I remember clicking and refreshing multiple times to see if different stores had Wii Fit in stock.
This time, my daughter is signed up for preschool.
So you know, registration opens at 10am. Last time the class was full at 10:06am. We are in, thankfully. I can’t imagine if you tried using the touchtone phone option.
“Press 1 for….aaah!! Hurry up! Hurry!!”
Upon bloodied fields two armies meet
Dark to crush Light beneath its feet.
White King watches Chaos unfold
Fires still burn on the last stronghold.
I’m sad that I have to take down Vanguard. It’s not deleted, it’s just switched to Private. Sorry about that, Dad. Feed Stealers had locked into the Vanguard category and would be automatically adding my content to their site every time I posted. Not cool.
First Lorrd.com jacking my Star Wars posts, now this. When it’s my Star Wars content…meh. That’s my fanboy rant. But when it’s a book I want to finish before The Big Birthday?
The doctor makes his way down a safe road
as the delivered package begins to explode.
What happens when political families own the same copy of Dress for Success, Slade’s and my bedtime story growing up
Small steps, my computer brethren. But trumping the CDC is no minor feat. From the article: ” In the 2007-08 flu season, Google accurately estimated current flu levels one to two weeks faster than published CDC reports in each of the nine U.S. surveillance regions, Google said in a statement.”
Impressive.
From the other site:
If you liked reading about Tally and Shay and all the other bubblies in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, you’ll definitely like Bogus to Bubbly.
It’s full of trivia about the books. For instance: look at the cover of Uglies. Notice anyone in the girl’s pupil? That’s the reflection of the photographer from the photo shoot. And the design in Aya’s eye on the Extras cover was inspired by the videogame The Last Starfighter.
Check the last word of each book. Notice a pattern?
The real treat is the insight that Scott Westerfeld adds for aspiring authors. He gives quite a bit of honest information about his writing process and the thoughts behind sections of the book.
Floating Ice Rink
I have no idea where this idea came from, except that it allowed me to write a scene that put together my three favorite things: fireworks, falling, and miscreant behavior.
He highlights where the technology from the books intersects with real-life, like how cuttlefish camouflage can actually match checkerboard patterns and that there are flash tattoos under people’s skin that can detect blood sugar. (I did not know that people actually have surgery to put diamonds on their eyes. Ouch.)
And I appreciate Westerfeld’s great sense of humor. The book reads like you’re checking his blog’s RSS feed.
So littlies aren’t considered ugly in Tally’s world – they’re too cute and innocent and small. Like penguins.
If you’ve just created a cool new building that uses smart matter supports, you don’t want someone coming along and turning that matter into, say, liquid. Because that would be bad.
He also describes the process behind creating effective slang and using it in regular conversation. (I actually used “dizzy-making” in conversation with one of the school secretaries without realizing it.) He has an acronym to help with coming up with slang, but I want you to check out this bubbly book.
How do I know that you’re patient?
I guess IE decided to render my Flash slideshow with a CLICK sound every time a new slide appeared. Tres 1970s Pentagon briefing… I have now simplified that ad (as well as turned the azcentral embedded video into a link (why autoplay? Is this Xanga?)).
For everyone’s information:
Monday Night Football, you are on notice.
I left my school at 3:30pm to visit my brother across town. I just arrived. 6:00pm.
Across town as in up the mountain to Flagstaff across town?
YA news: The Clique (very popular series by Lisi Harrison) is going to be a straight-to-DVD release on Nov. 18. Will it be better than Stormbreaker and Eragon? It’s a little easier with more “Did you see what she’s wearing?” and less “I, the Shadeslayer, banish thee to the depths of depthiness with my swordy sword!”
“You can wipe a memory. But can you wipe away a soul?”
Most definitely I am excited bout Dollhouse, Master Predictor. February 13, my friends.
But a production shutdown? When will they learn that…
Devin, clue them in about signal stoppage.
Every time you hear a cacophony of metal hitting metal in the video, that is J and I “cheering” with strained voices.
Also, the Scion has a feature that rocks. Some readers may view it as archaic, but I view it as borderline arcane: the exclamation point. When ! shows up, it is necessary to check tire pressure. 35 psi for the front, 32 psi for the back. This is in the comparison to the, “Eh, looks alright. Maybe fill up that other side a bit more, now that I see it” that the Reliant inspired.
Star Wars (yes, Jeremy, I immediately posted it)
My Dictator Pets
Scott Westerfeld
With his nanobots (built using rat heart tissue)(just like mom used to make)
and grandma soap
How God Works
My big stress by staying home sick today was trying to figure out how to teach someone else how to use our closed-circuit cable system. The creator of that video sent an e-mail apologizing that she didn’t have the video ready for today but would have to show it next Friday.
My Loving Wife
Taking care of the girls, my prescription, and me (The Slacker Librarian)
Andromeda Strain
Nothing beats staying home sick and reading Andromeda Strain.
Especially imaginary ones. Hence, my new favorite fascination on the internet: Strange Maps. Whether it is talking about the almost-but-never-was state of Absorka or 1942 plans for the New World Order, this blog offers me hours of entertainment.
[Booyor], you might be interested to see the map of Tea as a North/South Litmus Test.
Also of interest: A tourist map of Gotham.
In honor/memory of Michael Crichton, who died from cancer yesterday, I ask a question:
What is your favorite Michael Crichton work? (I opened it to that in case you wanted movie/TV show/political critique/cookbook)
Secondary question:
Did anyone else know that he was 6’9″? I found that out today. That ROCKS!
Update: Did you know that he was working on Jurassic Park 4 and a re-make of Westworld?
5:52am – I’ve actually been here since 5:35am, but it takes that long for our school network to synchronize files. 5:35am – Everything is going according to plan. There was a surprisingly long line outside of my library. I think we may beat in the first hour the 29 that showed up the entire time last time.
Muahaha. Your democracy has been set back five minutes.
And I think this may be the longest article title/URL. Come back for updates throughout the day, much like what I had first envisioned as The Longest Day.
6:08am – Watch as I nitpick Yahoo. “All that’s left is to vote, even for Obama.” That’s an ‘open to interpretation’ way to say it. Is there anyone you’re leaning towards, Yahoo? Hmmm?
6:13am – Uh oh. Make sure you scan that correctly. We don’t want a chad incident.
6:17am – They’ve now overflowed to the tables. No talking during the test!
6:57am – Make a Spot check.
As stealthy as a 6’9″ guy can be… (Although wasn’t there an example in one of the rulebooks for a Wookiee tracking a katarn in the rain? Devin, what’s the DC on that?)
I thought you might enjoy the most recent part of The Ruing:
Wooha!
- Wedge taking out the AT-AT with a tow cable
It should be noted that “Into the Trap” was playing in the Scion as I drove up today. Yes, it’s Return of the Jedi and not Empire Strikes Back, but it’s still an awesome squad theme song.
Brown Squadron, you have been given the go ahead. You are weapons free.
8:38am – Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy.
Actually, just warm.
8:50am – I shall drown my sorrows in RockStar Juiced.
8:52am – J was there at 4:45am at his site. Yeah, contact with the outside world!
8:54am – Review of Juiced: Good for drowning, not necessarily drowning sorrows. I can taste the mango skin. It’s…unnerving.
Not a vanilla mocha.
8:59am – For my wife:
Snaps is the name of the game, the name of the game is snaps.
Can you please
recommend a
*Snap*
physician?
11:15am – Back from voting:
I have my reasons.
12:02pm – Castro praises one of the candidates. Wow. It’s one of those “please don’t help” moments.
1:32pm – Found out from Peter about the Secretary of the Interwebs. (Yeah! Cory Doctorow in a hot air balloon versus Tron Paul!)
3:27pm -
Cooper Black? Times New Roman?
Ouch. I just sprained my sense of design.
3:57pm – There’s a guy here taking a picture of his votes with his cell phone. What a weirdo.
Unless…
Does he have a rival website, also full of Order 66 and El Pollo Loco? I should ask rather than assume.
4:03pm – I got distracted instead by fonts with a live preview.
4:26pm – Why to avoid exit polls and why CNN vowed to not use them after the 2000 election - did they hold to it? Did you know that in France it’s illegal to conduct a poll within 48 hours of an election? It’s also city ordinance for Parisians to have a permit before using a tripod to film. Madness.
4:40pm – Make your own mini Sheriff Megatron. Fun for the whole family at the cost of one sheet of cardstock.
Click on the picture to hugeify it.
5:09pm – I don’t think we should call it just yet.
vs.
I’ve never actually been to Maine, but I could have sworn they had more people than that.
5:41pm – Political Analyst John Elway
5:42pm – Just got called “dude” by one of the workers.
Cringe.
5:44pm – Why is ‘John Elway’ in single quotes? Is it a quote inside the dialogue by Yahoo? Did Tolkien write the Flash dashboard?
5:46pm – Bwaha. Tatyana Ali? Little Ashley Banks?
6:16pm – Considering running on the Monster Raving Loony Party ticket. Do we have a U.S. branch? I guess we do. (Hosted on Tripod. Tres officiale.)
6:30pm – Town Crier just did his “Polls close in 30 minutes” yell.
7:58pm – They have finally packed up. And they still didn’t lean my name. Much shivering, much creeped out. Everyone must leave. Go home.
9:43pm – It’s funny that there’s still ads for McCain/Palin surveys saying “Can they win?” on Yahoo. There’s always the time machine option. I wonder what my grandpa would have thought. Also, I find it dreadfully ironic that the maps aren’t even all colored in yet. (Our state being one of them.) Did all of the hurtful words add up to much? Now to support our new president and be done with political ads for a little bit! Wooha! (Although be prepared for a “Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos.” from time to time.)
I always noticed this up at NAU. The German students had a thing for mocking our presidents with masks. I guess it’s the next generation:
My oldest is a comedian. She kept switching the words around, cracking herself up. Keep in mind that I didn’t read any of it to her:
My youngest has a more “Theatre of the Absurd” sense of humor:
With the final tally of money spent by both candidates combined at about $8 per vote, I can’t help but think of the Booyor System of Money. I see everything in terms of what I could’ve purchased instead. It used to be PS2 Greatest Hits ($19.99, guaranteed). “Let’s avoid that bank fee; that’s a PS2 game.” “Let’s not eat out tonight; that’s a PS2 game.” “I’ll hitchhike to work this week; that’s a PS2 game.” (Just kidding, Mom.)
So now our future Presidents have spent $8 per voter to get me to choose them. On the positive, I think we’ll see record numbers of voter turnout (and you will hear all about our Day of Ruing tomorrow).
Two questions, though:
Right now I can’t tackle what’s hugely wrong with a media-drunk information society voting. But I can make some suggestions on what to spend the $8 on next time if you’re buying for me.
These are just off the top of my head, fellows. If you’re going to make policy, at least send me a better gift.
Update: By the time we’re done, it will be an estimated $5.3 billion spent on everyone’s (the Hillarys, Dodds, Romneys of the world included) campaigns. $5.3 billion. Yeah, the GDP of Nicaragua.
Halloween for me was staying at home with my youngest who is still having some breathing problems. Tonight is another stay at home night, missing the Freedom night. (I was very excited to see Jon painting on a blank canvas (as well as all of the other awesome people there).) (To see the people, not that Jon would be painting on them.)(I don’t think. I can’t go, so you’ll have to update me.)
Since I’ve been homebound (but loving the extra time with my youngest (who is now Bronx cheering me)), I’ll share with you what it looks like to have Halloween in New York.
Okay, so it’s not ALL complete lameness on Oct. 31. Check out the West Village (as caught by Jason’s iPhone):
Crazy night.
First, thank you to J and crew for watching my two kids today. In a day that started with a film project, I’ve been kinda busy. While eating lunch, a pipe under the sink burst. It is now fixed (as far as I can tell…whenever I make repairs I hold my breath until I forget about it).
I propose a hypothesis: the number of trips to Home Depot will be directly proportional to the importance of the repair. After the third visit to Home Depot within a two hour span, I realized that it was a good thing to get the sink fixed.
Water is flowing freely, flowing like…water, I guess.
A neighborly gent commented, “Ah. The joys of home ownership.” I muttered under my breath a less than joyous response. Tonight, though, we sat down to watch Kit Kittredge (keep in mind the demographics of my house) and people were losing their homes to foreclosure.
In a time where people are struggling and some losing their houses, I’m thankful for what I’ve been given.
Now to shower and get the iron shavings out of my hair and eyes.
Addition: This is the first time where I’ve been helped by a sales assistant at Home Depot. I was helped three separate times, representing the three trips. I think it’s my Amish beard. I’m no longer a suspected thief but now a reputable barn raiser.