about the games I played. Now it's time to talk about the auction!
( Part II: The Auction )Current Mood:  geeky What I'm hearing:: "Nights in White Satin" - The Moody Blues |
| » Running GAGG XIII: Nut of the Living Dead |
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For Valentine's Day, some folks go out to fancy restaurants and exchange gifts of expensive jewelry; others sit at home, vowing to retain solidarity with the singles crowd and eschew the subtle manipulation of emotions by corporations.
Courtney and I went to a gaming convention.
( Part I: The Games )
There's more to Running GAGG than just the games, though. The pinnacle of the entire weekend is the charity auction, where donated items, crafts, and general junk are auctioned off to the crowd... but since this entry is starting to run long and I'm still somewhat sleep deprived, I'm cutting things off here. Come back tomorrow-ish for a rundown on the auction, and the magic contained within!
Feb. 17th, 2009 @ 10:53 pm
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| » 2008 In Review, Part III |
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At long last, the conclusion of the 2008 Year In Review has arrived. The year to this point had been diversely enjoyable... would the final months match their predecessors?
(As always, video transcripts will be generated upon request.)
( September through December )
Jan. 11th, 2009 @ 12:34 am
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| » 2008 In Review, Part II |
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Tonight's portion of the Year in Review will take us from April 2008 through August 2008. The summer months were filled with a variety of travels and adventures... let's see how they looked!
( April through August )
The old year is now two-thirds complete, and the new year is well under way. Expect the thrilling conclusion to the Review in the days ahead!
Jan. 7th, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
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| » 2008 In Review, Part I |
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It's that time of the year again... the time when I sort through the pictures of the past year, reminiscing and relating tales that might have been missed in my writings. I don't think I took quite as many unique pictures in 2008 as in previous years, and I'm a bit fuzzier than usual about the timing of some events... but the pictures I do have I believe are pretty distinctive and descriptive.
Without further ado, I present the first section of my 2008 "Year in Pictures" series!
( January through March )
Normally I set these entries up in four-month spans... but I'm capping this installment at the end of March. The year seems to be generally front-heavy on pictures, and April is no exception. Hopefully this will help balance things out between the subsequent two sections. That, and the hour is growing late. Either way, more pictures tomorrow soon!
Jan. 4th, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
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| » Red Ribbons, White Snow |
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I woke up this morning next to a fully decorated Christmas tree, complete with about two dozen wrapped presents at its base.
From the kitchen, you can see the driveway and the neighbors' houses, covered with blankets of snow that drifts and curls away in the wind. The walkway along the front of the house is decked with large red ribbons, and the smaller ones adorning the tree give the appearance of a flock of cardinals enjoying the breezy sunshine.
I missed this.
Dec. 21st, 2008 @ 11:05 am
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| » The Undiscovered Country |
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With great interest, I've been watching the increasing promotion and revelations surrounding the next Trek film, simply titled "Star Trek", due in theaters May 2009. I'm aware of the general plot, the directoral and cast selections, and a number of vague set pieces. I saw the teaser trailer back in January, and I was tempted by what I saw.
Now that one of the biggest elements has been revealed--the USS Enterprise herself--I have to admit, I'm not quite sure what to think.
( Images behind cutlink... don't worry, should be otherwise spoiler-free )
In the end, it's only a movie. Of course, it's a movie tied to a franchise that I know to which a number of us have close ties.
At the very least, I'm finally starting to get used to Daniel Craig as James Bond following a rewatch of "Casino Royale" tonight. If the "Star Trek" trailer doesn't deliver, I'll at least have a "Quantum of Solace" to get me through the weekend... that, and lots of fencing.
EDIT 11/13/08 7:52PM: Word has it that there's a new "Watchmen" trailer with "Quantum of Solace", too. I guess I'll find out in a few minutes, when Courtney and I walk across the street for the 8:35PM showing... but first, the Space Shuttle Endeavour launch!
Nov. 13th, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
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| » Happy Halloween |
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Yeah... pretend that I posted this yesterday. It would have gone up, but I was pressed for time and needed to get ready for the party. Turns out traffic sucks in NoVA on a Halloween Friday night. I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween, just the same!
Here's my three scary things for this year!
- I'm not going to do NaNoWriMo this year. Why, you ask? This year would be my fourth attempt. I'm taking a graduate level class now; last year would have been the year to do it, as I had considerably more free time. Granted, the class isn't too hard, but apart from that I'm also fencing again, sharing an apartment, and oh yeah, still working full time. I also have the patterns of three years of attempts as evidence: strong start for the first three days, then a trickle of low input after that.
I'm still interested in writing, though, so I'm considering my alternatives. November is also National Blogging Month; I could probably handle an entry a day for a month. The 24 Hour Comic Challenge is also coming up soon, I think, and I've been contemplating that one for a while...
Or maybe it was October 18. Dammit. Oh well... I still have video editing to do.
I might feel a little sad reading the nice motivational emails that Chris Baty of NaNoWriMo sends out, but I'll feel better realizing that I'm still being productive in a creative way.
- Let's see... what would make a good second scary thing? Central Square reportedly took first place at the Carrier Dome in NYSFBC competition again last weekend, but that's more good news than bad or scary (unless you're from Baldwinsville). There's some tumult at my client office, though that more immediately affects my friends and teammates working there on other contracts than it does me right now. There's also the US GDP report released this week that confirms we're in a recession... but that's something we've suspected for a while, and none of us are exactly starving in the street just yet.
There's cerainly scary stuff to consider this year. One of the traditional items is more welcome than usual, though: the holiday season is fast approaching, and I'm already charting out my vacations and making gift shopping plans. Terrifying!
- I tried to pick up a Ghostbusters costume earlier in the week. Of course, the prospects of finding a specific, popular, mass-produced costume a few days before Halloween leads to a predictable outcome: the need to pick a different costume. *Fortunately, some quick thinking revealed an alternative... the "off duty Viper pilot" look from Battlestar Galactica. (Callsign Sherlock, naturally.) What's more, I now have about eight new undershirts and a comfy pair of cargo pants, too.
It was actually pretty comfortable as we all ate dinner at Wegmans in costume and drank the night away while watching Ghostbusters.
Next year, Egon. Next year.
Nov. 1st, 2008 @ 11:39 am
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| » Photologue: Indy & Sallah at One Year Old |
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Every so often, I've been known to promote the posting of a slew of cat pictures. There's been a very special occasion recently that warrants the occasion once more.
As of October 3, Indy and Sallah are now a full year old. Right now their weights are around 9 and 11 pounds, respectively.
It might be some sort of sickness, but we seem to keep accumulating random pictures of the cats on the SD cards for my camera. Miracle or madness, this is as good an occasion as any to show you in a generally chronological progression what the cats have been up to these past few months.
(There's videos, too... but I haven't posted them yet. I'll get to it when I get to it; I don't want to completely flood my YouTube account with random videos of cats, no matter how ridiculous they may be. I should probably also make an icon with them in it, instead of the psychotic AK-47 tabby I normally use. We'll see.)
( On With The Show! )
Oct. 14th, 2008 @ 10:25 pm
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| » Another One Bites The Dust |
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Something else showed up via FedEx today that warrants a post much like yesterday's...
There were two main reasons why I purchased an iPod Touch. One, I was impressed and intrigued by my friend/coworker Craig's when he showed it to Courtney and I one night while en route to see "Iron Man" in downtown DC. The wifi capabilities just seemed too cool to be true.
The second reason is because I was purchasing something else from Apple, and the GMU student discount I was using allowed for a free or reduced price iPod... so I went for it.
The question remains, though... what was the other thing that I purchased?
( Info and a few pics behind the cut... )
Thus, I sent the cat to the moon.
Okay, this is the third post-11PM evening for me this week. Goodnight!
(PS: I have it on good authority that tomorrow is "Talk Like A Pirate Day". Be on yer guard, mateys... ye been warned!)
Sep. 18th, 2008 @ 10:31 pm
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| » Significant Figures |
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Today is a double milestone: the 21st birthday of my sister Stacy, and five hundred LJ entries for myself.
There's a whole lot I could say about my sister, tons that I would love to share, plenty that I'd like to scratch my head over and try to figure out, enough to fill a hundred thousand lines of prose. At the same time, this probably won't be a terribly long entry, as any attempt to describe Stacy would be at best woefully inadequate.
We've shared a lot over the years. We'd squabble together as small children, we'd play together, we'd fight together. We weathered the ups and downs of a divorce together. We went to high school together. We marched in Field Band together. We've watched each other go off to college, and tried to figure out what that implied for each of us. For Stacy, it meant carrying more of the brunt of focus of two battling parents. For me, it meant watching Stacy move out into a world where I wouldn't be able to play the protective big brother role quite as well.
It doesn't read as much... but trust me. There's a whole hell of a lot there, and there's a whole hell of a lot more that you can't even begin to fathom.
As Stacy has gotten older, our senses of humor have drawn closer together along a similar grain. We both understand best each other's particular variety of eccentricity. We have moderately overlapping tastes in music. We know each other's mistakes... and we can understand why the other made them. We "get" each other's faults, and we can usually convince each other to do the right thing. We help each other out, and we back each other up. We just know each other.
She's got me figured out. She's just that awesome.
( Pictures )
I miss her, and she's going to be here tomorrow. That's awesome, too.
Happy birthday, Stacy.
Jul. 1st, 2008 @ 10:32 pm
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| » James Cameron: Exploring the Bismarck |
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A long time ago, back when I was in grade school, I did much like I do now: I read a lot of books.
The topics were diverse, my interests then quite broad as they are now. Among many other things, I read a lot about the Titanic and her ill-fated maiden voyage. I also distinctly recall reading a book called Sink The Bismarck!, detailing the short life of the most technologically advanced battleship of its time, and his demise in the fray that firmly established air power as a vital component of naval domination.
I also recall studying clips from a number of my favorite movies (Aliens, The Terminator) and other popular ones (True Lies, Titanic, and more) for assignments in my high school Film Studies class. I researched the themes, styles, and biographical background of one of my favorite directors: James Cameron.
When I learned of the opportunity to see him present a lecture on his photographic studies of the wreck of the DKS Bismarck, I got a very strong sense that I'd regret not attending.
That didn't stop me from debating the matter with myself for several days, however. Some of the concern was about the $40 ticket price, though I learned later that this covered food and drinks as well. I finally relented Monday afternoon, reserving a spot online and making my way after work to the Hyatt Regency hotel in Crystal City. In the tumult and excitement over the weekend, however, I apparently forgot that the dinner was Tuesday, not Monday. At the very least, I figured out where I'd be going the following night.
On Tuesday--the correct day--I arrived directly from work and promptly began sampling hors d'oeuvres. I chatted with some of the organizers (who were deeply pleased to learn that their flyer distribution efforts weren't wasted) and made the acquaintance of a gentleman who worked for my client. He and his wife made for engaging conversation, and the delicious dinner passed quickly.
James Cameron was introduced after most people had finished eating. He talked for a few minutes about his background and how it related to the room filled mostly with naval engineers, then rolled footage culled from his Discovery Channel special and unseen footage. Throughout the entire presentation, he shone a red laser pointer and narrated what was seen without missing a beat, completely within his element.
I was familiar with the general story of the Bismarck and its sinking, but I still learned quite a bit from the presentation. Unfortunately, one of the first things I learned was that I shouldn't have had two glasses of very good Riesling and one of Cabernet Sauvignon; a brief restroom visit took care of this, however, and I returned to the show with little trouble. Ultimately, what sticks with me clearest is that Mr. Cameron found some evidence possibly supporting the theory that the Germans scuttled the ship themselves after realizing their tactical and strategic situation. Also, the turrets of the main guns--all four, which were HUGE, with 100 ft. barrels--were held in their pits via gravity, so when the ship capsized they dropped like stones to the bottom of the ocean. I also learned that the Bismarck's anti-aircraft guns were stabilized differently in bow and stern (tri-axial vs bi-axial) and designed for much faster planes than the ultimately-crippling biplane torpedo bombers... and so on.
Fun fact: did you know that James Cameron is a consultant for some of the 3D imaging systems NASA is utilizing in its missions, including one of the probes currently on Mars? Me neither, until Tuesday night. Randomly cool.
After the presentation, Mr. Cameron took questions from the audience. He discussed some historical details, calling on help from friends at the reserved tables up front for specifics; he discussed the fiber optic cable spooled out from the sub to the robot explorer as it navigated the hulk; he commented on how the Bismarck survivors he worked with on his expeditions were younger than his son is now when they served in those fateful battles.
I managed to get in the last official question, asking if he had visited, or had any plans to visit, the wreck of the Hood, the famous British ship sunk by the Bismarck and spark for the massive search that led to the latter's demise. Mr. Cameron said that it had been considered and was still a possibility, and that he would "get back to us on it".
Following the standard issue applause and accolades, I waited in the gradually thinning crowd around him, moving in closer and overhearing the tales and ideas being shared. Finally, with help from the hostess/announcer, I managed to come face-to-face with the director, producer, writer, and explorer.
While I had his attention for a moment, I thought I'd be audacious and ask a little about "Avatar", his big upcoming project. When asked if his exploration of sites like Titanic and Bismarck had inspired any elements in the theme of "Avatar", he was very approachable and professional. He responded by telling me the most similar element was the general notion of adventure, proceeding to give me a quick, two-minute overview of the film's premise. I can honestly say that there is nothing quite like listening to a director describe his own work like that, particularly when he's standing about a foot away.
So yes, I had a very good time, and I'm glad I went. The experience of meeting James Cameron and the amiability and respect he exhibited to the engineers and scientists around him that make his work possible are things that I intend to carry with me for a good, long time.
Jun. 25th, 2008 @ 08:59 pm
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| » Happy Mother's Day |
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I talked on the phone with my mom for nearly an hour tonight, catching up on news and checking to see if she received the flowers Stacy and I sent her. She got them and found them quite to her liking: a variety of fuschia, one of her favorites.
In celebration of Mother's Day, I'm going to post a handful of images of Mom & I that are, to put it simply, awesome.
( Pictures Behind Link )
May. 11th, 2008 @ 10:22 pm
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| » Photologue: Indy & Sallah |
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This is another situation where I'm going to post a bunch of pictures & video, then caption them later if and when I get to it. It is pretty late right now, and the recent spate of posting, though enjoyable, is cutting into my much-needed sleep time. Still, the public demands the cat pictures, so here they are!
Videos will be uploaded tomorrow have been uploaded! Captions will be written later. Images may be resized later.
Be advised, there really are A LOT of pictures behind the link. Like, an ungodly, unhealthy, bordering on overkill number of cat pictures. An "abandon all hope, ye who enter" kind of amount. Some are of prime macro quality, if some of you are feeling industrious... could be a fun way to fill the comments section. If you don't think your internet connection can handle it (i.e., Mom on dialup AOL) you might want to either leave this one alone or click it and take a long lunch.
( Release the kitties! )
May. 7th, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
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| » Photologue: Cherry Blossom Weekends 2008 |
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Okay... after much distraction and procrastination, I am finally posting pictures of the Cherry Blossom Festival activities from approximately one month ago. For the moment, I'm just posting the pictures... captions will come later.
Enjoy!
( Photos behind link )
May. 6th, 2008 @ 06:34 pm
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| » 1000 Blank White Cards |
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There's a game I like to play on occasion with friends. It's fun, creative, and ridiculous, and I've had a request to repeat the rules... so here is an overview of "1000 Blank White Cards"!
( Preparation, Rules, and Gameplay Hints (images behind link) )
If you're looking for more info and example cards, this webpage is likely what first instructed me in the game. I welcome any discussions on favorite cards that veteran players (*ahem*) fondly recollect, and any questions that would-be players have regarding the game.
Play on!
Apr. 16th, 2008 @ 09:34 pm
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