tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36784762011-09-04T06:52:16.258-05:00Dispatches from the DesertIt's my new device.Samnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1096990212121764672004-10-05T10:28:00.000-05:002004-10-05T10:30:12.123-05:00New Trilogy Review
The Digital Bits has a pretty good review of the new trilogy, including a good summary of the changes Lucas has made for the DVD editions.Samnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1096989746180252912004-10-05T10:22:00.000-05:002004-10-05T10:22:26.180-05:00New Trilogy
Maybe I've explained my attachment to "Return of the Jedi" - pre-tampering, it's my second-favorite of the five films - but in any case, I saw the post-tampering version for the very first time last night. When Lucas re-released them in the theaters way back when, I only went to see "The Empire Strikes Back".
"Return of the Jedi" was the first Star Wars movie I saw. It wasn't my Samnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1096664830684637012004-10-01T15:49:00.000-05:002004-10-01T16:07:10.686-05:00City Slicker in our Jerkwater Burg
Perhaps you didn't know this, but Madison's the largest "city" I've ever lived in. As a teenager it seemed like big shit to roll into town here, but now, as you can see, I'm calling it a town. It's so provincial here.
Anyway, it was trips to the coasts (NYC and Seattle) that gave me this metaphorical cockpunch. When you're 16 and you strut down State Street inSamnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1096630279286422202004-10-01T06:18:00.000-05:002004-10-01T06:31:19.286-05:00A Rare Victory
Brewers pulled out a close win last night, nearly giving it up in the bottom of the ninth. But they held on for a nailbiting 7-6 win over the best team in baseball. Good stuff.
I hear there was a debate or something last night, too.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1096577150325726302004-09-30T15:36:00.000-05:002004-09-30T15:45:50.326-05:00Tuning Out the Noise
There are four days left of the regular major-league baseball season. Starting tonight, and through the weekend, my beloved Milwaukee Brewers play a four-game series with the best team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Milwaukee's not going to the postseason, but there will be a postseason, and it will probably run the entire month of October, ending just in time for Samnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1096040343621154182004-09-24T10:34:00.000-05:002004-09-24T10:39:03.623-05:00Smell the Glove
Oh, look! Dogs can smell cancer. Perhaps this means I should go see a doctor, as most dogs I encounter go straight for my crotch.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1094827641514019572004-09-10T09:41:00.000-05:002004-09-10T09:47:21.516-05:00Apologies
I'm sorry I haven't been posting. I was busy with work, then I was in Kansas, and then I had a lot of work to do, and now I'm exhausted and melancholy and not feeling much like giving shout-outs.
Excuses, I know. But that's all we've got, action or excuses. Anyway, I'm working on a longer post. I'll post it when I feel ready and you'll like it.Samnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1093381559081859512004-08-24T16:05:00.000-05:002004-08-24T16:05:59.083-05:00Mmmm. Cold pizza for an early dinner. So tasty.Samnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1093031368802576932004-08-20T14:49:00.000-05:002004-08-20T14:49:28.803-05:00What the Desert Is Like These Days
So, someone died, then. I went to the visitation on Tuesday. I don't really want to talk about it more than I just did.
Jiu-Jitsu last night was okay. I got to wrestle with one person last night, and he was very patient and instructive. I learned a few submission holds, and an interesting way to break someone's arm, which is nice.
The nuances of the art Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1092942395427996152004-08-19T14:06:00.000-05:002004-08-19T14:06:35.426-05:00Why I'm Done with CD Swaps
Except in tightly pre-screened groups, I'm finished with online CD swaps. This isn't meant to be a dig on people I've traded with in the past, because I've had mostly positive experiences, but I'm just not getting what I want out of these swaps.
When I listen to and explore music, I find trends and ride those trends until a new one comes along. And new ones do come Samnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1092770947876153492004-08-17T14:29:00.000-05:002004-08-17T14:29:07.876-05:00Ain't Too Proud to Break Your Arm
In another development directly related to other recent
events, I've started taking Jiu-Jitsu classes.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as a martial art, is designed to take away the advantages a bigger, stronger adversary has. The main focus of the training is
fighting on the ground, since most fights end up there anyway. For example, most martial arts have a Samnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1092754517121372472004-08-17T09:55:00.000-05:002004-08-17T14:19:58.813-05:00Acres Update
This is a semi-accurate summary of how my weekend went.
Not to say that this event dominated my weekend, because it really didn't (I didn't even know for certain why the police had been there until this morning), but it's pretty indicative of the overall tone of the weekend. I suppose Sunday went well, but that's because I wasn't home.
And here's the follow-up article: Head case Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1092154275777978792004-08-10T11:11:00.000-05:002004-08-10T11:18:10.906-05:00Acres Update
Milhouse, my troubled tenant, was apparently hauled away by police on Wednesday morning. When his case worker came to tell him he had to move out, he
became violent and 911 was called. Some people hate the police, but I've learned to love them.
The episode reminded me why it's important to keep myself in shape. I'm not scared of anyone out there right now, and have yet to be Samnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1091898379408998492004-08-07T11:48:00.000-05:002004-08-07T12:06:19.410-05:00The Friday Situation
I apologize for not posting yesterday. Things were... slow. I had other things to take care of, and I was exhausted, and I did work on a longer post that I'd like to finish today and share, but we'll see. I may not finish it tomorrow. I have grass to cut today.
Last night I went to the final Polka party. It was an interesting time. Unlike the old parties, where I knew Samnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1091723493272126932004-08-05T11:31:00.000-05:002004-08-05T11:31:42.036-05:00Brewers Tracker
Baseball players are too easy to make fun of.
Samnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1091650787223094632004-08-04T15:15:00.000-05:002004-08-04T15:19:47.223-05:00Franco Macalousso!
It seems that the Anti-Christ has appeared, and he is... Barack Obama!!!!
Seriously, for anyone who remembers the Christian phase John and I went through a while back, this is quite hilarious. Triply so if you've ever watched Apocalypse, Revelation, and Tribulation.
Samnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1091635598234122372004-08-04T11:05:00.000-05:002004-08-04T11:06:38.233-05:00Victory!
An update to the previous post: as of one hour ago, I have successfully negotiated the termination of Milhouse's tenancy on my property, effective immediately.
Samnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1091624724124949112004-08-04T02:04:00.000-05:002004-08-04T08:05:24.123-05:00Grumble Acres
As I type these words, it is 12:07 in the morning.
I've just been woken up by a tenant who claimed another tenant was banging on his door and threatening to kick his door in if he didn't open up. This first tenant, who I will call Bill (the names are changed to protect peoples' identities), is a bit of a long story. He trafficks in exaggerations, telling manipulative lies to Samnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1089752100678437002004-07-13T15:54:00.000-05:002004-07-13T15:55:00.676-05:00How I Would Protest at the Republican Convention
via KottkeSamnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1089637399414752412004-07-12T08:02:00.000-05:002004-07-12T08:03:19.413-05:00This is the best police report I've read in a long time.Samnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1089404590956428342004-07-09T15:22:00.000-05:002004-07-09T15:23:10.956-05:00More LEGO® Fun
I just found this creation in the Blacktron style over at Brickshelf. If you remember Blacktron and loved it, check it out. Turbo-cool.Samnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1089397723501049902004-07-09T12:59:00.000-05:002004-07-09T13:28:43.500-05:00U, ROBOT
Let me begin this post by declaring the single best toy line in the history of the world: it's Danish for "play well" - LEGO®. No other toy has inspired the same creative spark through so many years.
LEGO® sets are 100% modular, and while they've begun manufacturing specialized pieces for individual sets, those pieces can yet be re-used for other building projects. No other toy companySamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1089055709705195512004-07-05T14:09:00.000-05:002004-07-05T14:28:29.706-05:00I've been listening to Motown lately, the classic singles from the golden age of pop music.
These songs are the soundtrack of my early childhood, the life I lived in southwestern Minnesota where commercial FM radio did not exist. There, radio was a tool of talk, a medium of conversation and the exchange of ideas. I'm sure there was some method of rigging a radio to a larger antenna to catch a Samnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1088740803790255202004-07-01T22:53:00.000-05:002004-07-01T23:00:03.790-05:00Mr. Huxtable Speaks
I really like what Bill Cosby is saying. I don't claim to know a lot about minority issues, being a member of almost every single demographic majority, but I've been aware and concerned about racial issues for more than a decade.
Many people are writing him off as a curmudgeon and a cranky old man, but he's telling the truth. I think his attacks on hip-hop are maybe a bit Samnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1088706550050109082004-07-01T13:28:00.000-05:002004-07-01T13:29:17.466-05:00You the man, dawg!!!Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1088113001860446602004-06-24T16:35:00.000-05:002004-06-24T16:36:41.860-05:00New Site Feature
I put my "Run-O-Meter" up on the right column of this blog, where I'll track how far I've run since starting my new exercise regimen. It should be a lot of fun to watch the miles rack up!Samnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1088112128997472222004-06-24T16:20:00.000-05:002004-06-24T16:22:08.996-05:00Flash Game
I'm enjoying Curveball. It's simple but fun, though part of me thinks they should have called it "Knuckleball".Samnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1086988085255888512004-06-11T16:07:00.001-05:002004-06-11T16:08:05.256-05:00Denaturation and Replication of Nucleic Acid
I'm supposed to be storyboarding and creating an animation to demonstrate the process of Polymerase Chain Reaction, or PCR. It's a molecular biology technique by which one can exponentially increase the amount of DNA one has for an experiment.
The difficulty is that I've seen animations of this before, and they're all remarkably dull. Witness.
Not Samnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1086296287317526622004-06-03T15:49:00.000-05:002004-06-03T15:58:07.316-05:00The new Blogger has a way of discouraging me from posting. I don't really like using it.
I might just update my personal webspace at tds.net with text files, kind of a poor man's blog.Samnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1084302128593281742004-05-11T14:00:00.000-05:002004-05-11T14:02:08.593-05:00Eat More Fat!
I started that cult diet, the O'Atkins Factor Diet. Right now I just feel really tired. Though that's not really something I can blame on what I've been eating.
I've browsed the book, and what I'm most looking forward to in the next couple of days is having an egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich with a liberal spread of mayonnaise, served on two sausage patties instead of bread.Samnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1083871172961846752004-05-06T14:19:00.000-05:002004-05-06T14:28:00.310-05:00Four Miles
One of the most difficult parts of being a kid is the meaninglessness of your existence: you have a stake in almost nothing, as nearly all decisions are made for you, and you are shielded from lots of negative consequences. At least, if you've got competent parents that's the case.
The majority of my childhood memories fail to carry any meaning beyond tones, images, and impressions, Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1083095605994129652004-04-27T14:53:00.000-05:002004-04-27T14:57:34.436-05:00Asparagus makes my pee smell funny.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1082562412066226462004-04-21T10:46:00.000-05:002004-04-21T10:50:51.420-05:00Ack.
They picked someone else for the public television job. Damn.
Of course, those of you I've talked to in the past week know I'd already figured that out, but it still feels rotten to get the news. Looks like I'll be where I am for another several years, something I've already set my mind to.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1080933364800124892004-04-02T13:16:00.000-06:002004-04-02T13:19:39.640-06:00Feedback
So, my question is this: am I a big asshole because I think Kevin Smith makes terrible movies?
Really, it's kind of a mystery to me. Every movie I've seen of his was mighty unimpressive. I've been accused of not "getting" Kevin Smith, but I think that's like accusing someone of not "getting" Mister Rogers. Now that I'm seeing people all abuzz about how wonderful and touching his latestSamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1080667530603370562004-03-30T11:25:00.000-06:002004-03-30T11:29:01.233-06:00Amazon Help?
I'm currently grappling with a work-related problem regarding purchasing from Amazon and its affiliates. I don't want to get too specific, but one aspect of my job dictates that I need to buy gift certificates for people located in countries like Sri Lanka. To make this more difficult, it's possible (probable, even) that I'll need to pay with a check instead of a credit card.
My Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1080399074450634852004-03-27T08:51:00.000-06:002004-03-27T08:54:40.623-06:00Corrupting the Youth
Last night, Lili and I were hanging around the house, and she asked me for a white sheet of paper, because she wanted to write.
"Can I have a pen too?" she asked.
"You bet," I said. I like it when she takes initiative and writes or paints or plays with LEGO® blocks without prompting. It demonstrates curiosity, drive, and a generally good character. We don't have a TV Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1080314914751915272004-03-26T09:28:00.000-06:002004-03-26T09:31:59.936-06:00Spring
The raw stink of worms in the air the morning after a heavy rain.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1080142725810359442004-03-24T09:38:00.000-06:002004-03-24T09:42:08.576-06:00One update to the last post: there's one exception to the lurking sound of Madvillainy, and that comes near the end of the album, "Supervillain Theme," an instrumental. It's like the villains finally bursting into the streetlight, seizing the control tower, kidnapping the hero's girl, kicking dogs, walking tall.
For anyone familiar with Boards of Canada's Music has the Right to Children, it's Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1080142116075293502004-03-24T09:28:00.000-06:002004-03-24T09:58:56.983-06:00It's official: Madvillain is on the streets. I took thirty minutes out of my day yesterday to run to the record store and pick it up, along with another MF Doom project, Vaudeville Villain.
This is not the hip-pop of OutKast, nor is it the decadent, nihilistic chest-thumping of the Eminems and Master Ps of hip-hop.
I remain convinced that the producer best suited to Doom's lyrics is Doom Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1078950465604977512004-03-10T14:27:00.000-06:002004-03-10T14:30:50.110-06:00!
While normalizing customer contact information at work, I stumbled across a very curious address.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1078866300595727552004-03-09T15:05:00.000-06:002004-03-09T15:08:04.013-06:00Tell Me What's on Your Mind
I have activated comments here, so now you can give me important feedback on my posts. Welcome to all the new visitors!!Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1078719835575426602004-03-07T22:23:00.000-06:002004-03-07T22:31:59.326-06:00I Gave Mel Gibson Eight Bucks!
So I saw Mel Gibson's latest film tonight, and I gotta say, it's kind of a weird movie. First of all: no ads! For everyone out there who's sick of ads before movies, go see this one! If we all band together and vote with our dollars, we can send Hollywood a message - that we don't like to pay to watch advertisements.
That said, the whole movie is basically an ad Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1077832838123728812004-02-26T16:00:00.000-06:002004-02-26T16:03:25.780-06:00A Culture on the Decline
Watch this trailer, and then try to tell me that American culture is good. If this is what freedom brings, tell me, what good is freedom?
Actually, don't watch the trailer. Believe me, it's actually worse than you would think and I realize the name "garfield" sets the bar dangerously close to the groundSamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1077727705857708382004-02-25T10:48:00.000-06:002004-02-25T10:51:11.246-06:00The Release Date
Finally. I've been waiting for Stones Throw to announce a release date on this record for at least three months, when I first heard about it. They reference "free tracks" downloaded off the internet - a few of which I'll admit to having. But make no mistake, I'm going to put cash down for this album.
Especially if what they claim is true, that these "advance" tracks on the Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1077637989357723262004-02-24T09:53:00.000-06:002004-02-24T09:55:55.686-06:00victory
Last night, I beat Tetris. Here's a screenshot of the end of the game. Notice all of the stock Nintendo® characters (Kid Icarus, Donkey Kong, Bowser, Princess Toadstool, Mario, Luigi, Samus, and Link) playing various instruments and cavorting in the foreground, and the minarets on the Kremlin taking off like rockets in the background.
Also, I notice there is an actual end to the A-Game,Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1077599049857841432004-02-23T23:04:00.000-06:002004-02-23T23:06:53.890-06:00The New Yorker pans Mel Gibson's latest effort.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1077557714931717652004-02-23T11:35:00.000-06:002004-02-23T11:37:57.920-06:00I've been playing video games lately.
As I mentioned earlier, every few years I get in a rut where nearly all my free time is occupied with the video games. Every time, I fixate on a single game, though I might take a break from it with some others (a kind of rest from video games... playing video games), there's the one game I return to again and again until I feel I have mastered it. In the Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1077296489527889142004-02-20T11:01:00.000-06:002004-02-20T11:04:08.983-06:00This poem is the perfect summary of where I am at right now.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1077293184331824832004-02-20T10:06:00.000-06:002004-02-20T10:09:03.716-06:00A story
A few weeks ago, I'd gotten the urge to hook up my NES again and play some
retro games. This happens every three or four years, and then I basically
play Tetris and Bionic Commando and Super Mario Bros. straight for months,
until I burn out, unplug the whole setup and pack it away again for several
years. At the time, I was hankering to play MLB, the greatest baseball game
Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1076467595318346542004-02-10T20:46:00.000-06:002004-02-10T20:49:01.403-06:00Return to the desert
I've been thinking about registering my own domain, getting my own webspace, a virtual monument to my own vanity.
As noted by johnr, it is the Long, Dark Winter. I don't respond to it the way most other people do, though. Sure, I lose energy, and I'm not crazy about being cold. But I'm not affected by the cold as much as others are. I'll go outside in a sweater. I enjoy Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1071863456766580392003-12-19T13:50:00.000-06:002003-12-19T13:52:12.496-06:00Two days ago, Wednesday, I went to see the new Lord of the Rings movie: Return of the King. I didn't post anything about it immediately because I wanted to get some other things done first, and then I wanted to wait.
I wanted to see how long the movie's visceral impact on me remained. Turns out that it had some lasting power. I have a theory about Hollywood, that as a locus of film production, Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1071515346403221452003-12-15T13:09:00.000-06:002003-12-15T13:10:17.373-06:00So, this weekend, then.
Sunday morning, about ten minutes after I woke up, I reached out of bed and clicked on the little clock radio I keep on my green dresser. It used to be across the room, but lately, sleeping on the floor, it's a matter of sitting up and flipping the switch.
I keep the dial tuned on NPR, and the news anchor was talking with a correspondent about the capture of someone in Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1071157497048236672003-12-11T09:44:00.000-06:002003-12-11T09:46:02.060-06:00My creative itch has returned. I am restless without some outlet.
It makes the rote motions unbearable. More than any time since college, I am in an excellent position to start writing again. Yet I'm stuck facing the same mental obstacles that have always been there. Plus there's that two jobs thing I have going on.
But winter is that time of year - when I spend more time indoors, when I see Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1070558356049889642003-12-04T11:19:00.000-06:002003-12-04T11:20:12.343-06:00Last night I made dinner, knackwurst with carmelized onions and jalapenos, baked potatoes, and homemade sauerkraut. The sauerkraut probably needs some time getting stinkier, but otherwise it was a great dinner. Oh, and I whipped together a quick mustard out of ground seeds and vinegar - that's a concoction I need to practice. Luckily, I had a coarse brown mustard in the fridge, so I didn't have Samnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1070475498590280692003-12-03T12:18:00.000-06:002003-12-03T12:19:13.686-06:00Today I got something done that had been nagging me for months. It was a tiny victory, a small step to getting back on a path.
I had a lot of fun Thanksgiving weekend. I saw some people I hadn't seen in a long time. Even though I'd always enjoyed their company, and they mine, a couple of years ago I got it in my head that we couldn't be friends for some reason. I don't really remember why; it Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1069440756443047452003-11-21T12:52:00.000-06:002003-11-21T12:53:14.186-06:00This place has been on hiatus for a while - I've been meaning to rethink it, and decide if it was meeting the original purpose.
For those who never bothered to read the awkward archives or haven't been around from the beginning, I started this damn thing as a channel to write more. I don't really do that.
Lately I've been in a weird funk. I've been listening to science-fiction-derived hip-hop Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1067635027741931192003-10-31T15:17:00.000-06:002003-10-31T15:17:18.670-06:00Boo!
I'm putting this blog on hiatus until further notice.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1067362515805573272003-10-28T11:35:00.000-06:002003-10-28T11:35:22.310-06:00I'm putting this blog on hiatus until further notice.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1066933374996953912003-10-23T13:22:00.000-05:002003-10-23T13:22:54.826-05:00I'm putting this blog on hiatus until further notice.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1066857968983794902003-10-22T16:26:00.000-05:002003-10-22T16:26:08.893-05:00Jobless filth.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1066686459344153582003-10-20T16:47:00.000-05:002003-10-20T16:47:39.060-05:00By the way, I finally got an article on the web. I'm not linking it, because I don't want the article stats to point back here, but I'll still give y'all the URL, just cut-and-paste:
http://www.promega.com/enotes/features/fe0015_tabs.htm
It's not quite as good as I'd like, but for a first shot back at writing, I'm not going to complain. It's amazing how good it feels to get the words out again.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1066335736435203482003-10-16T15:22:00.000-05:002003-10-16T15:22:21.780-05:00I should explain. Things have been... well, not quite right for me of late. I'm not trying to be an online basket-case here, but my life's been on a detour the past couple of years, and I've spent that time trying to get back to where I was before the road broke to pieces beneath me.
A co-worker remarked to me today that I seemed more enthusiastic and energized than he'd seen me in a long timeSamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1064414368532453972003-09-24T09:39:00.000-05:002003-09-24T09:39:28.320-05:00We are all just delaying the inevitable.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063825227439436922003-09-17T14:00:00.000-05:002003-09-17T14:00:27.590-05:00I leave this ajar.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063398523830338862003-09-12T15:28:00.000-05:002003-09-12T15:28:43.813-05:00I got a new partner riding with me.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063395845445493022003-09-12T14:44:00.000-05:002003-09-12T14:44:05.733-05:00I'm so glad I have an understanding roommate. I know I'm not easy to live with, and that I'm pretty tough to be friends with, so it's nice to know that he's there.
See, my life is about to turn upside-down. All matter of devastating things are about to happen (well actually just one, but I like to exaggerate), and waiting for it to happen in the script is depressing me. And when it does happen, Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063307826294266712003-09-11T14:17:00.000-05:002003-09-11T14:17:06.316-05:00I think I'm going to be a bit melancholy for a while. Apologies in advance.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063294996276395962003-09-11T10:43:00.000-05:002003-09-11T10:43:16.266-05:00Look, everyone. Life has been pretty different for me for the last couple of months, so if I seem like I'm not myself, I apologize. Though I preach a message of accepting change, I struggle to follow my own advice.
But whatever. Any of you who know me half-decently know that whatever's going to happen, good or bad, I'm going to let it sit on my shoulders and keep walking uphill. There are a lot Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063229764388238052003-09-10T16:36:00.000-05:002003-09-10T16:36:04.323-05:00We had the Metafilter meetup last Saturday. It was a pretty good time, though I did eventually punch my roommate in the skull. I don't remember why I was so upset, but it did have something to do with Zaireeka and synchronizing it. Alcohol, blech. I should give that crap up.
I met a girl there, and in the smoky stone basement bar, I thought I would date her. It's the first time I've thought thatSamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063228626077310312003-09-10T16:17:00.000-05:002003-09-10T16:17:06.093-05:00It’s tough for me to explain how I came to be such a dysfunctional person. As a youth, I spent most of my time happy and quiet. With two older sisters that had diverging interests and little desire to interact with their younger brother, I entertained myself nearly all the time. During the day I had my mom’s soap operas to keep me occupied (Days of our Lives, if you want to know. I can fill you Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1063141305223912792003-09-09T16:01:00.000-05:002003-09-09T16:01:45.210-05:00I have something to tell everybody, but it will take a while to write. It's a very personal thing, but something I want to share.
Events of the past couple of months have given me the evidence, but it took an offhand comment from a total stranger to align the planets of comprehension. How strange life can be sometimes.
Well, I've got a lot I need to do tonight, but I'll probably work on it. I Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1062694621546705922003-09-04T11:57:00.000-05:002003-09-04T11:57:01.530-05:00I just realized I detest hedonism and hedonists. If I were actually serious about taking up puritanism, I'd be a fantastic Puritan. Really.
That's the funny thing about a Protestant, Midwestern upbringing. You get to a certain point where in spite of the positive feelings pleasure generates, you loathe them. Working hard, struggling, suffering are things one can feel good about. I know it Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1062604917011964642003-09-03T11:01:00.000-05:002003-09-03T11:03:45.366-05:00I’ve got a new roommate.
Don’t get me wrong, I was perfectly happy with the old one, but circumstances being what they are, I got an additional one. She doesn’t think she lives there, or claims she doesn’t live there, but I know I’m being deceived. But yet I let it happen.
What is it about me that keeps me coming back to the snake oil huckster, back to the wishing well? Why am I so quick toSamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1060718017433727822003-08-12T14:53:00.000-05:002003-08-12T14:53:37.410-05:00Today was another day full of dreadBut I never said I was afraidCuz dread and fear should not be confusedBy dread I'm inspiredBy fear I'm amused.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1060098990012479152003-08-05T10:56:00.000-05:002003-08-05T10:56:30.003-05:00Here's a dispatch for you. Somebody died.
I'm not trying to be flip: somebody died yesterday at the property. Actually, somebody died Thursday. They found the body yesterday. The old man who lived in the room next door called it in, said he could smell it. He said he knew what the smell was, but hoped for a few days that it was one of the cats. Yesterday morning, the strength and quality of the Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1058563771188358172003-07-18T16:29:00.000-05:002003-07-18T16:29:31.120-05:00I don't really have anything to say. My sandals have that wet-dog smell.
It means the dog has been licking my sandals when I'm not around to observe.
Did you know that I live with a dog now? He's a sweet Pit-Bull Terrier named Evy Mannas, the only dog that I've known in my life that doesn't bark. Period. Sometimes he whines a little, but if you tell him to shut up, he does so. I enjoy living Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1058390665659888392003-07-16T16:24:00.000-05:002003-07-16T16:24:25.610-05:00Boy did I have a doozy of a post. It seems like whenever I have an actual worthwhile post, Blogger nukes it. So frustrating.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1058380301746977682003-07-16T13:31:00.000-05:002003-07-16T13:32:01.366-05:00Looks like I've been doing everything right.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1057757077418944312003-07-09T08:24:00.000-05:002003-07-09T08:24:37.350-05:00Day 2Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1057679959755615122003-07-08T10:59:00.000-05:002003-07-08T10:59:19.576-05:00Day 1, all over again.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1057607979056422452003-07-07T14:59:00.001-05:002003-07-07T14:59:38.843-05:00Oh, and I'm having a terribly happy birthday. Absolutely fantastic.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1057607940911815622003-07-07T14:59:00.000-05:002003-07-07T14:59:00.713-05:00This desert, it is a lonely place.
Here I have nothing to keep me company but the empty echoes of thoughts ringing through my head, and no amusement save for swatting at flies that dart and land and weave away and land again, tickling my skin. The only game, survival, pays you nothing for winning but takes your life for losing.
The mirage can seduce even the strong-minded into burying Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1057602088064476702003-07-07T13:21:00.000-05:002003-07-07T13:21:28.010-05:00I just need a evening with someone nice to hide me.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1056984897549889182003-06-30T09:54:00.000-05:002003-06-30T09:54:57.396-05:00Now living at a new place, operating out of Ripple Acres.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1056734670505955182003-06-27T12:24:00.000-05:002003-06-27T12:24:30.450-05:00Yesterday I put together a fantastic post that connected tattoos, rites of passage, societal constructs, inferiority complexes (specifically mine), and cartoons. I was quite proud of the phrasing, the development, and the punchline. Then blogger nuked it.
So I composed a post attempting to recreate it, and though it lacked the magic of the first, it communicated the general idea and still had a Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-1056722657990089292003-06-27T09:04:00.000-05:002003-06-27T09:04:17.916-05:00Back with a vengeance!Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-960168282003-06-25T09:38:00.000-05:002003-06-25T09:38:42.220-05:00Obligatory embarrassing cry for pity.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-957976872003-06-18T12:31:00.000-05:002003-06-18T12:31:25.520-05:00How many dispatches do you expect would come from the desert? It's not like anyone lives here.
I'm just happy to have been given this opportunity by all the fans. It really means a lot to me to know that I'm connecting with people, even if it is in a very desolate and lonely way.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-955542862003-06-11T11:26:00.000-05:002003-06-11T11:26:55.923-05:00Tonight's the night. You heard right.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-954769322003-06-09T14:32:00.000-05:002003-06-09T14:32:50.693-05:00Right now, I'm getting on average more than ten miles to the gallon above what I got with my last car. I have a ten-gallon tank, I've driven over 300 miles since I filled it, and I have 1/4 a tank left.
I just can't believe these numbers. It's a thrill to know I'm doing my part to destroy the terrorists. While continuing to support them.
Don't ask, I haven't thought out how this all works out Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-954655372003-06-09T09:40:00.000-05:002003-06-09T09:40:58.443-05:00Hey everybody! I bought a new car!
There's something to these manual transmissions. They're a whole bunch of fun to drive. My guess is, someday they'll catch on.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-949933632003-05-28T10:51:00.000-05:002003-05-28T11:00:32.000-05:00I have a growing case of poison ivy, a nearly yearly occurrence that punishes me for my love of the outdoors. It's on my ears, and along my left eye. There were two bumps last night that could have been pimples, but today there is no doubt: I have the rash. Ahead of me is a weary road of swelling, itching, laundry, and cold showers.
I can no longer stand the sleepless nights.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-942722062003-05-13T11:10:00.000-05:002003-05-13T11:10:49.996-05:00Ariel Sharon is a bloodthirsty madman.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-935982982003-05-01T10:15:00.000-05:002003-05-01T10:15:56.420-05:00Day 3Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-935430682003-04-30T12:40:00.000-05:002003-04-30T12:40:32.980-05:00Day 2Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-934729612003-04-29T11:19:00.000-05:002003-04-29T11:19:08.176-05:00Day 1Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-931805062003-04-24T10:03:00.000-05:002003-04-24T10:03:50.363-05:00Perhaps it's time to sober up. Had two drinks last night, today I'm dragging and my belly hurts. When I drink, which is infrequently, I tend to drink too much. Cutting back, or going with a Spright or Coka-Cole-ah wouldn't be a bad choice.
Maybe I could restrict myself to homemade beverages, beer and mead. That way, I've earned the right to binge drink.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-927136492003-04-16T08:32:00.000-05:002003-04-16T08:32:04.343-05:00Things have changed. I'll be updating remotely, if at all.Samnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-926745342003-04-15T16:32:00.000-05:002003-04-15T16:33:44.000-05:00Taxes
I was going to write about taxes and what a painful process that's been for me, but then I had second thoughts, because I can't really complain. Others have it much worse than me, though I do maintain that I get a pretty stiff treatment from the Feds.
Then I read parts of my archives and wanted to hide from shame. I don't have stats anymore, so I don't know exactly who reads this, but I'mSamnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678476.post-925847692003-04-14T09:46:00.000-05:002003-04-14T09:46:38.890-05:00Boo hoo, my girlfriend moved away.Samnoreply@blogger.com0