I was reading Pat-Bob's blog, and spotted an interesting exercise: how many machines/electronics did you use today?. Weekday or weekend? Do AA batteries count? Hmmm.
Should I attempt this from midnight-midnight?
6am-6am?
Will that matter?
Should I keep the list on a piece of paper, so that my PDA doesn't become part of the mix? Do I include light switches? Should I include my home alarm if I merely go outside to fetch the mail (and hear the alarm sound as the door opens/closes)?
I suppose I could go into the "would this device fail if the electricity were out?" mode but then that would include my home furnace (sparked by a thermostat) ...
His next day's post was slightly different .. the number of times he had to identify himself as he went through The Daily Routine. Perhaps I could start there, then progress to the much larger list. Hmmm.
Showing posts with label PDA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PDA. Show all posts
Thursday, January 18
Saturday, December 2
the anti-shopping list
I've been spending more time with my Mac (PowerBook-G4) lately, partly due to the convenience offered by its built-in WiFi. One of my long-overdue projects at home has been to slap my DVDs, videotapes and (gasp!) books into a database, and it's much easier schlepping my laptop from room to room, than any of the 3 alternatives:
I expect my ASL to become more handy as I continue to age, and can no longer distinguish between the things I want and the things I already have.
I've been a fan of Instant Messaging for eons, but never liked needing client software for each protocol (AIM, YIM, ICQ, etc.) .. I've used Trillian on my Windows box for years, and now found a Quite Good One for my Mac: Adium. The interface is clean, flexible and works while I'm WiFi'ing my way around the globe. I tried one called [Fire] but it had a nasty habit of locking up, needed a [Force Quit] to return the system to normal. YMMV.
- writing stuff down on paper, then transcribing;
- entering stuff directly into my PDA, which lacks a fullsize keyboard;
- bringing the stuff-to-be-catalogued to the PC, then taking them back
* anti-shopping list [ASL] -- a list of stuff I already own. If something's on that list, it means I shouldn't buy it again.An ASL would've saved me several times over the years, when I spotted something in the store which intrigued me, and I didn't remember if I'd already ordered it online (hence, in transit) or if I'd simply added it to an online Wish List somewhere.
I expect my ASL to become more handy as I continue to age, and can no longer distinguish between the things I want and the things I already have.
I've been a fan of Instant Messaging for eons, but never liked needing client software for each protocol (AIM, YIM, ICQ, etc.) .. I've used Trillian on my Windows box for years, and now found a Quite Good One for my Mac: Adium. The interface is clean, flexible and works while I'm WiFi'ing my way around the globe. I tried one called [Fire] but it had a nasty habit of locking up, needed a [Force Quit] to return the system to normal. YMMV.
Thursday, July 20
(paint)brush with greatness
It's not often that I spot an old friend (longevity, not years) on national television. I was watching a few weeks old episode of Queer Eye with the Straight Guy, and who do I see but a high school chum: Marty! I paused my TiVo, played it back - yep, it's her (but only for about two seconds).
Gotta love any woman who knows about the Takilma hippie commune (southwest Oregon).
After living in Ahrland [Ireland] for a few years, Marty's now a gallerist*, and runs the Trifecta Gallery in Las Vegas - just a few blocks west of The Strip.
Unrelated #eleventeen: Had dinner with HayJax, Tim-Bob, Jill-Bob and Brian-Bob last night at Two Rows Classic Grill in Allen. It's basically a big, smoky, noisy bar .. for those of you who are into that sort of thing. I played it safe and ordered the fryde catfeesh, which was edible.
Gotta love any woman who knows about the Takilma hippie commune (southwest Oregon).
After living in Ahrland [Ireland] for a few years, Marty's now a gallerist*, and runs the Trifecta Gallery in Las Vegas - just a few blocks west of The Strip.
Gallerist: (n) "A fashionable new word bubbling up in the New York art scene: gallerist, as a substitute for art dealer. Not, of course, just any art dealer. A gallerist is directly involved with the care and feeding of artists, rather than with the quick turnover of art objects."Unrelated #0: A few months ago, I blogged about the RhinoSkin case for my PDA. Last night, it came in handy as I dropped my PDA onto the concrete garage floor (not recommended). I was afraid to even open the cover for fear of seeing glass shards where the display had been. No such luck: the RhinoSkin kept everything intact, and all is well with the world.
- New York Times 2005
Unrelated #eleventeen: Had dinner with HayJax, Tim-Bob, Jill-Bob and Brian-Bob last night at Two Rows Classic Grill in Allen. It's basically a big, smoky, noisy bar .. for those of you who are into that sort of thing. I played it safe and ordered the fryde catfeesh, which was edible.
Friday, March 31
The Promise of Bluetooth
Yesterday, during a tedious spot in a meeting, I decided to take the opportunity to HotSync my Tungsten T5 and PowerBook G4. And people thought Bluetooth was only good for Annoying Cellphone Headsets. I'm still waiting for The Promise Of Bluetooth .. when I can use it to buy a soda from the vending machine.
Wednesday, February 22
you want fries with that?
Everytime I get a new PC*, I end up buying a few hundred dollars of peripherals to make it work gooder [sic]. This time, those goodies included some wireless-G (802.11G) stuff; a gigabit switch (replaces a 10 Mb hub that was manufactured when Teddy Roosevelt was President); and a Bluetooth mouse (for my PowerBook).
Also, I continue to be impressed/amused with Buy.com .. I ordered one of the wireless components through them, then opted for "FREE Budget Shipping" instead of Standard. The stuff arrived the next day (good thing I didn't pay extra for Next Day Delivery). To be fair, it shipped from Carrollton, Texas which is an easy drive from my home, so UPS didn't have to work too hard to pull that off.
* defined very loosely .. includes everything from a Palm PDA to an Apple PowerBook. I figure that if it done got a CPU, it kin be kalt a PC.If computer manufacturers were smart (and I now put Apple to the top of that list after my recent positive experience) they'd include incentives to buy more of their peripherals, soon after the PC purchase. Maybe they do, and I simply haven't noticed (which is as good as not doing it). Then again, sometimes a 3rd party peripheral is best (example: the Rhino case I selected for my PDA, after the Palm-branded one proved to be terribly inferior).
Also, I continue to be impressed/amused with Buy.com .. I ordered one of the wireless components through them, then opted for "FREE Budget Shipping" instead of Standard. The stuff arrived the next day (good thing I didn't pay extra for Next Day Delivery). To be fair, it shipped from Carrollton, Texas which is an easy drive from my home, so UPS didn't have to work too hard to pull that off.
Saturday, January 28
how much grief for "10% off" ?
yes, it's true .. I love a good deal. So when I spotted Trish-Bob's mention of buy.com I moseyed over there. I don't own an iPod (yet) but am a big fan of iTunes, so the Bluetooth headphones can wait awhile (I listen to podcasts on my Palm Tungsten T5).
Somehow I found buy.com's "10% off Amazon" promo; I have a long list of "Wish List" books, and decided to put them to the test. They had most of the stuff I wanted, but their website needs serious work if they hope to compete with Bezos and family.
1- their search engine reeks. Often I'd input a book title, and was told the book didn't exist. On a hunch, I input the author's name instead and voila! - there was my book. Hmmm.
2- Several times, I'd click [Buy] and nothing happened; I would then click [Buy] again. Not surprisingly, it incremented the counter, thinking I wanted multiple copies. I learned to wait for the "final screen" and changed all the quantity 2 and 3 back to 1, rather than fight it each time their server stalled.
3- The Cookie Issue: buy.com suggested I enable all cookies for all websites. Uh, no .. that ain't gonna happen (I spend enough time fighting spyware as it is). I allowed cookies for buy.com itself, and all worked okay until checkout time, when it folded its arms and refused to budge. Argh! I fired up a different browser, fed it the URL and crossed my fingers, hoping it would remember the contents of my shopping cart. It worked!
4- After I ordered the books, I noticed a caveat: "There is an order limit of 5 books per order, per customer." It allowed me to go all the way through my Wish List, and never said anything about this limit during the ordering process. I guess they want to enforce as much grief as possible, by making me artificially split my order into 5-book chunks.
Bottom line: buy.com was frustrating, but I did save 10% over Amazon.com .. so it wasn't a wasted effort. In theory, most will be shipped in 1-2 business days (others are backordered). I didn't have to leave the confines of my domicile, wandering the aisles of Half-Price Books. Woo hoo.
Somehow I found buy.com's "10% off Amazon" promo; I have a long list of "Wish List" books, and decided to put them to the test. They had most of the stuff I wanted, but their website needs serious work if they hope to compete with Bezos and family.
1- their search engine reeks. Often I'd input a book title, and was told the book didn't exist. On a hunch, I input the author's name instead and voila! - there was my book. Hmmm.
2- Several times, I'd click [Buy] and nothing happened; I would then click [Buy] again. Not surprisingly, it incremented the counter, thinking I wanted multiple copies. I learned to wait for the "final screen" and changed all the quantity 2 and 3 back to 1, rather than fight it each time their server stalled.
3- The Cookie Issue: buy.com suggested I enable all cookies for all websites. Uh, no .. that ain't gonna happen (I spend enough time fighting spyware as it is). I allowed cookies for buy.com itself, and all worked okay until checkout time, when it folded its arms and refused to budge. Argh! I fired up a different browser, fed it the URL and crossed my fingers, hoping it would remember the contents of my shopping cart. It worked!
4- After I ordered the books, I noticed a caveat: "There is an order limit of 5 books per order, per customer." It allowed me to go all the way through my Wish List, and never said anything about this limit during the ordering process. I guess they want to enforce as much grief as possible, by making me artificially split my order into 5-book chunks.
Bottom line: buy.com was frustrating, but I did save 10% over Amazon.com .. so it wasn't a wasted effort. In theory, most will be shipped in 1-2 business days (others are backordered). I didn't have to leave the confines of my domicile, wandering the aisles of Half-Price Books. Woo hoo.
Sunday, January 8
Sunday blahs
There are still a few hours left, but today's been one of those throwaway days.
I didn't even fetch the newspaper from the sidewalk until 10:30 or so (there are days in the past when I moseyed outside at 5:30am and was miffed that it wasn't there yet).
I watched two (TiVo'd) episodes of The Office (US version) and was mildly impressed that they seem to have found their American wings. The earliest episodes of this series were "direct translations" of the UK version, and it just didn't work. Now, they have some of the same interaction issues (office romances that Don't Quite Work, etc.) but it plays to our Yank sensibilities. Also, Steve Carell isn't trying to be David Brent, but is evolving his character into a different Incompetent Boss role. I'll watch it again, to be sure.
Late morning, Judy-Bob called and wanted to do brunch at Monica's (in Deep Ellum) so we did that, but very few people were there -- maybe only nine tables. It could be due to the NFL playoffs, or maybe those rumors of the demise of the area are true. To be fair, the personality of Deep Ellum on Sunday morning, and that of Saturday night, are wildly different. And yes, Trish-Bob, the rumor is true: Trees has closed.
While fidgeting under the car seat, we found an unfamiliar cellphone. I turned it on, and thought the registered number looked familiar, and was not completely unsurprised to find my home number in the Outgoing Call Log. Whoever "lost it" is one of my friends, right?
Later, I searched my PDA and found that the number belonged to a group we'd done business with over 6 months ago! It's true; this Nokia phone still had enough standby battery to last under my car seat without a recharge for 6+ months! Amazing. The mystery of the phone is solved, and I'll return it to the service provider to be used in a battered women's shelter or other noble cause.
I didn't even fetch the newspaper from the sidewalk until 10:30 or so (there are days in the past when I moseyed outside at 5:30am and was miffed that it wasn't there yet).
I watched two (TiVo'd) episodes of The Office (US version) and was mildly impressed that they seem to have found their American wings. The earliest episodes of this series were "direct translations" of the UK version, and it just didn't work. Now, they have some of the same interaction issues (office romances that Don't Quite Work, etc.) but it plays to our Yank sensibilities. Also, Steve Carell isn't trying to be David Brent, but is evolving his character into a different Incompetent Boss role. I'll watch it again, to be sure.
Late morning, Judy-Bob called and wanted to do brunch at Monica's (in Deep Ellum) so we did that, but very few people were there -- maybe only nine tables. It could be due to the NFL playoffs, or maybe those rumors of the demise of the area are true. To be fair, the personality of Deep Ellum on Sunday morning, and that of Saturday night, are wildly different. And yes, Trish-Bob, the rumor is true: Trees has closed.
While fidgeting under the car seat, we found an unfamiliar cellphone. I turned it on, and thought the registered number looked familiar, and was not completely unsurprised to find my home number in the Outgoing Call Log. Whoever "lost it" is one of my friends, right?
Later, I searched my PDA and found that the number belonged to a group we'd done business with over 6 months ago! It's true; this Nokia phone still had enough standby battery to last under my car seat without a recharge for 6+ months! Amazing. The mystery of the phone is solved, and I'll return it to the service provider to be used in a battered women's shelter or other noble cause.
Saturday, December 17
snug as a bug in a rug
Earlier this week, I mentioned that I returned the PalmOne hard case for my shiny new* Tungsten|T5. Yesterday, the replacement (from RhinoSkin) arrived and I'm giddy!
I also acquired a "Multi-Function Cradle" (charging base - model TT5-FC) made by Insten which appears more durable than the one sold by PalmOne. I wonder how many other people are so displeased with the (relative poor quality) peripherals from PalmOne, that they buy third party ones, like I did?
Unrelated #aleph_π: HayJax and I moseyed to the Magnolia for the 5pm showing of [Good Night and Good Luck], the story of how Edward R. Murrow and CBS battled "commie hunter" Senator Joe McCarthy. The timing of this movie cannot be a coincidence, in that the FCRP is acting much like McCarthy did in the 1950s, using their USA PATRIOT Act as a way to suspend Habeas Corpus, convict people without a trial, torture people in secret gulags, and so forth. Also, if David Strathairn doesn't get an Oscar for his portrayal of Murrow, you'll know the vote was rigged. HayJax says she remembers Murrow's live broadcasts, from the time she was 7, until 17 .. and confirms that Strathairn's performance was perfect.
Amusing sidenote: the parking structure at the Magnolia was full .. all 6 levels (including the roof). We overheard most people buying tickets for Brokeback Mountain (GN&GL is nearing the end of its run, and only a dozen or so people were in our theatre).
Unrelated #4: My DSL provider contacted me via email, and said (as I predicted) that there is nothing wrong with my broadband connection, and that I'm imagining it all. Meanwhile, I have resorted to started a download (file, email, whatever) then going to another room to watch a 30-minute episode of something on TiVo. When I'm done, I now come back in to see if the task has been completed. Sometimes, to avoid monotony, I go take a nap instead. At least I'm catching up on my sleep.
* well, okay .. I got it from The Big O and it was listed as being "blemished" but I'll be hornswaggled if I can tell the differenceNot only does the PDA not rattle in the RhinoSkin case ("Palm Tungsten TX/T5 Aluminum Hardcase") but there are openings for:
1- the charger/HotSync cable (argh! did they have to change the connector from the Tungsten|T ?);The PalmOne hard case had no openings of any kind. Did I mention the PDA rattled when inside the case? Conversely, the RhinoSkin case has slots for two SD cards, and holes in the rear to provide speaker access (although the quality ain't great .. good MP3 earbuds are better for audio than the built-in speakers)
2- the stylus;
3- the power switch;
4- the audio (MP3) connector;
5- the SD card slot;
6- the reset button.
I also acquired a "Multi-Function Cradle" (charging base - model TT5-FC) made by Insten which appears more durable than the one sold by PalmOne. I wonder how many other people are so displeased with the (relative poor quality) peripherals from PalmOne, that they buy third party ones, like I did?
Unrelated #aleph_π: HayJax and I moseyed to the Magnolia for the 5pm showing of [Good Night and Good Luck], the story of how Edward R. Murrow and CBS battled "commie hunter" Senator Joe McCarthy. The timing of this movie cannot be a coincidence, in that the FCRP is acting much like McCarthy did in the 1950s, using their USA PATRIOT Act as a way to suspend Habeas Corpus, convict people without a trial, torture people in secret gulags, and so forth. Also, if David Strathairn doesn't get an Oscar for his portrayal of Murrow, you'll know the vote was rigged. HayJax says she remembers Murrow's live broadcasts, from the time she was 7, until 17 .. and confirms that Strathairn's performance was perfect.
Amusing sidenote: the parking structure at the Magnolia was full .. all 6 levels (including the roof). We overheard most people buying tickets for Brokeback Mountain (GN&GL is nearing the end of its run, and only a dozen or so people were in our theatre).
Unrelated #4: My DSL provider contacted me via email, and said (as I predicted) that there is nothing wrong with my broadband connection, and that I'm imagining it all. Meanwhile, I have resorted to started a download (file, email, whatever) then going to another room to watch a 30-minute episode of something on TiVo. When I'm done, I now come back in to see if the task has been completed. Sometimes, to avoid monotony, I go take a nap instead. At least I'm catching up on my sleep.
Friday, December 16
political realities, and Murphy
One of the realities of politics is: there are some things you simply cannot admit in public. Certainly, one or more of Murphy's Laws must be at work here.
One of those realities is the real reason why President Quagmire started the latest Iraq War: American's Affluenza Infection. One of the things that makes us Americans is our need to constantly overindulge - in everything. We eat too much, consume too much, and waste too much .. and because of that, thousands of our soldiers are fighting and dying many thousands of miles from here. Gotta protect the American Way of Life, ya know.
I have a personal goal which includes a healthy dose of "Voluntary Simplicity" but I'm still a long way from there. I've grown past the phase where lifetime success is counted in the number of Things I own, and I've made serious attempts to orient myself to having better stuff, but less of it. The Affluenza film (mentioned above) really hit home for me. Americans comprise 10% of the world population yet consume 25% of its resources: eeeek!
Given the number of trade journals I prescribed at, I've made many trips to The Paper Recycler, and need to make many more. Most paper gathers dust if I don't process it (read it, convert the useful items to properly categorized note in my PDA, discard it) with a week or so of its arrival.
I've found the best thing to do is to recycle. Meaning: grind it up, and morf it into Different Stuff - whether that be a new magazine filled with advertisements prompting us to Buy More Stuff, or an egg carton. An egg carton: ah, one of the few things in life whose goal is simple .. to protect a dozen delicate chicken eggs long enough for us to consume them.
One of those realities is the real reason why President Quagmire started the latest Iraq War: American's Affluenza Infection. One of the things that makes us Americans is our need to constantly overindulge - in everything. We eat too much, consume too much, and waste too much .. and because of that, thousands of our soldiers are fighting and dying many thousands of miles from here. Gotta protect the American Way of Life, ya know.
I have a personal goal which includes a healthy dose of "Voluntary Simplicity" but I'm still a long way from there. I've grown past the phase where lifetime success is counted in the number of Things I own, and I've made serious attempts to orient myself to having better stuff, but less of it. The Affluenza film (mentioned above) really hit home for me. Americans comprise 10% of the world population yet consume 25% of its resources: eeeek!
Given the number of trade journals I prescribed at, I've made many trips to The Paper Recycler, and need to make many more. Most paper gathers dust if I don't process it (read it, convert the useful items to properly categorized note in my PDA, discard it) with a week or so of its arrival.
I've found the best thing to do is to recycle. Meaning: grind it up, and morf it into Different Stuff - whether that be a new magazine filled with advertisements prompting us to Buy More Stuff, or an egg carton. An egg carton: ah, one of the few things in life whose goal is simple .. to protect a dozen delicate chicken eggs long enough for us to consume them.
Tuesday, December 13
is there a lawyer in the house?
Before dropping in on The Bowlers (Monday night) I stopped by The Toy Store (Fry's Electronics) to return a hard case for my (shiny new) PalmOne Tungsten|T5 (replaces a Tungsten|T). The problem with PalmOne's case is that it's poorly designed - the PDA rattles when inside! I was pleased that Fry's accepted a return from a different location (the one in Irving, near DFW Airport).
While there, I waddled over to the "power strip aisle" (!) and found a doohickey which solves my problem of too many power converters occupying the sockets on my UPS (they're bulky and often spill over to the adjacent socket's space). Fortunately, I didn't have to ask for help locating it; this is one of those things where I'd feel foolish trying to describe something, whose NerdName I don't know:
Unrelated: There are times when I wish I were a lawyer. Yesterday, when SBC/Yahoo emailed their new Yahoo! Terms of Service, I wanted to compare the changes with the prior edition, to know what I'm agreeing to by continuing to use their service. As far as I know, there's a hidden phrase which says I agree to the (evil) USA PATRIOT Act.
While there, I waddled over to the "power strip aisle" (!) and found a doohickey which solves my problem of too many power converters occupying the sockets on my UPS (they're bulky and often spill over to the adjacent socket's space). Fortunately, I didn't have to ask for help locating it; this is one of those things where I'd feel foolish trying to describe something, whose NerdName I don't know:
"Uh, it's a thing that plugs into an electrical socket and it's kinda-like an extension cord but much shorter. And the connector looks just like a regular 3-print power socket."It turns out the thing is called a "Power Strip Liberator" (part # PWR-PSLIB-2) from Cables Unlimited. Geez, I hope that's not a marketing name for this thing. I'd hate to learn the NerdName, only to find out it's really a MarketingName.
Unrelated: There are times when I wish I were a lawyer. Yesterday, when SBC/Yahoo emailed their new Yahoo! Terms of Service, I wanted to compare the changes with the prior edition, to know what I'm agreeing to by continuing to use their service. As far as I know, there's a hidden phrase which says I agree to the (evil) USA PATRIOT Act.
Friday, October 14
realtime blood donation
Carter Bloodcare - 1 gallon donor
I got an email about 3pm today, reminding me that enough time has passed and I can donate another unit of blood. The email contained a nice "To make an appointment at your neighborhood donor center, please click on the following link.", so .. I tried it. Hmm .. it says there are appointments available today, the next one being at 3:30. Well, why push it? Let's pick the 4pm one and then mosey thataway. What are the odds the system is realtime?
Well, it worked. They finished the "mini-physical" and I was dripping blood in record time; I was done by 4:45 and had caught up on some reading (I commonly HotSync my PDA before donating blood, so I'll have something to read in case Oprah's not on). Today's numbers? Iron (hemoglobin) 14.4 | BP 110/72 | Pulse 80 | Temp 98.5F ... I'll wait a few days and call for the cholesterol score.
Was there a downside to the web scheduling? Only that it doesn't work with the Firefox browser (well, everything worked until I pressed [Submit] at which point it chortled at me .. I had to fire up Internet Explorer instead). Maybe the same people who designed this website did the one for FEMA?
I came home, and (following the instructions to Have A Nice Dinner) sucked down a bowl of
About the only improvement I can think of deals with the actual blood donation; why can't they take my blood online? Is there no one developing a USB Blood Sucker?
Monday, October 10
meme du juor
10 Years Ago:
shopping for my first home (had leased the first one in
Dallas, after moving from Torrance)
5 Years Ago:
transitioning from working pre-sales in the telco market,
to running a large internal webserver
1 Year Ago:
enjoying freedom of not working (RIF'd after 14.5 years at one company)
Yesterday:
snapping digital photos of "A.P." while he and another guy
installed some neighborhood signs
5 Snacks I Enjoy:
black plums;
tomato-and-basil potato chips;
cashew nuts;
turkey jerky;
grilled Dodger Dog
5 Songs I Know All the Words To:
original Star Trek theme;
60 Minutes theme;
Batman theme;
Law & Order theme;
CBS Sunday Morning theme
5 Things I’d Do with 100 Million Dollars:
donate a big chunk to the "Get A Clue, America!" program;
put it all on Red-11 on a Las Vegas roulette wheel;
build an animal shelter named "Beta's Wonderland";
bury it in the backyard;
buy an election
5 Places I’d Run Away To:
Boise ID;
Minot ND;
Nome AK;
Santa Fe NM;
Crawford TX Hanalei HI
5 Things I’d Never Wear:
Leather pants;
a tattoo;
hoop earrings;
tongue stud;
reverse Mohawk haircut
5 Favorite TV Shows:
Law & Order: Criminal Intent;
The Daily Show (with Jon Stewart);
Rocky & Bullwinkle;
The Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour;
The History of Hedgehogs (BBC documentary)
5 Biggest Joys:
None. I have no joy in life.
5 Favorite Toys:
Palm Tungsten T (PDA);
Silly Putty;
BMW 330Ci;
Red Swingline Stapler (ala Office Space);
Spam (the board game)
shopping for my first home (had leased the first one in
Dallas, after moving from Torrance)
5 Years Ago:
transitioning from working pre-sales in the telco market,
to running a large internal webserver
1 Year Ago:
enjoying freedom of not working (RIF'd after 14.5 years at one company)
Yesterday:
snapping digital photos of "A.P." while he and another guy
installed some neighborhood signs
5 Snacks I Enjoy:
black plums;
tomato-and-basil potato chips;
cashew nuts;
turkey jerky;
grilled Dodger Dog
5 Songs I Know All the Words To:
original Star Trek theme;
60 Minutes theme;
Batman theme;
Law & Order theme;
CBS Sunday Morning theme
5 Things I’d Do with 100 Million Dollars:
donate a big chunk to the "Get A Clue, America!" program;
put it all on Red-11 on a Las Vegas roulette wheel;
build an animal shelter named "Beta's Wonderland";
bury it in the backyard;
buy an election
5 Places I’d Run Away To:
Boise ID;
Minot ND;
Nome AK;
Santa Fe NM;
5 Things I’d Never Wear:
Leather pants;
a tattoo;
hoop earrings;
tongue stud;
reverse Mohawk haircut
5 Favorite TV Shows:
Law & Order: Criminal Intent;
The Daily Show (with Jon Stewart);
Rocky & Bullwinkle;
The Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour;
The History of Hedgehogs (BBC documentary)
5 Biggest Joys:
None. I have no joy in life.
5 Favorite Toys:
Palm Tungsten T (PDA);
Silly Putty;
BMW 330Ci;
Red Swingline Stapler (ala Office Space);
Spam (the board game)
Thursday, August 4
quit fooling! who said that?
July 27 (Wednesday): am late for an evening, informal meeting. waddle into the bathroom, put left contact lens in eye. remove right lens, watch as it pops under the lens strainer. attempt to gently coax it to the surface. dreadful feeling as I watch the lens go down the drain, literally. decide not to attend meeting.
July 28 (Thursday): it's been 15 months since my last eye exam. decide to change from an optometrist in Plano to an opthalmologist in Richardson. call office, advise i'm a new patient. was told next available appointment is Thursday, August 11. i mention the reason i'm calling is due to lost contact lens. Hmm .. within seconds I'm told that they can see me Monday morning at 9am. go figure.
August 1 (Monday): eye exam is mostly uneventful, save for one itsy-bitsy detail: doc says i'm borderline for glaucoma. mom has it (the drug Xalatan was the clue .. a fact I'd stored on my ever-present PDA) and I'm nearsighted, so I'm "at risk". Bloody splendid. My eye pressure is 24 mm Hg but this could be a fluke; he wants to retest next week. He's aghast that the Plano doc didn't pick up on it. We did the dilation thing, took some eyeball photos, and (after signing a form to allow release of my records) doc says he'll get my prior retina/cornea/whetever photos for comparison. I leave, wearing a pair of those fashionable plastic-film sunglasses atop my glasses (post-dilation, the eyes are very light sensitive).
August 3 (Wednesday): doc's office calls my cell, leaves a message. I often go days between checking cellphone v-mail but today's an exception. replacement contact lens has arrived. I can go out in public again without the Coke™ bottles: woo hoo. Am now reading what I can (pre-Braille) about glaucoma, hoping to Ace The Test next week. If not, will investigate having Beta retrained to be a Seeing Eye Dog.
July 28 (Thursday): it's been 15 months since my last eye exam. decide to change from an optometrist in Plano to an opthalmologist in Richardson. call office, advise i'm a new patient. was told next available appointment is Thursday, August 11. i mention the reason i'm calling is due to lost contact lens. Hmm .. within seconds I'm told that they can see me Monday morning at 9am. go figure.
August 1 (Monday): eye exam is mostly uneventful, save for one itsy-bitsy detail: doc says i'm borderline for glaucoma. mom has it (the drug Xalatan was the clue .. a fact I'd stored on my ever-present PDA) and I'm nearsighted, so I'm "at risk". Bloody splendid. My eye pressure is 24 mm Hg but this could be a fluke; he wants to retest next week. He's aghast that the Plano doc didn't pick up on it. We did the dilation thing, took some eyeball photos, and (after signing a form to allow release of my records) doc says he'll get my prior retina/cornea/whetever photos for comparison. I leave, wearing a pair of those fashionable plastic-film sunglasses atop my glasses (post-dilation, the eyes are very light sensitive).
August 3 (Wednesday): doc's office calls my cell, leaves a message. I often go days between checking cellphone v-mail but today's an exception. replacement contact lens has arrived. I can go out in public again without the Coke™ bottles: woo hoo. Am now reading what I can (pre-Braille) about glaucoma, hoping to Ace The Test next week. If not, will investigate having Beta retrained to be a Seeing Eye Dog.
Friday, June 17
back at it ...
Okay .. the Deed Is Done. I provided "ambulance service" for Trish Bob during her 8:15am procedure at the Texas Back Institute.
When I have something to accomplish, I don't mind hospital waiting rooms, so this gave me a good chance to read the morning paper, then experiment with the new spin of the AvantGo software on my Palm Tungsten|T (yes, the original version .. the current model is the Tungsten T5). The new version allows quite a bit more customizing of the interface, including Device Themes such as Khaki; Blue Moon or Chrome (in addition to "Classic") .. but my favorite is the new setting for "Minimum Font Size" which means that I can finally see everything without using a magnifying glass. Honestly, who thought that 4 point type was a good default size for lengthy articles?
As far as waiting rooms go, the Back Institute's wasn't awful. The chairs were lightweight and provided good back support (I would hope so at a "Back Institute"!) .. and there were only a few annoying kids (and their Soccer Mom parents) to ignore. On the way home, I even played with the lumbar support settings in my car, which I've managed to ignore for the past few years.
Trish has a post-procedure tradition of feeding at McDonald's, so I was happy to oblige. We had an entertaining discussion about how their Healthy Menu really isn't all that healthy (what McRocket Surgeon thought candied walnuts was a good, healthy idea?) and the possible amusement of Morgan Spurlock's new "30 Days" reality TV series (which, oddly, has absolutely nothing to do with the 30 Days he spent feeding on McDonalds "food" (the basis of his "Super Size Me" documentary).
When I have something to accomplish, I don't mind hospital waiting rooms, so this gave me a good chance to read the morning paper, then experiment with the new spin of the AvantGo software on my Palm Tungsten|T (yes, the original version .. the current model is the Tungsten T5). The new version allows quite a bit more customizing of the interface, including Device Themes such as Khaki; Blue Moon or Chrome (in addition to "Classic") .. but my favorite is the new setting for "Minimum Font Size" which means that I can finally see everything without using a magnifying glass. Honestly, who thought that 4 point type was a good default size for lengthy articles?
As far as waiting rooms go, the Back Institute's wasn't awful. The chairs were lightweight and provided good back support (I would hope so at a "Back Institute"!) .. and there were only a few annoying kids (and their Soccer Mom parents) to ignore. On the way home, I even played with the lumbar support settings in my car, which I've managed to ignore for the past few years.
Trish has a post-procedure tradition of feeding at McDonald's, so I was happy to oblige. We had an entertaining discussion about how their Healthy Menu really isn't all that healthy (what McRocket Surgeon thought candied walnuts was a good, healthy idea?) and the possible amusement of Morgan Spurlock's new "30 Days" reality TV series (which, oddly, has absolutely nothing to do with the 30 Days he spent feeding on McDonalds "food" (the basis of his "Super Size Me" documentary).
Sunday, April 3
save me from myself
Best I can tell, I have 18 time keeping devices. Only 4 of those automatically update themselves for Daylight Saving Time: a wall clock, the DVD player and the CallerID boxes (attached to the wired phones).
So, at 2am I scampered around the house, adding one hour to every device, as I dutifully sprung forward. Did I miss any clocks? Probably.
I bought some DVDs, only to come home to discover that I already own 3 of them, so a return trip is in my future. Hmm .. I already logged all of these in my PDA so I wouldn't do this again. Only problem: I didn't take my PDA to the store. Argh! I suspect that retail stores secretly love returns, as it gets you back in their store (often the most difficult challenge with retail).
So, at 2am I scampered around the house, adding one hour to every device, as I dutifully sprung forward. Did I miss any clocks? Probably.
I bought some DVDs, only to come home to discover that I already own 3 of them, so a return trip is in my future. Hmm .. I already logged all of these in my PDA so I wouldn't do this again. Only problem: I didn't take my PDA to the store. Argh! I suspect that retail stores secretly love returns, as it gets you back in their store (often the most difficult challenge with retail).
Friday, April 1
"ha ha" .. indeed!
Yes, I know it's April Fool's Day, but I have yet to use my Gift of Humor on anyone today. Well, the day's not over yet.
Speaking of humor, I TiVo'd Comedy Central's The Hollow Men recently, and watched it today. It reminds me of Kids in the Hall (a troupe of gay actors), but funnier. I'd suggest you watch it quickly; once the Radical Right discovers it, the show will be banned from US airwaves.
In the meantime, feel free to read yesterday's Sundry on Thursday posting. I'm catching up on some old PDA notes, and things there should return to normal Real Soon Now.
If you're looking for something serious to read today, may I suggest Digital Web Magazine's Innovative Design Inspired by Accessibility
Speaking of humor, I TiVo'd Comedy Central's The Hollow Men recently, and watched it today. It reminds me of Kids in the Hall (a troupe of gay actors), but funnier. I'd suggest you watch it quickly; once the Radical Right discovers it, the show will be banned from US airwaves.
In the meantime, feel free to read yesterday's Sundry on Thursday posting. I'm catching up on some old PDA notes, and things there should return to normal Real Soon Now.
If you're looking for something serious to read today, may I suggest Digital Web Magazine's Innovative Design Inspired by Accessibility
Saturday, February 19
... sdrawkcab
Friday ended with my first-ever foray to the AMC Valley View 16 - a mainstream theatre, to see one of the 5 films nominated for Best Picture of 2004. Although I signed up for AMC's MovieWatcher card, I didn't think to take it with me when Judy-Bob suggested this location. I suppose I missed out on some Points or something: hmmm.
Sideways [2004] was also showing at the (independent) Magnolia and I suspect the audience would've been different. Several of us found more humor in one of the audience member's laughter, than that of the plot (which struck me as Thelma and Louise Meet The Werewolf); I rate the film a Ho-Hum. Others up for the Oscar are The Aviator; Finding Neverland; Million Dollar Baby and Ray. Since I didn't see any of those others, I'll be kind and allow the Academy to make their own choice.
Mid-afternoon, I went to the doctor (followup) and he said he'll keep me alive as long as I continue to pay his bill (this could go on for several decades if I'm careful). They did the usual blood test; updated results will be back next week sometime to see how well The Meds are working.
At midday, I lunched with 6 members of The Saucer Crowd (including Eddie and Jill-Bob; HayJax; Tim-Bob; Nona and Chuck [not sure of their -Bob status]. I don't mind The Flying Saucer about once a year or so. The healthiest thing I could find on their never-changing menu was a chicken wrap and a side salad.
Friday began with a session on coping with medical insurance during unemployment. The presenter developed the DFWHealthConnection.org website. Did I learn anything else? Probably. For whatever reason, I chose to take notes on a (paper!) legal pad versus my PDA. Now I have to spend extra time transcribing those notes, lest they be eaten by paper moths and lost forever (not to mention the fact that You Can't Grep Paper).
Sideways [2004] was also showing at the (independent) Magnolia and I suspect the audience would've been different. Several of us found more humor in one of the audience member's laughter, than that of the plot (which struck me as Thelma and Louise Meet The Werewolf); I rate the film a Ho-Hum. Others up for the Oscar are The Aviator; Finding Neverland; Million Dollar Baby and Ray. Since I didn't see any of those others, I'll be kind and allow the Academy to make their own choice.
Mid-afternoon, I went to the doctor (followup) and he said he'll keep me alive as long as I continue to pay his bill (this could go on for several decades if I'm careful). They did the usual blood test; updated results will be back next week sometime to see how well The Meds are working.
At midday, I lunched with 6 members of The Saucer Crowd (including Eddie and Jill-Bob; HayJax; Tim-Bob; Nona and Chuck [not sure of their -Bob status]. I don't mind The Flying Saucer about once a year or so. The healthiest thing I could find on their never-changing menu was a chicken wrap and a side salad.
Friday began with a session on coping with medical insurance during unemployment. The presenter developed the DFWHealthConnection.org website. Did I learn anything else? Probably. For whatever reason, I chose to take notes on a (paper!) legal pad versus my PDA. Now I have to spend extra time transcribing those notes, lest they be eaten by paper moths and lost forever (not to mention the fact that You Can't Grep Paper).
Saturday, July 24
discovered: large buildings full of books!
I didn't know that places like this still existed, but I found several large buildings in and around the Metroplex which contain - apparently - hundreds of thousands of books! And it appears that other people already knew about these places, since the parking lots were full.
I had assumed that all the world's knowledge (all those old books made of paper and bound with leather) was now online (including OCR scans where possible, and transcriptions where not). But nooo ...
I made this discovery quite by accident. I had Google'd for the history of a nearby undeveloped park, and wasn't finding the information I wanted. So (in desperation) I completed a web form (at 0'dark:30) which magically sent an email to the Dallas Parks & Recreation Department. Imagine my shock when, a few hours later, I received a reply with the answer! Wow .. this was very cool. In composing my Thank You Note (via email, natch) I asked about another park (overextending my welcome, pressing my luck - you name it).
I nearly fell off my chair when (just a few minutes later - mind you, this was between 9 and 5 on a weekday) I received a reply, including the citation of a probable best-seller entitled Centennial History of the Dallas, Texas Park System, 1876-1976 which is out of print and - dig this - Not On amazon.com. How is this possible??!
I decided to throw caution to wind, and Do The Unthinkable: get in my car and drive to a place called The Branch Library0, asking to see a copy. When I arrived, I noticed a lot of apparent theft taking place; people were leaving the building with books tucked under their arms. They all looked very suspicious to me.
Inside, the Nice Man™ at The Information Booth (a strange little place where a knowledgable person will answer your questions - in person) punched the title into his computer and informed me that while his branch didn't have the book, there were copies in the Central Library (12 miles and 22 minutes away) and at the Audelia Road (south of Royal) Branch, a mere 6 miles and 12 minutes away. Hmm. Trying to remember those Ancient Lessons of Arithmetic, I surmised that this Branch Library (the large building full of books) was closer (6<12 and 12<22) so I journeyed forthwith1.
Imagine my stunned shock and awe when this Branch Library had a similar (to my nearby branch) Information Booth with a similar (yet different) Nice Man™ who initially mused "this is surely downtown" but then wiggled with delight when he discovered that Yes! Indeed! They Had A Copy! but no one has asked to see it in probably 25 years! He wrote down some numbers (apparently a secret code called the Dewey Decimal Classification System) and moseyed to a nearby rack, fetching the 900-page book. At this stage, I was effervescing with delight, but still perplexed about it not being online.
There's always a catch. This book was something called a "Reference Book", meaning I couldn't take it home (as I noticed others were doing, when I walked in) but that I could take it to a nice, quiet table and read and make notes and even photocopy it, if that was my pleasure. The Nice Man™ confessed that the photocopier was a Smudger and only took 25c coins (of which I had none in my possession). Knowing that this tactic would produce a smudged piece of paper, which I would need to subsequently OCR, I decided to scribble the pertinent passages into my PDA and HotSync™ it when I returned home. Naturally, I took a digital photo of the exterior of This Book, to prove to others that I wasn't fibbing about these prehistoric artifacts.
So, the culled information is now available electronically, and The World Is A Happier Place. Tonight, there is Frabjous Joy here in Dallas.
0) I have no idea why it is called a Branch, since it was neither attached to a tree, nor made of wood. I didn't ask.
1) "journey forthwith" is an English phrase first used in Medieval Times (not the restaurant) meaning "go now". In the past, words were longer and had more syllables than are needed today. Got dat?
I had assumed that all the world's knowledge (all those old books made of paper and bound with leather) was now online (including OCR scans where possible, and transcriptions where not). But nooo ...
I made this discovery quite by accident. I had Google'd for the history of a nearby undeveloped park, and wasn't finding the information I wanted. So (in desperation) I completed a web form (at 0'dark:30) which magically sent an email to the Dallas Parks & Recreation Department. Imagine my shock when, a few hours later, I received a reply with the answer! Wow .. this was very cool. In composing my Thank You Note (via email, natch) I asked about another park (overextending my welcome, pressing my luck - you name it).
I nearly fell off my chair when (just a few minutes later - mind you, this was between 9 and 5 on a weekday) I received a reply, including the citation of a probable best-seller entitled Centennial History of the Dallas, Texas Park System, 1876-1976 which is out of print and - dig this - Not On amazon.com. How is this possible??!
I decided to throw caution to wind, and Do The Unthinkable: get in my car and drive to a place called The Branch Library0, asking to see a copy. When I arrived, I noticed a lot of apparent theft taking place; people were leaving the building with books tucked under their arms. They all looked very suspicious to me.
Inside, the Nice Man™ at The Information Booth (a strange little place where a knowledgable person will answer your questions - in person) punched the title into his computer and informed me that while his branch didn't have the book, there were copies in the Central Library (12 miles and 22 minutes away) and at the Audelia Road (south of Royal) Branch, a mere 6 miles and 12 minutes away. Hmm. Trying to remember those Ancient Lessons of Arithmetic, I surmised that this Branch Library (the large building full of books) was closer (6<12 and 12<22) so I journeyed forthwith1.
Imagine my stunned shock and awe when this Branch Library had a similar (to my nearby branch) Information Booth with a similar (yet different) Nice Man™ who initially mused "this is surely downtown" but then wiggled with delight when he discovered that Yes! Indeed! They Had A Copy! but no one has asked to see it in probably 25 years! He wrote down some numbers (apparently a secret code called the Dewey Decimal Classification System) and moseyed to a nearby rack, fetching the 900-page book. At this stage, I was effervescing with delight, but still perplexed about it not being online.
There's always a catch. This book was something called a "Reference Book", meaning I couldn't take it home (as I noticed others were doing, when I walked in) but that I could take it to a nice, quiet table and read and make notes and even photocopy it, if that was my pleasure. The Nice Man™ confessed that the photocopier was a Smudger and only took 25c coins (of which I had none in my possession). Knowing that this tactic would produce a smudged piece of paper, which I would need to subsequently OCR, I decided to scribble the pertinent passages into my PDA and HotSync™ it when I returned home. Naturally, I took a digital photo of the exterior of This Book, to prove to others that I wasn't fibbing about these prehistoric artifacts.
So, the culled information is now available electronically, and The World Is A Happier Place. Tonight, there is Frabjous Joy here in Dallas.
0) I have no idea why it is called a Branch, since it was neither attached to a tree, nor made of wood. I didn't ask.
1) "journey forthwith" is an English phrase first used in Medieval Times (not the restaurant) meaning "go now". In the past, words were longer and had more syllables than are needed today. Got dat?
Monday, May 10
trust is a 2-way street
Although it'll be a few more weeks before I seriously begin The Big Hunt, I'm a big believer in infrastructure. When you architect things right, from the start, it's just a lot easier later. It is with such thoughts in mind (plus the independent recommendations of two people I trust) that I started developing my network using one of the latest tools: LinkedIn. I like their approach for a variety of reasons. When I meticulously perused my contact list, I chose (one by one) people with whom I've worked over the years, and thought "do I trust this person enough to give a recommendation?". They also make it easy to see how many degrees of separation is involved between you and someone else. This is akin to the proverbial cocktail party introduction: "Biff, I'd like you to meet Moondoggie ..."
One scary thing about this process is realizing (literally) how many thousand people I have worked with personally over the years. Some have been quick tasks, while others involved months (and even years) working together. After a few hundred (ha! I must be a slow learner) you begin to size up people quickly. Can they deliver? Are they reliable? Do they give everything their best shot? All of those things factor into the equation, and most don't make the cut.
One of my managers offered an inspiration once: trust is a 2-way street. If you don't trust someone, odds are very strong that the reverse is also true. It didn't dawn on me that I might not be always trustworthy; fascinating!
LinkedIn doesn't pretend to be all things to all people; other of these Social Network tools try to be a place where you arrange dates, golf partners and spelunking adventures, all at once. That tends to spread things too thin, IMHO. Heck, I don't even like a cellphone that also combines a camera and a PDA. I tend to want the best of each discrete component. Camera-PDA-phones make for the worst of all three.
One scary thing about this process is realizing (literally) how many thousand people I have worked with personally over the years. Some have been quick tasks, while others involved months (and even years) working together. After a few hundred (ha! I must be a slow learner) you begin to size up people quickly. Can they deliver? Are they reliable? Do they give everything their best shot? All of those things factor into the equation, and most don't make the cut.
One of my managers offered an inspiration once: trust is a 2-way street. If you don't trust someone, odds are very strong that the reverse is also true. It didn't dawn on me that I might not be always trustworthy; fascinating!
LinkedIn doesn't pretend to be all things to all people; other of these Social Network tools try to be a place where you arrange dates, golf partners and spelunking adventures, all at once. That tends to spread things too thin, IMHO. Heck, I don't even like a cellphone that also combines a camera and a PDA. I tend to want the best of each discrete component. Camera-PDA-phones make for the worst of all three.
Sunday, April 25
you can't buy these in stores!
Okay, I think I understand. You slide your (not yet available!) Chameleon Card into one of Chameleon Network's Pocket Vault™'s and push a button to program the card to appear as one of your many credit cards. This is supposed to make your wallet thinner, since you only carry one credit card. But, the size of the Pocket Vault looks to be about 20 credit cards thick. Hmmm. I suppose if it were integrated into my cellphone or PDA, but I'm not thrilled about carrying yet another device.
Yesterday, I bought a new flatbed scanner. Years ago, I would have pored over the specs, read everything and after a few agonizing weeks, have chosen a model. Now, I just pick up PC World or PC Magazine, flip to the back and see which ones they liked best (it takes much less time, and the writers presumably know more about this stuff than I). The Joy Of Specs is long gone.
From experience, I know that specific models (as listed in the magazines) are seldom found (perhaps it's because of the long lead times needed to put something in print). So, when I go to my local retailer (MicroCenter or Fry's), I know to look for similar models. If it was a big-ticket item, I might use a webbot, but this is for a $50 scanner, and not a $1000 digicam. So, that's how I ended up with my Canon CanoScan LiDE 30; the store didn't stock the LiDE 50, and this one had similar specs (along with a $30 rebate). So, I bought it, took it home and plugged it in, and began scanning.
.. and then there's the story (WAIST CASE) out of New Orleans, where they're considering a law against low-riding jeans. Word is that the Louisiana Plumbers Union will sue. One place where you won't see low-riders (ha!) is in Plano today, at the Blackland Prairie Festival. They say "rain or shine" and the rain ended just before the festival started.
Gene Bob's First-Ever Boring Website of the Year Award goes to: Tabatchnick Soups. At least one of their suppliers -- Winningfoods.com -- has photos of a few of their products.
Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't provide a link to the coffin photos from Dover Air Force Base. The site is very, very busy and you may have to revisit. Also, don't miss Russ Kick's blog.
Yesterday, I bought a new flatbed scanner. Years ago, I would have pored over the specs, read everything and after a few agonizing weeks, have chosen a model. Now, I just pick up PC World or PC Magazine, flip to the back and see which ones they liked best (it takes much less time, and the writers presumably know more about this stuff than I). The Joy Of Specs is long gone.
From experience, I know that specific models (as listed in the magazines) are seldom found (perhaps it's because of the long lead times needed to put something in print). So, when I go to my local retailer (MicroCenter or Fry's), I know to look for similar models. If it was a big-ticket item, I might use a webbot, but this is for a $50 scanner, and not a $1000 digicam. So, that's how I ended up with my Canon CanoScan LiDE 30; the store didn't stock the LiDE 50, and this one had similar specs (along with a $30 rebate). So, I bought it, took it home and plugged it in, and began scanning.
.. and then there's the story (WAIST CASE) out of New Orleans, where they're considering a law against low-riding jeans. Word is that the Louisiana Plumbers Union will sue. One place where you won't see low-riders (ha!) is in Plano today, at the Blackland Prairie Festival. They say "rain or shine" and the rain ended just before the festival started.
Gene Bob's First-Ever Boring Website of the Year Award goes to: Tabatchnick Soups. At least one of their suppliers -- Winningfoods.com -- has photos of a few of their products.
Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't provide a link to the coffin photos from Dover Air Force Base. The site is very, very busy and you may have to revisit. Also, don't miss Russ Kick's blog.
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