I am back from vacation today. Mrs. Monkey, the Little Monkey and I all went to Florida to visit my mom and her husband. As we were in the state, my Dad and stepmom drove up from the Keys where they live, and we all got to visit. It was a really great vacation in the sense that we got to visit with lots of family I don't see too often. And Cole loved the water available to him in Florida - pools, ocean...he was in heaven. But, someone needs to teach that boy that when you're on vacation, you don't NEED to get up at 6:30 AM. Ugh. I got up earlier on vacation than I do when I'm home and working. Oh well.
Whilst in Florida, I managed to infect my finger. Not sure how it happened, and the urgent care staff who tended to me didn't seem to have any guesses to hazard either, so it remains a mystery. I would post the picture, but the last person I shared it with went running from the hills and hasn't been heard from since. If you really want to see, let me know, but we'll just leave it categorized as "gross". It has since recovered quite well, thanks to antibiotics and pain relief, so I should be back to normal before long.
...well, as normal as I get.
5.12.2008
4.23.2008
Earth Daze
See what I did there? With the Daze? And the Days? Ehh? Ehhhhhh??? Yeah, okay, it was silly, but hang in there.
So, Earth Day was yesterday. I think we all know enough about it by now that I don't need to give you a linky to go read up on it. Google it if you have been under a rock and still aren't sure about what it is. I sat for a good while yesterday, trying to think of a good post to put up here. The thoughts ranged from great projects that took place (Greeblemonkey spear-headed a great one that I mentioned before and it did pretty well, from early returns) to just saying - "Hey, Earth. Happy you day."
But, today, I thought of how I wanted to pay some homage. Hopefully it doesn't come across too preachy or "holier-than-thou", because I'm neither of those things, but maybe we need to do a little preaching, or no one will take action.
Having an Earth Day is a good thing and a bad thing. On one hand, it raises awareness of problematic environmental issues, and gives people an opportunity to take some action. But, on the other hand, it allows people to feel they are doing enough if they take action that one day a year. Being "green" minded is a much more healthy approach, and allows you to do smaller things all year that end up having a much bigger impact. So, I think having smaller "Earth Days" (eh? See, Daze/Days...THERE it is. Damn, I'm funny) is more useful.
On that note, here are a few things that we do at Casa de Monkey that are in this "green" minded theme, and hopefully will inspire you as well:
1. Use cloth bags when you go shopping. Americans use millions upon millions of plastic bags every year, and although they are better than they use to be, they still take time to break down. Bring along a good cloth tote bag, and you'll be creating less waste.
2. Walk/ride a bike more often. Instead of hopping in the car to go the corner store for that bottle of water and bag of chips, toss on a backpack and take your bike or hoof it. You'll end up feeling better about your health, save money on gas - which can't hurt with the prices today, and create less pollution.
3. Use recycled paper and plastic products. If you recycle your plastics and paper, you're only doing half the job. While that does help, to truly get away from wasting those products you're sending in to recycle, you should look to buy products that are made from those recycled items. There's lots out there, and you may already be doing it without even knowing.
4. Start a vegetable garden. When you buy vegetables in the grocery store, don't forget that you are paying for not only the veggies, but for the oil used to transport them to your location. The further away they are (I'm talking to you Brazillian bananas), the more that money goes towards oil prices. If you grow your own veggies, you avoid a lot of the preservatives and pesticides used by larger companies, avoid unneeded hormones added to some veggies and can take some pleasure in producing your own food. If you can't grow your own veggies, see if your area has a farmer's market or food co-op that you might be able to use. They're great alternatives and tend to use local produce.
5. Replace your regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. The new compact fluorescent bulbs cost much less in the long run, because they last much longer than standard light bulbs. This creates less waste in the landfills. As a bonus, they save you a bit on your energy bill because they use less energy. Which, depending on what energy company you use, may mean less oil/petroleum use as well.
Okay - thanks for the opportunity to stand on my soap box and say a bit. I hope more people will take an interest in the kind of impact we have on the planet, and try to minimize it as much as possible. Every little bit helps, after all. If you have some ideas - small things we can all do throughout the year - please share them by posting them in the comments.
So, Earth Day was yesterday. I think we all know enough about it by now that I don't need to give you a linky to go read up on it. Google it if you have been under a rock and still aren't sure about what it is. I sat for a good while yesterday, trying to think of a good post to put up here. The thoughts ranged from great projects that took place (Greeblemonkey spear-headed a great one that I mentioned before and it did pretty well, from early returns) to just saying - "Hey, Earth. Happy you day."
But, today, I thought of how I wanted to pay some homage. Hopefully it doesn't come across too preachy or "holier-than-thou", because I'm neither of those things, but maybe we need to do a little preaching, or no one will take action.
Having an Earth Day is a good thing and a bad thing. On one hand, it raises awareness of problematic environmental issues, and gives people an opportunity to take some action. But, on the other hand, it allows people to feel they are doing enough if they take action that one day a year. Being "green" minded is a much more healthy approach, and allows you to do smaller things all year that end up having a much bigger impact. So, I think having smaller "Earth Days" (eh? See, Daze/Days...THERE it is. Damn, I'm funny) is more useful.
On that note, here are a few things that we do at Casa de Monkey that are in this "green" minded theme, and hopefully will inspire you as well:
1. Use cloth bags when you go shopping. Americans use millions upon millions of plastic bags every year, and although they are better than they use to be, they still take time to break down. Bring along a good cloth tote bag, and you'll be creating less waste.
2. Walk/ride a bike more often. Instead of hopping in the car to go the corner store for that bottle of water and bag of chips, toss on a backpack and take your bike or hoof it. You'll end up feeling better about your health, save money on gas - which can't hurt with the prices today, and create less pollution.
3. Use recycled paper and plastic products. If you recycle your plastics and paper, you're only doing half the job. While that does help, to truly get away from wasting those products you're sending in to recycle, you should look to buy products that are made from those recycled items. There's lots out there, and you may already be doing it without even knowing.
4. Start a vegetable garden. When you buy vegetables in the grocery store, don't forget that you are paying for not only the veggies, but for the oil used to transport them to your location. The further away they are (I'm talking to you Brazillian bananas), the more that money goes towards oil prices. If you grow your own veggies, you avoid a lot of the preservatives and pesticides used by larger companies, avoid unneeded hormones added to some veggies and can take some pleasure in producing your own food. If you can't grow your own veggies, see if your area has a farmer's market or food co-op that you might be able to use. They're great alternatives and tend to use local produce.
5. Replace your regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. The new compact fluorescent bulbs cost much less in the long run, because they last much longer than standard light bulbs. This creates less waste in the landfills. As a bonus, they save you a bit on your energy bill because they use less energy. Which, depending on what energy company you use, may mean less oil/petroleum use as well.
Okay - thanks for the opportunity to stand on my soap box and say a bit. I hope more people will take an interest in the kind of impact we have on the planet, and try to minimize it as much as possible. Every little bit helps, after all. If you have some ideas - small things we can all do throughout the year - please share them by posting them in the comments.
4.18.2008
March They Might Be Giants Show - Dallas, TX
I meant to post the set list for the They Might Be Giants show I went to at the House of Blues in Dallas on March 5th. I used twitter to do a sort of "live play-by-play" while I was at the concert, so that left me with a log of the show. It was a fun experiment to do.
So, if you weren't able to make it to the show, and you happen to have these They Might Be Giants songs, you could always put together a playlist of the set...or not. I dunno. Maybe this is of interest, and maybe it isn't. Let me know thoughts.
They Might Be Giants
Dallas, TX - The House of Blues
March 5, 2008
1. The Cap'm
2. The Shadow Government
3. Dr. Worm
4. Particle Man
5. Cyclops Rock
6. Whithered Hope
7. (You're Not the) Boss of Me
8. Birdhouse in My Soul
9. Take Out the Trash
10. Ana Ng
11. Memo to Human Resources
12. The Mesopotamians
13. New York City
14. I'm Impressed
15. One Dozen Monkeys
16. Apartment #4
17. Alphabet of Nations
18. It's Not My Birthday
19. Hey Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had a Deal
20. Damn Good Times
21. Older
22. How Can I Sing Like a Girl?
23. Experimental Film
- encore 1 -
24. Clap Your Hands
25. Istanbul
- encore 2 -
26. Maybe I Know
27. Why Does the Sun Shine?
So, if you weren't able to make it to the show, and you happen to have these They Might Be Giants songs, you could always put together a playlist of the set...or not. I dunno. Maybe this is of interest, and maybe it isn't. Let me know thoughts.
They Might Be Giants
Dallas, TX - The House of Blues
March 5, 2008
1. The Cap'm
2. The Shadow Government
3. Dr. Worm
4. Particle Man
5. Cyclops Rock
6. Whithered Hope
7. (You're Not the) Boss of Me
8. Birdhouse in My Soul
9. Take Out the Trash
10. Ana Ng
11. Memo to Human Resources
12. The Mesopotamians
13. New York City
14. I'm Impressed
15. One Dozen Monkeys
16. Apartment #4
17. Alphabet of Nations
18. It's Not My Birthday
19. Hey Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had a Deal
20. Damn Good Times
21. Older
22. How Can I Sing Like a Girl?
23. Experimental Film
- encore 1 -
24. Clap Your Hands
25. Istanbul
- encore 2 -
26. Maybe I Know
27. Why Does the Sun Shine?
4.15.2008
Wildflower 2008
Tickets went on sale yesterday for this year's Wildflower Festival in Richardson, TX. This festival is almost always a great time. They have a great gathering of restaurant booths and artist displays, and always seem to attract some relatively big-name bands. In the past, they have had Bowling for Soup, Better than Ezra and Cowboy Mouth, just to name a few. They are usually bands that can't quite fill large venues in the Dallas area, but are still of interest to see. And there's nothing quite like an evening concert in the Texas Spring...
This year's lineup includes Everclear and Eve 6, and I've been on the internets already, talking to friends about making an evening of it. I know, I know...Art Alexakis can be a bit...well...Art Alexakis. But, the music is still damned enjoyable. And, you can't be the ticket price - only $7.50 for residents, and it covers the whole evening, so that's for both bands. Woo hoo!
4.11.2008
Post 100!
One Hundred posts...seems like a benchmark of sorts, but as I have only been posting a few times a year, as of late, I guess it's kind of an anti-climactic benchmark. But, I'm happy to be here nonetheless. W00t!
If you are reading this within a few days or weeks of this posting, you are probably noticing several changes to the site. I made some changes to kind of focus this area to be writing-centric. I really want to take away some of the more distracting widgets that were on the site, and put the emphasis on my writing. I hope this is met with approval (hell, I'll take general acceptance) and not virtual tomatoes lobbed in my direction. I'm open to any ideas you might have, as well.
There are still some widgets, though, as you can see. A link to photos and a glimpse into what I'm reading at the moment are still up there. As far as the weather is concerned and updates about movies and food, that sort of thing - well, I'll put that in the posting.
I've also gotten rid of links to some other websites, and consolidated that with blogs I read. To friends who find that their website is no longer listed on the page - well, your blogs aren't being updated. So, I'm trying to clear things up. Let me know that you're planning a post, and I'll list you there. I would love for visitors to my blog to be able to read blogs that *I* read regularly and find interesting. It was nothing personal. That said, go check out the sites I listed. I can almost guarantee you'll find some fun things worth reading.
Okay, well - let the comments flow.
If you are reading this within a few days or weeks of this posting, you are probably noticing several changes to the site. I made some changes to kind of focus this area to be writing-centric. I really want to take away some of the more distracting widgets that were on the site, and put the emphasis on my writing. I hope this is met with approval (hell, I'll take general acceptance) and not virtual tomatoes lobbed in my direction. I'm open to any ideas you might have, as well.
There are still some widgets, though, as you can see. A link to photos and a glimpse into what I'm reading at the moment are still up there. As far as the weather is concerned and updates about movies and food, that sort of thing - well, I'll put that in the posting.
I've also gotten rid of links to some other websites, and consolidated that with blogs I read. To friends who find that their website is no longer listed on the page - well, your blogs aren't being updated. So, I'm trying to clear things up. Let me know that you're planning a post, and I'll list you there. I would love for visitors to my blog to be able to read blogs that *I* read regularly and find interesting. It was nothing personal. That said, go check out the sites I listed. I can almost guarantee you'll find some fun things worth reading.
Okay, well - let the comments flow.
3.18.2008
Updates Coming Soon...
Wow - how have you all been? Sorry for the delay in getting back to writing. Wowzers. Anyway, while I'm getting things in order, here are a couple of things:
1. This is good information to know:
24
2. If you haven't signed up already (and nearly all my friends haven't, at least as far as I know), go to Twitter and sign up for an account. I update on Twitter pretty regularly - a few times a day, anyway, usually. And there are some great Tech and Pop Culture folks out there that you can follow and get an inside into what's new with them. Please add me - I'm WiredMonkey there too. Here's an easy to understand explanation of how it works.
I will try to update more regularly. The little monkeyling is doing well. Here's a pic of him to wrap things up:
1. This is good information to know:
24
2. If you haven't signed up already (and nearly all my friends haven't, at least as far as I know), go to Twitter and sign up for an account. I update on Twitter pretty regularly - a few times a day, anyway, usually. And there are some great Tech and Pop Culture folks out there that you can follow and get an inside into what's new with them. Please add me - I'm WiredMonkey there too. Here's an easy to understand explanation of how it works.
I will try to update more regularly. The little monkeyling is doing well. Here's a pic of him to wrap things up:
2.04.2008
Yes We Can
I don't do much political talk here at the Minutia, but it's important to point out that many states here in the U.S. are going to have a caucus tomorrow, and that many of you might live in such states. I urge you, if you do live in such a state, to go out and make your voice heard. If we want change in this nation, no matter how difficult that change is to make happen, it starts with a vote.
In that spirit, I found a great video on my friend Greeblemonkey's site, and I'm re-posting it on mine so that some other folks who may not have seen it might see it and take some inspiration from it's message. I think that even if you don't support Obama and his platform (I happen to), it's still a great message to hear
Hope you folks in Caucus states get out and vote!! Thanks for your time.
Monkey out.
In that spirit, I found a great video on my friend Greeblemonkey's site, and I'm re-posting it on mine so that some other folks who may not have seen it might see it and take some inspiration from it's message. I think that even if you don't support Obama and his platform (I happen to), it's still a great message to hear
Hope you folks in Caucus states get out and vote!! Thanks for your time.
Monkey out.
12.02.2007
I'm Going Down to South Park...
Just in case any of you ever wondered what the WiredMonkey might look like as a South Park character....wonder no more:
Just thought you might want to know.
Just thought you might want to know.
11.28.2007
Over the Holiday...
The posts have been lacking again - sorry about that. One thing lead to another...it was an evil domino effect. Horrible stuff those dominos. Evil dominos of blog prevention.
The holidays were nice. Had a great visit with A&E, ate lots of turkey and marveled at how quickly time can fly when you're having fun. Took a great road trip - Dublin Dr. Pepper plant in Dublin, TX. It's the oldest Dr. Pepper bottling plant in the world. Pretty interesting really. AND, we got to see the world's largest cedar rocker on our way there. Nifty!
Got lions and tigers...only in Kenya.
Then, once you've digested that... 5 more minutes.
Wheeee....
The holidays were nice. Had a great visit with A&E, ate lots of turkey and marveled at how quickly time can fly when you're having fun. Took a great road trip - Dublin Dr. Pepper plant in Dublin, TX. It's the oldest Dr. Pepper bottling plant in the world. Pretty interesting really. AND, we got to see the world's largest cedar rocker on our way there. Nifty!
Got lions and tigers...only in Kenya.
Then, once you've digested that... 5 more minutes.
Wheeee....
11.17.2007
Crazy Day in North Texas
Mrs. Monkey and I got new phones yesterday, which finally got us away from Cingular. I don't have any particular complaint against Cingular, other than the fact that they gouge their customers every month for service. What we were paying for the service we got is really pretty shabby. We went back to Sprint, which is what her family has. That alone should save us some money with the all the calls about the mini-monkey.
Today was a day on the go for sure - lots of errand running and feeding of the little monk in the parking lots of North Dallas. We left for some lunch with friends around noon, expecting to be back around 2:30 or 3, and we got in around 7:30pm. Crazy day.
That's all I have for right now. Hope everyone is doing well while gearing up for the fun holiday here in the States coming next week. We're very excited about it, and have lots to be thankful for - this year more than most.
Today was a day on the go for sure - lots of errand running and feeding of the little monk in the parking lots of North Dallas. We left for some lunch with friends around noon, expecting to be back around 2:30 or 3, and we got in around 7:30pm. Crazy day.
That's all I have for right now. Hope everyone is doing well while gearing up for the fun holiday here in the States coming next week. We're very excited about it, and have lots to be thankful for - this year more than most.
11.16.2007
Dumb Rambling
The weekend is here - plenty of relaxing to be had, and hopefully a few exciting times as well. I really want a pizza. Advertising to those who are hungry and craving cheese should be unlawful. Unfortunately, I guess it's hard to know who wants the fromage and who doesn't. Bah. I want pizza.
11.15.2007
I Love This Time of Year
It's a beautifully crisp night out tonight - weather that reminds me strongly of the Northeast. The air is very cold and smells like decaying leaves and far-off chimneys. Your breath hangs in the air after you exhale or talk...it just feels right. I really love this season the best, but can't point to just one thing - it's a combination of them all.
Mrs. Monkey and I are getting things in order to put Thanksgiving Dinner on the table this year. It's going to be a lot of fun this time around - we'll have Mrs. Monkey's mom and grandmother here, as well as our good friends A&E. We're very excited about the full table. I'm going to cook some of my famous pork stuffing and Mrs. Monkey is making her famous pumpkin pecan pie. Yum!! Any favorites out there? The stuffing is something my mom made every year and I just LOVED. I could eat it all by itself by the pound. What was your family's favorite dish?
Oh, and I have a TV in my office that stopped working a few months ago. It just all of a sudden up and died one day. Was the strangest thing... Well, I've tried to turn it on and see if it's running a few times but the status hasn't changed. So, I was sitting in there the other night, and I just had this feeling I should turn it on and check...I ignored the urge for a while, but finally I turned it on, just to appease the notion. Well, sure enough, it was working again. It was the weirdest thing. But, at least it's working again.
Mrs. Monkey and I are getting things in order to put Thanksgiving Dinner on the table this year. It's going to be a lot of fun this time around - we'll have Mrs. Monkey's mom and grandmother here, as well as our good friends A&E. We're very excited about the full table. I'm going to cook some of my famous pork stuffing and Mrs. Monkey is making her famous pumpkin pecan pie. Yum!! Any favorites out there? The stuffing is something my mom made every year and I just LOVED. I could eat it all by itself by the pound. What was your family's favorite dish?
Oh, and I have a TV in my office that stopped working a few months ago. It just all of a sudden up and died one day. Was the strangest thing... Well, I've tried to turn it on and see if it's running a few times but the status hasn't changed. So, I was sitting in there the other night, and I just had this feeling I should turn it on and check...I ignored the urge for a while, but finally I turned it on, just to appease the notion. Well, sure enough, it was working again. It was the weirdest thing. But, at least it's working again.
11.14.2007
A Return to the Cool...
Seriously, Southwest Airlines? Why is the freedom to sit where you want such a big perk when it comes to airlines seating. Is this really what surveys revealed to be passengers' biggest gripe? Honestly? Keep the scary food, keep the limited leg room - let's make sure passengers can sit where they want? Whatever, Southwest.
We had a cold front come in today, and are finally feeling some more autumn-esque temperatures. I was really getting tired of the low to mid-80s temperatures in November. Not my idea of a good time, if you're writing this down. I like the cool, crisp autumnal weather. 'Course, a good number of you are saying, "well, don't live in Texas, dumbass." Fair enough.
I've decided to focus a fun link on hockey today, inspired by the cool breeze blowing in through the opened windows and the hockey game that is currently showing on my television (Stars and Sharks are tied 3-3, currently). I went on to YouTube, and doing a search of "Stanley Cup", was reminded about one of the best moments in Stanley Cup history - Ray Bourque finally getting a chance to lift the Cup (even though it was for that Colorado Avalanche team I hate so much). Yay Ray!
We had a cold front come in today, and are finally feeling some more autumn-esque temperatures. I was really getting tired of the low to mid-80s temperatures in November. Not my idea of a good time, if you're writing this down. I like the cool, crisp autumnal weather. 'Course, a good number of you are saying, "well, don't live in Texas, dumbass." Fair enough.
I've decided to focus a fun link on hockey today, inspired by the cool breeze blowing in through the opened windows and the hockey game that is currently showing on my television (Stars and Sharks are tied 3-3, currently). I went on to YouTube, and doing a search of "Stanley Cup", was reminded about one of the best moments in Stanley Cup history - Ray Bourque finally getting a chance to lift the Cup (even though it was for that Colorado Avalanche team I hate so much). Yay Ray!
11.13.2007
A Bit of This...A Bit of That...
Oops - missed a few. Well, you didn't think I'd make it all the way through the month posting everyday anyway, did you? I actually thought I might be able to, but oh well. Hey - I'm still going to do my best to finish out the rest of the month strong.
So, the Stars made a few moves today. They fired Doug Armstrong as the GM and replaced him with Les Jackson (who I think was the director of scouting operations - could be wrong) and Brett Hull, who will be "co-general managers". It's an interesting twist, and I didn't see it coming, for sure. I saw the writing on the wall for someone, and had a feeling it would be either Armstrong or head coach Dave Tippett who would get the axe, but I didn't think that Hullie would be one of the replacements as GM. He's definitely loved by the fans...maybe owner Tom Hicks and team president Jim Lites wanted someone in the front office that the fans wouldn't get angry at. Hard to get mad at the man who gave us our one-and-only (so far!) Stanley Cup.
In non-sports news....well, there's just not much non-sports news right now. My buddy Trog (I'll call him that for reasons known to him and the world of WoW) and I are going to see a theater screening of The Menagerie, which is a 2-part episode of the original Star Trek series. It should be pretty cool - we're both Trek fans (and not Trekkies...just don't have that kind of time to devote to a TV series....any TV series). That's on Thursday. Will let you know how it goes. They reportedly have cleaned up the film and turned it into a high-definition projection with stereo surround sound. It's hard to do something like that when your original is mono (I think it was recorded mono) and in "Panavision". But, fingers crossed....
Random fun video of the day: Wanna Buy a Ghost?
So, the Stars made a few moves today. They fired Doug Armstrong as the GM and replaced him with Les Jackson (who I think was the director of scouting operations - could be wrong) and Brett Hull, who will be "co-general managers". It's an interesting twist, and I didn't see it coming, for sure. I saw the writing on the wall for someone, and had a feeling it would be either Armstrong or head coach Dave Tippett who would get the axe, but I didn't think that Hullie would be one of the replacements as GM. He's definitely loved by the fans...maybe owner Tom Hicks and team president Jim Lites wanted someone in the front office that the fans wouldn't get angry at. Hard to get mad at the man who gave us our one-and-only (so far!) Stanley Cup.
In non-sports news....well, there's just not much non-sports news right now. My buddy Trog (I'll call him that for reasons known to him and the world of WoW) and I are going to see a theater screening of The Menagerie, which is a 2-part episode of the original Star Trek series. It should be pretty cool - we're both Trek fans (and not Trekkies...just don't have that kind of time to devote to a TV series....any TV series). That's on Thursday. Will let you know how it goes. They reportedly have cleaned up the film and turned it into a high-definition projection with stereo surround sound. It's hard to do something like that when your original is mono (I think it was recorded mono) and in "Panavision". But, fingers crossed....
Random fun video of the day: Wanna Buy a Ghost?
11.10.2007
A Brief Entry...
Had a great time tonight - went out for a bachelor's party for a friend of BurntoutZen's and mine tonight. Saw a fun show by Poison Cherry (Glam is BACK baby!) - will have more info about that tomorrow. As I haven't gotten to bed tonight, this is still the 10th. ;)
11.09.2007
Where's My Staple Remover?
I posted this site about two years ago on here, but I had COMPLETELY forgotten about it. GO. Become an NHL superstar, and then we can rule the league together!!
Whip Out Da Tongue and Squirt That Mofo!
A lot of my posts have been kind of Apple-centric lately (sorry to those MS fanboys & fangirls that might be out there), but what can I say - I work at an Apple-centric job and it's been moreso lately.
Anyway, today I got to take apart the LCD Screen on a 12" iBook G4. Wow. Man, it's really impressive how they orchestrate everything inside of those panels. The planning and coordination that goes on to make those things work as slickly as they do is really impressive. And I learned something - Apple was using Philips/LG flat panels when they made the G4 iBooks. Didn't know that - putting in the new one was lots of fun but, MAN....time consuming. Two hours flew by like it was 30 minutes. I get part two of the re-assemble, therefore, on Monday morning. I just couldn't wrap it up in one day.
The Stars dropped another game last night - was tough to watch, but I couldn't tear myself away. I just can't make myself believe that Phoenix is good enough to put up 10 goals against us in two games, but it's hard to argue with reality. But, so far on the four-game road trip, Dallas has gone 2-1, so the worst they can finish is .500, and that's not too bad for a Pacific Division road trip.
Time to get back to my iTunes library. Still trying to get it back in shape after the horrible accident. *sigh* All the music is there now, at least...it's just not in the Smart Playlists I had it in or rated. That's where more time at the computer comes in... Give it up for the big Pale Indoor Kid.
Oh - here's a funny for you: Word.
Anyway, today I got to take apart the LCD Screen on a 12" iBook G4. Wow. Man, it's really impressive how they orchestrate everything inside of those panels. The planning and coordination that goes on to make those things work as slickly as they do is really impressive. And I learned something - Apple was using Philips/LG flat panels when they made the G4 iBooks. Didn't know that - putting in the new one was lots of fun but, MAN....time consuming. Two hours flew by like it was 30 minutes. I get part two of the re-assemble, therefore, on Monday morning. I just couldn't wrap it up in one day.
The Stars dropped another game last night - was tough to watch, but I couldn't tear myself away. I just can't make myself believe that Phoenix is good enough to put up 10 goals against us in two games, but it's hard to argue with reality. But, so far on the four-game road trip, Dallas has gone 2-1, so the worst they can finish is .500, and that's not too bad for a Pacific Division road trip.
Time to get back to my iTunes library. Still trying to get it back in shape after the horrible accident. *sigh* All the music is there now, at least...it's just not in the Smart Playlists I had it in or rated. That's where more time at the computer comes in... Give it up for the big Pale Indoor Kid.
Oh - here's a funny for you: Word.
11.08.2007
Apple Dinner
Today at work we had an impromptu visit from some Apple representatives. It was interesting, because I'm not completely Apple Certified yet, and don't have anyone that I work with who is...I am therefore at a loss, sometimes, as to how to use their help pages and support site. During the visit, they cleared up a bunch of things which was nice.
They also let me know about a "Bench Table Live" event that was going on this evening, and told me they would be doing some live demos, giving some explanations about the support site and providing food. Well, that was all I needed! It turned out to be a really nice event. The event was at the Palomino Hotel in Dallas - a relatively new hotel in a pretty nice area (right near SMU and Mockingbird Station). The food was VERY tasty, and the information was helpful. All in all, a good time.
Other than that - a quiet day. Thanksgiving is getting close, and A&E will be visiting. Mrs. Monkey and I are really looking forward to their visit. They're great friends and we have a great time whenever they're around.
Back to my hockey game and my beer... Oh, FU-D - you can get beer towers at several places around here, including Humperdink's (all their locations) and Blackfinn in Addison. Enjoy - and bring a designated driver...
They also let me know about a "Bench Table Live" event that was going on this evening, and told me they would be doing some live demos, giving some explanations about the support site and providing food. Well, that was all I needed! It turned out to be a really nice event. The event was at the Palomino Hotel in Dallas - a relatively new hotel in a pretty nice area (right near SMU and Mockingbird Station). The food was VERY tasty, and the information was helpful. All in all, a good time.
Other than that - a quiet day. Thanksgiving is getting close, and A&E will be visiting. Mrs. Monkey and I are really looking forward to their visit. They're great friends and we have a great time whenever they're around.
Back to my hockey game and my beer... Oh, FU-D - you can get beer towers at several places around here, including Humperdink's (all their locations) and Blackfinn in Addison. Enjoy - and bring a designated driver...
11.07.2007
The Guys' Evening
After work today, I went to go pick up my son. This is something I don't usually do - getting the Monkeyling from the in-laws, who watch him while Mrs. Monkey is in school and I'm at work. It's not because I don't want to do it, or like doing it - I simply don't have the tools to do it. I drive a little beat-up pickup truck, and though it's endurance is a trait that I LOVE (nearly 110k and no major garage visits *knocks on wood*), the lack of safe child-seating is a bummer. So, my wife, who drives the new car with the good 5-star safety rating, gets the job of fetching Little Monkey.
Well, she had a late day at school today, and so I took the car and got to go get him. It was a lot of fun, because he's kind of worn out from the day with the grandparents, but is just getting to the age where he recognizes me and will sometimes give me a smile when I see him. The kid's got one of the best smiles ever, I swear. The melt-your-heart variety. He'll be a lady-killer one day....he'll flash the little crooked smile and give them the big brown eyes.....it'll be all over for them!
Anyway, my son and I got a couple hours this evening of fun bonding time - laying on the bed while he showed me his Bruce Lee routine (lots of good punches and kicks), walking the halls of the MonkeyHouse, rocking in various chairs, bouncing on knees...anything to keep the cries back pretty much. And, by the time Mrs. Monkey got home, I had successfully squired him off to dreamland. It was a nice little victory, even though it was short lived - the little bugger was up 5 minutes after she was in.
But still - she got to come home to a sleeping baby. That's not so shabby...
Well, she had a late day at school today, and so I took the car and got to go get him. It was a lot of fun, because he's kind of worn out from the day with the grandparents, but is just getting to the age where he recognizes me and will sometimes give me a smile when I see him. The kid's got one of the best smiles ever, I swear. The melt-your-heart variety. He'll be a lady-killer one day....he'll flash the little crooked smile and give them the big brown eyes.....it'll be all over for them!
Anyway, my son and I got a couple hours this evening of fun bonding time - laying on the bed while he showed me his Bruce Lee routine (lots of good punches and kicks), walking the halls of the MonkeyHouse, rocking in various chairs, bouncing on knees...anything to keep the cries back pretty much. And, by the time Mrs. Monkey got home, I had successfully squired him off to dreamland. It was a nice little victory, even though it was short lived - the little bugger was up 5 minutes after she was in.
But still - she got to come home to a sleeping baby. That's not so shabby...
11.06.2007
Weather Musings
The kiddo is sleeping, and the dog is too...so I get a chance to chime in. I missed posting yesterday - yeah, I admit it - but I'm still staying with the spirit of NaBloPoMo as much as possible. Yesterday was just a bit difficult to get out here and make my mark.
There was a bit of a return to some cooler weather in North Texas, today. This was welcomed with opened arms by me. I much prefer the cooler weather to the warmer. I stand in contrast to my mom and sister there, I think. They were both happy to get away from Maine's climate, whereas I still occasionally daydream about living what that weather again. Don't get me wrong. Winter all-out sucks. But, no worse than Texas Summers kinda all-out suck. So, you trade out one for another. I used to joke that "you don't have to shovel heat". And this is true, obviously...but you know. You can always put on clothes....you can only take off so much...and then if you're still miserable, you're just f*cked.
There was a bit of a return to some cooler weather in North Texas, today. This was welcomed with opened arms by me. I much prefer the cooler weather to the warmer. I stand in contrast to my mom and sister there, I think. They were both happy to get away from Maine's climate, whereas I still occasionally daydream about living what that weather again. Don't get me wrong. Winter all-out sucks. But, no worse than Texas Summers kinda all-out suck. So, you trade out one for another. I used to joke that "you don't have to shovel heat". And this is true, obviously...but you know. You can always put on clothes....you can only take off so much...and then if you're still miserable, you're just f*cked.
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