Jun 30, 2009
The lost entry
I had typed this up while flying to NYC, but forgot to post it, so here ya go!
Probably one of the coolest 'geek' things I've done in a while occurred on out flight from dallas to nyc. I got out my eeepc and hooked up my usb gps device to see if it would work. It took a while, but sure enough, we were at 34466 ft cruising along at about 554 miles an hour.
I use microsoft streets and trips, and the zoom level was set to street level, so as you might imagine, the map was having a hard time keeping up!
I zoomed out to basically state-level, and there we were, flying across pennsylvania. as I typed this up, we lost the satellite signal, but I think that's because I had the unit down on my arm rest instead of in the window. Oh, well, it was still cool for a while!
Probably one of the coolest 'geek' things I've done in a while occurred on out flight from dallas to nyc. I got out my eeepc and hooked up my usb gps device to see if it would work. It took a while, but sure enough, we were at 34466 ft cruising along at about 554 miles an hour.
I use microsoft streets and trips, and the zoom level was set to street level, so as you might imagine, the map was having a hard time keeping up!
I zoomed out to basically state-level, and there we were, flying across pennsylvania. as I typed this up, we lost the satellite signal, but I think that's because I had the unit down on my arm rest instead of in the window. Oh, well, it was still cool for a while!
Jun 28, 2009
Jun 26, 2009
Michael, Remembered
I am 10 years younger than Michael Jackson, so by the time I can remember things like "Rockin Robin" and "I Want You Back," Jackson was already well on his way to super stardom. By the time I was seven or eight years old, he was 17-18. Other than hearing his songs on the radio, though, I really didn't "discover for myself" the amazing talent that was Michael Jackson until I was in junior high school.
I specifically remember all the hype surrounding this 'mini-movie' that was being released. Television was touting the release of a 14-minute music video. FOURTEEN MINUTES!? Are you kidding me? And then, Jackson changed the world of video entertainment forever. "Thriller" was the most amazing music video I had ever seen, and I was hooked on Jackson from that moment on.
During my freshman and sophomore years in college, my obsession and adoration of what Michael Jackson was doing musically took the form in way of things like a white fedora. I had a felt white fedora like the one he wore in "Smooth Criminal." I wore that hat everywhere, even getting kicked out of a club in Virginia because I refused to take it off.
Over the years, as Jackson's personal life became more and more tumultuous, I made the conscious decision to support and enjoy him as the entertainer that truly was "The King of Pop" while reserving judgement of his personal life for others to handle. There is no doubt that he had a very different view of things, and the fact that he settled his cases for money reflects badly on all parties involved. If my child had been molested, I can assure you that NO amount of money would shut me up. To me, it's obvious that 'something' was going on, but the definition of that is something that will probably never come to full light. In my opinion, I don't care to know.
As I have got older, my obsession has waned, but my admiration for his talent remains as strong as it has ever been. I never had the good fortune of seeing him perform in person, and it is one thing on my own 'bucket list' that I will never be able to cross off. The world has lost one of the greatest entertainers in history. Whether you like him, dislike him, like his music or not, you cannot deny his impact on music, video, and concert entertainment on a worldwide scale. His impact will be felt for lifetimes to come. He will be missed for generations.
Jun 25, 2009
Two icons pass... I'm still in shock...
I heard earlier today that Farrah Fawcett passed away. And then on my way home, word came across the radio that Michael Jackson had died. At the time, the source was TMZ, which is a paparazzi group, basically.
But, as the evening wore on, it became clear that Michael had indeed passed away.
I am a long-time fan of the entertainer-side of Jackson. I will most likely post something more in depth, but the absolute shock of the situation has me speechless.
Jun 24, 2009
Jun 23, 2009
It's a gas, gas, gas....
During my recent trip to Chicago, Doug (one of the guys I went with) and I decided to take a trip to South Bend, Indiana, to see the University of Notre Dame campus. He's a big ND fan, I guess. I went along because I figured it was the only time I would be anywhere near there, so why not take a few pics?
We have a general idea as to where we're going, but I bring along the EeePC loaded with "Streets & Trips" and my USB-powered GPS unit attached. As we head down the highway, I grab our current position (after a few tries - frankly, there should be a simple option in S&T for "Use My Current Location") and then type in "Notre Dame University." After a few moments, turn-by-turn directions and a map of the route we are supposed to take appears on-screen. Great! Off we go!
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| From Chicago Training Trip (Monday) |
Fast-forward to South Bend, as most of the trip is uneventful except for the horrid amount of road construction going on.
There are signs for the University of Notre Dame all over the place as you get close to South Bend. Once you exit, you are greeted with various signs. None of these signs specifically say, "Visitor Parking." Instead, they say things like, "RV Parking" and "Game Day Parking." And those signs point AWAY from the ND campus to boot. That's okay, I've got my trusty EeePC showing us where to go, right?
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| From Chicago Training Trip (Monday) |
Wrong. We follow the GPS past several campuses, including what appears to be the main entrance to ND. We keep on trucking and wind up in downtown South Bend, staring at some non-descript two-story building. There's not even a sign on it to let us know it has anything at all to do with Notre Dame.
We decide to go back and follow those "Game Day" signs and see where they lead. Naturally, they take you away from campus, around the big rock in the river, over the river and through the woods. Eventually, you end up on the BACKSIDE (and I use that word in all of its wondrous meanings here) of the ND campus. We finally pulled in to what appeared to be some kind of "Visitor Parking" because everywhere else required a permit. Frankly, finding our way around the streets and lots there was a pain in the butt. I wonder if other people have as much trouble as we did.
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| From Chicago Training Trip (Monday) |
So, we toured the campus, took lots of pictures, and then made a fatal RIGHT turn in our adventures. At the ball fields, there was a LOT of construction going on. So, what could have been a short leisurely stroll down a road to the LEFT, we hung a right and ended up walking more than a mile out of our way (all tolled) in order to find our way back to the parking lot. Granted, it was a nice view of the outskirts of campus. But, it was hot and humid, and well, neither Doug or I are in any shape to walking around dodging oncoming cars and weary glances from passersby.
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| From Chicago Training Trip (Monday) |
We get back into the car, and head for Mickey D's to grab a bite and a restroom break, then off to Chicago (well, technically Schaumberg). As we pull out of town, I look over and ask if we should stop for gas, seeing the gauge perched just above the "E." Doug assures me that we have plenty of gas to get back to the hotel, but that he'll stop once we do get back. So, we drive on.
As we come into the outskirts of Chi-town, Doug begins pressing on the gas pedal and wonders out loud about the quality of the manufacturing process of the vehicle. Since I try to keep this blog in the G/PG realm for the most part, I will let your own imagination fill in the various three- and four-letter words he used in describing the vehicle and the issues we were having. We are also in the far LEFT (i.e, FAST) lane...
At this point, I casually say, "I'm pretty sure we're out of gas..." He points to the dash and says, "No way, Dude, there's like half a tank left!" I tell him that what he had been viewing as the GAS GAUGE was actually the TEMPERATURE GAUGE and the gas indicator was the other one. Note the GAS indicator is on the RIGHT...
As we begin to slow down in the fast lane, traffic is screaming by us. We cannot find the stupid HAZARD indicator, so Doug puts on his signal and we attempt to cross multiple lanes of traffic with NO GAS!
Let's just say that in addition to the throng of vehicles whizzing by, I also saw my life whizzing by me. I am pretty sure that I closed my eyes at some point.
By the Grace of God alone, we managed to get ourselves onto an exit ramp shoulder, just around the curve from where everyone else was coming off. Yes, we were in a blind spot. And we were out of gas. Near Chicago. Without a clue.
Doug called Avis, who told him he was out of luck and that refueling was not part of the rental agreement. Once he expressed his immense dissatisfaction with their customer service, he opted to phone-a-friend. An ex-coworker/longtime friend of his said she was in a meeting but that she would come as soon as she could get away. So, we waited. We watched as cars, semis, buses, you name it, came screaming around the corner and rushing by. There was very little space between the driver's side of the car and the freeway exit.
After about five minutes or so, a trooper flicks on his lights and pulls in behind us! Once the coast was clear, the officer came to my side of the car and asked for Doug's license and asked if we had called in our situation. We assured him that we had not called it in, and he disappeared. A few moments later, he came back and let us know that HELP was on the way. It turns out, you can call *999 in the Chicago area and a big yellow truck will come help you, for a small fee.
Not too much longer after the officer had returned Doug's license, a big yellow truck pulled around the corner just after the officer sped away in his vehicle. Doug phoned to let his friend know we were being taken care of - at $5.00 per gallon for two gallons of gas.
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| From Chicago Training Trip (Monday) |
Once all the paperwork was done and the gas was poured in, we thanked the truck driver and headed to the nearest gas station...
*I thought I should note that the images of the dashboard above were obtained online from somewhere... Notice they evidently had trouble reading which was the FUEL side, too - they are nearly on empty!! Too funny!
Jun 22, 2009
Here's Your Sign...
After the Cubs/Indians game on Saturday, the three of us hopped in the Equinox and headed for the Vic theater. Not being from the area, we could have just as easily been looking for Michael Jordan’s house -if he even lives in chi, which I have no idea. We got directions from a local young man -perhaps 18 or so- but he seemed very confused as to where he was in relation to the Vic, so we discredited his advice and went with plan b. We asked the parking attendant. As you might have guessed, this yielded nothing more useful than a shrug and a tip that we might want to find a local law enforcement officer and ask for help. Yay.
Our phones were of little use, since none of us has GPS. We do have internet, though. We are able to find our way around and eventually end up in a parking garage that was built such that the only vehicles that could easily and safely navigate it would those produced by the cooper mini company. At one point, as we tried to go up into the garage, oncoming traffic had to back-up, maneuver their vehicles as far to their right as they could, and then we did a very tightly choreographed dance which let both vehicles -ours and theirs- squeeze past each other, with barely room for side mirrors not to touch.
We arrived very early (which seemed to be the theme of the week) so, we grabbed an order of mozz sticks and some cokes. We assured the waitress that after the show, we would be back for "real" food. (For the record, we did go back and had some killer pizza!)
Standing in front of the Vic were various tbs stations. That is, places where you get free Twix, have your picture taken with cardboard stand-ins, and you could make a mix of beats, scratches and laughs. The three of us had our picture taken, though I was the only one willing to act like a fool for a fun shot.
After a lot of coaxing, Will finally agreed to jump on the mix-master machine. The tbs photog snapped a lot of shots. I think will may become the poster-child for the laugh-traxx machine.
Once the line started moving, we were ushered in to find our seats. It is here that I would like to mention that all the tickets, yes ALL tickets, were general admission. We found a nice comfy padded elongated sitting place. Sure, some might call it a very long couch, but I am sure it some more sophisticated name. We sat right on the aisle. This was done for two reasons - 1)we had a great view of the stage, and 2)the show was being recorded. Where else is a handi-cam going to go but up the aisles? Exactly!
Remember the part about general admission? There was a section of seats that was roped off, reserved for tbs folks that had come in for the show. Several people came up to the person in charge of keeping the public out of there and asked her if they could sit there. I'll get to that in a minute. By far the most asked question was: can you tell me which section I’m in? Or, where do I sit? We helped the woman out by introducing several folks to the concept of 'general admission.' For those that don’t know, general admission means you come in and find a seat, then plant your tukus in it. :-) Of course, we had joked that the next person to ask was going to be told that they needed to go ask the security guard at the front for the general, and ask for general ad mission. Luckily for everyone involved, no one asked us after we decided that.
Now, back to the bonehead, er, patron that kept bugging the poor girl guarding the reserved seats. One guy came back every 3-5 minutes asking if he could get a seat in the reserved space. The girl said that seats would be open to general admission once the tbs folks had all arrived. This did not deter the doofus, er, gentleman, from trying to slip the girl a 20 dollar bill! Holy crap! He just tried to bribe his way into front-section seats! Now, these seats were right next to us. The real kicker? He already had front section seats on the other side of where we sat! What a jerk! And, to add insult to injury, he was wearing a shirt which read: "Stop your whining, B*** and get over it!" Of course, the word was spelled out. The three of us finally started reading his shirt out loud to him, but he never made the connection. Moron. Thankfully, it ended up being an all-TBS section.
The show itself was absolutely hilarious! I thought it was going to air next weekend on TBS, but that's not what this was being taped for. It was being taped for his own production company, which I can only assume means that a a comedy special or DVD is coming out of it! That would be cool!
Jun 21, 2009
The Father's Day trip home...
As I write this, I am en route from Chicago to Dallas. We woke early today, so after we dropped our Chevy Equinox off at the Avis rental return, we headed for the terminal at O’Hare. Looking like the lost tourists we were, we got into a rather long line in order to check our bags. As we waited, an airline representative informed us that we could get in the international line, since there were fewer people there. As it always seems to happen, by the time we got to this 'shorter' line, it was no longer the shorter line. So, like the good airport patrons we are, we waited our turn.
According to the weather channel, which seemed to be the favorite channel of one of our trio this trip, rain was coming in to the Chicago area. Given that the most recent rain there caused a 5-hour delay in flights, we thought it best to try and jump an earlier flight to Dallas. Since our true final destination is Texarkana, hopping the earlier flight meant two things: 1) we would get to Dallas at about the time our regular flight would have been taking off, and 2)we would now have about a 3-hour layover in Dallas because we would still have the same flight from Dallas to Texarkana. Yay.
As we waited for our names to be called, we got pushed further and further down the standby list. This was due in large part to the numerous American airlines personnel who were also on standby, and they get priority over a couple guys that just wanted to beat an incoming storm. Naturally, at this point I have no idea if taking the early flight was worth it or not. I digress. As the other people boarded, it looked like we'd have to stick around chi-town after all. But at the minute, the woman behind the desk called my name. I explained that there were three of us and that we would rather travel together if at all possible. A few clickity-clicks on the keyboard, and sure enough, three boarding passes soon came spitting out of the printer. Again, yay.
I have flown many times during my lifetime, and will be flying again in less than a week (to NYC!) but I do not recall ever willingly putting myself on standby in order to catch an early flight that ultimately has no bearing on my arrival time to my final destination. Basically, if the storm never comes/came to Chicago, I hopped an earlier plane so I could veg out in a different airport. In some parallel universe, I am sure it makes sense.
According to the weather channel, which seemed to be the favorite channel of one of our trio this trip, rain was coming in to the Chicago area. Given that the most recent rain there caused a 5-hour delay in flights, we thought it best to try and jump an earlier flight to Dallas. Since our true final destination is Texarkana, hopping the earlier flight meant two things: 1) we would get to Dallas at about the time our regular flight would have been taking off, and 2)we would now have about a 3-hour layover in Dallas because we would still have the same flight from Dallas to Texarkana. Yay.
As we waited for our names to be called, we got pushed further and further down the standby list. This was due in large part to the numerous American airlines personnel who were also on standby, and they get priority over a couple guys that just wanted to beat an incoming storm. Naturally, at this point I have no idea if taking the early flight was worth it or not. I digress. As the other people boarded, it looked like we'd have to stick around chi-town after all. But at the minute, the woman behind the desk called my name. I explained that there were three of us and that we would rather travel together if at all possible. A few clickity-clicks on the keyboard, and sure enough, three boarding passes soon came spitting out of the printer. Again, yay.
I have flown many times during my lifetime, and will be flying again in less than a week (to NYC!) but I do not recall ever willingly putting myself on standby in order to catch an early flight that ultimately has no bearing on my arrival time to my final destination. Basically, if the storm never comes/came to Chicago, I hopped an earlier plane so I could veg out in a different airport. In some parallel universe, I am sure it makes sense.
Jun 17, 2009
Welcome to Schaumberg
Even though we've been spending a lot of time in downtown Chicago, our training is actually being held in one of the suburbs: Schaumberg.
This is the building where the training is taking place. It's being conducted by Global Knowledge.
Our instructor was flown in from North Carolina and he is very sharp on SharePoint-related information. He is also one of three programmers Global Knowledge has, so he is assigned the .Net classes (including the SharePoint programming class)
And, I'm sure you know my picture-taking well enough by now to know I'll stop and take a picture of the local foliage when the opportunity presents itself:
There probably won't be pictures tonight, unless I grab the camera for our trip to Gino's Pizza. I think the plan for tonight is to visit the largest mall in the US (in retail space). Yeah, I know, the largest physical mall is The Mall of America, but it has coasters, and rides, etc. Supposedly, the one near here is the largest in actual space dedicated to stores. If we go, I'll be sure to post some pics...
The training is going well, but by 4:15pm yesterday, we were wiped out. In fact, we are heading in early today to do the lab...
Jun 15, 2009
Made it to Chicago!
Well, we made it to Chicago on Monday, and of course, I broke out the camera as soon as I could. Here are a few pictures (click on the link below any picture to see all 160+ pics from Monday):
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| From Chicago Training Trip (sunday) |
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| From Chicago Training Trip (sunday) |
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| From Chicago Training Trip (sunday) |
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| From Chicago Training Trip (sunday) |
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| From Chicago Training Trip (sunday) |
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| From Chicago Training Trip (sunday) |
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| From Chicago Training Trip (sunday) |
Jun 13, 2009
Random Pictures
I don't know why, but I love taking various pictures of my Indians collectibles. In this case, that also includes Steelers, Coke, and Mickey Mouse.
I was chasing Tyler around with the camera. He finally surprised me by turning around and 'shooting me!'
Emily was playing around in her room when I snapped this one. I have no idea what was going through her mind at the time...
And, here is a 'so-close' moment from one of Emily's ballgames. It may look like it's a tie, but the fielder got there just before I snapped the picture... Dang it!
For the record: How is it that the Blogger dictionary does NOT know the word "Steelers!?!?!" HELLO!!!!
I was chasing Tyler around with the camera. He finally surprised me by turning around and 'shooting me!'
Emily was playing around in her room when I snapped this one. I have no idea what was going through her mind at the time...
And, here is a 'so-close' moment from one of Emily's ballgames. It may look like it's a tie, but the fielder got there just before I snapped the picture... Dang it!
For the record: How is it that the Blogger dictionary does NOT know the word "Steelers!?!?!" HELLO!!!!
Pens win! And an untimely Woot
The Penguins won the Stanley Cup! I managed to watch part of the 2nd and 3rd periods, and I have to say, this was a fantastic hockey game - knockdowns, last-minute rush on goal, a missed goal off the crossbar! Fantastic stuff, and did I mention THE PENGUINS WON!?!? Yeah, Buddy!
Today's WOOT is a three-piece luggage set. Why is that an untimely woot? Because I leave for Chicago at 5:00 Sunday morning, and then in two weeks, we head for NYC. I have no idea how long it takes for woot purchases to arrive, but I can only assume the luggage would get here as we returned from NYC.
Of course, we have luggage, so it's not like I even need the woot. But, it is little things in life, like the offer of discount luggage just after the time you might have been able to use it, that keep us on our toes - or make us roll our eyes.
For those of you on FaceBook, you can now reach me at www.facebook.com/davehenderson, for whatever that's worth... :-) Of course, if I don't know you, then I can't promise to be your friend. Basically, let me know you followed me from here and that gets most folks in... Well, maybe. Don't take offense if you don't get added. It's just FaceBook, after all.
Can you write a story in just six words? I read there is a contest that asks just sort of thing. So, I thought I'd try it:
Jack eloped with Jill. They loved.
Yeah... not so much, huh? Well, here is one more just for fun:
Penguins rally to win Stanley Cup!
Heh-heh... I just made that up. Aren't I clever?
Jun 11, 2009
Miss California stripped of title and other stuff
Carrie Prejean, Miss California, was "shocked" when she was told that she was being stripped of her title. Much like "The Apprentice," she was basically told, "You're Fired!" You may remember she is the one who spoke out against gay marriage. Supposedly that has nothing to do with that, but instead is because she broke her contractual obligations for public appearances.
I'm sure there will a threat of a lawsuit, if not an actual lawsuit, over the whole thing. All I can say is that it better not be over her views. Period. Then again, what difference does it make? Nothing will change either way.
Okay, I lied. There's not really 'other stuff' going on here.... I thought there might have been, but I was wrong. Between long work days, visiting mom in the hospital, and not getting home until after 8pm, I am just worn out. I am looking forward to Chicago for a little break.
The problem with the trip to Chicago is that I know I won't be around to check on mom. I'll have to try calling during a break.
Say goodnight, Gracie... :-)
I'm sure there will a threat of a lawsuit, if not an actual lawsuit, over the whole thing. All I can say is that it better not be over her views. Period. Then again, what difference does it make? Nothing will change either way.
Okay, I lied. There's not really 'other stuff' going on here.... I thought there might have been, but I was wrong. Between long work days, visiting mom in the hospital, and not getting home until after 8pm, I am just worn out. I am looking forward to Chicago for a little break.
The problem with the trip to Chicago is that I know I won't be around to check on mom. I'll have to try calling during a break.
Say goodnight, Gracie... :-)
Jun 10, 2009
Steaks Up!
Pictures from the cookout at work today:
Floyd is our Workforce Education Specialist, and served as the Master of Grilling for today's activities...
Here he is slingin' steaks on to the grill!
As you can see, we are an equal opportunity "other duties" assigner! Gina was recruited to marinade the steaks and help sling 'em on the grill.
John (left) and I get caught on camera... We were TOLD only the plate was being photographed... See if we ever trust Gina with the camera again!
Floyd is our Workforce Education Specialist, and served as the Master of Grilling for today's activities...
Here he is slingin' steaks on to the grill!
As you can see, we are an equal opportunity "other duties" assigner! Gina was recruited to marinade the steaks and help sling 'em on the grill.
John (left) and I get caught on camera... We were TOLD only the plate was being photographed... See if we ever trust Gina with the camera again!
It's Grillin Day
For the past few days, the education service center where I work has been hosting an "Administrator's Institute" - a 3-day intensive focus for Superintendents, Principals, and other administrators. There have been somewhere around 70 or so admins from our schools and from schools in other co-ops.
Today is the 'big day.' we will have around 90 people in the conference room, plus there at least two other workshops going on with 12-25 people each, PLUS staff that work at the co-op, PLUS people who come by to have things done as part of the daily routine of co-op business.
What does all of this have to do with grilling? Well, you see, under "other duties as assigned," the three guys that work for the co-op have been tasked with grilling roughly 90 steaks for lunch. I suddenly feel like that guy on Dinner: Impossible, but I don't have any culinary experience....well, unless you count my grilled cheese and my general failures to successfully cook spaghetti as 'culinary experience.'
I also volunteered myself to be the 'Chief Easter Bunny' (as one of the presenters called it) for a geocaching workshop we are holding today. Basically, in my infinite wisdom and lack of understanding just how many people were going to be here on this day, I volunteered to hide various caches for the geocachers to find. No big deal, right? Wrong. Every cache location was selected because of its proximity to the co-op. It's a short workshop (3 hours) so I made everything close by.
I have a feeling the caches will be found without the aid of a GPS unit simply based on the law of averages that says, "if you put 125+ people in one small place, some are bound to find 'hidden' geocaches simply by walking past them." Yes, it's a law, I looked it up, or read about it, or it fell out of the space between my ears. Hey, we're losing focus here... The point is, I am not sure the trinkets I am hiding will actually still be there by the time the geocaching workshop starts! Oy!
I'll keep ya posted. In the meantime, I've got to get dressed in my dress-code-approved work attire. And then go grill steaks in slacks and a polo. This should be interesting... I'll take pictures, and if I end up with as much on me as I serve, I'll have someone take pictures of me. But you never know, I may come out clean as a whistle, as they used to say.
Today is the 'big day.' we will have around 90 people in the conference room, plus there at least two other workshops going on with 12-25 people each, PLUS staff that work at the co-op, PLUS people who come by to have things done as part of the daily routine of co-op business.
What does all of this have to do with grilling? Well, you see, under "other duties as assigned," the three guys that work for the co-op have been tasked with grilling roughly 90 steaks for lunch. I suddenly feel like that guy on Dinner: Impossible, but I don't have any culinary experience....well, unless you count my grilled cheese and my general failures to successfully cook spaghetti as 'culinary experience.'
I also volunteered myself to be the 'Chief Easter Bunny' (as one of the presenters called it) for a geocaching workshop we are holding today. Basically, in my infinite wisdom and lack of understanding just how many people were going to be here on this day, I volunteered to hide various caches for the geocachers to find. No big deal, right? Wrong. Every cache location was selected because of its proximity to the co-op. It's a short workshop (3 hours) so I made everything close by.
I have a feeling the caches will be found without the aid of a GPS unit simply based on the law of averages that says, "if you put 125+ people in one small place, some are bound to find 'hidden' geocaches simply by walking past them." Yes, it's a law, I looked it up, or read about it, or it fell out of the space between my ears. Hey, we're losing focus here... The point is, I am not sure the trinkets I am hiding will actually still be there by the time the geocaching workshop starts! Oy!
I'll keep ya posted. In the meantime, I've got to get dressed in my dress-code-approved work attire. And then go grill steaks in slacks and a polo. This should be interesting... I'll take pictures, and if I end up with as much on me as I serve, I'll have someone take pictures of me. But you never know, I may come out clean as a whistle, as they used to say.
Jun 7, 2009
Being Random Again
Yeah, it's got a HEMI...
I have about a year left of payments on my truck, and I am hoping that this becomes the first vehicle that I not only pay off, but that sticks around long afterward. Since it has reached the 100,000-mile mark, my primary goal is to take it in and have all the belts, hoses, spark plugs, etc checked out and replaced as needed. It's been running great for 100k, I'd like to see it reach 200+ before it reaches its final resting place.
So, that of course begs the question: What's Next? What is the next vehicle I'd like to get once the truck is paid off? Well, my hope is that I can go 6-12 months of no payments and build up a bit of a reserve before shopping around for a new vehicle. The truth is, I'll most likely be out at the car lot the day after it's paid off. I am too impatient and too excited to get a new vehicle to wait a year.
Now, my thinking is that my next vehicle will be a less expensive, gas-friendly four-door car. I already have a truck for when I need it, so I don't see the need to buy another one (though I have to admit the new Rams with the Rambox sure look good!).
I first thought about getting something like an Aveo. Yes, I know that is a long way from the Ram, but I'm thinking I could finance that for about two years, three at the most, and then pass it off onto Tyler and get another car. I'm not sure about that though.
I've also thought about getting a Dodge Caliber. Shan thinks they are ugly, but I like 'em. And, you can one pretty well loaded out for under $25k. That's a little higher than I want to pay, but that might be worth it.
Then again, if had to choose a 4-door car that was within my overall budget, I just might pick the Charger. Granted, the top-end model is about $45000 or so, but I'd be looking for something just above base model, I think. The problem with that is the monthly payments. I'm not happy with the payments I have now, so I sure don't want HIGHER ones (or even the same ones - ugh!).
Who knows what I'll actually end up searching for once the magical day arrives, and I know it's just over a year away, but the anticipation is already building. Heck, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not even opposed to a program vehicle. I believe my 2000 Impala was even an ex-rental car, and it was a great vehicle. I only got rid of it because I needed a truck to pull the trailer... And, by next year, the new Chevy Volt will be out, plus they have a couple other new models on the slate, too.
On Saturday, our town held their annual "Chicken and Egg" festival. I took a few pics with my phone's camera:
You know, I never really wanted a phone that did anything other than be a phone. But, now that I have a SmartPhone, I have to say, having a device with so many features all in one place is VERY handy! I know, for a tech guy, I can be a bit stubborn when it comes to adopting some technologies. Yeah, yeah, I'm old school sometimes. What can I say?
Man, after posting '40 favorite songs,' I've heard a lot of songs that I forgot about and/or just couldn't make the list since I limited it to 40. Remember, that list was not a "top 40" but just a list of 40 songs. I suppose I should try a 'top 40' sometime... Ya just never know...
Tyler got a new phone on Saturday - a Samsung Rant. It's very cool, and he really likes the slide-out keyboard. We went to the Sprint Store and they were out of them, so we went to Best Buy instead. I still had a couple gift cards from my rewards package on ePoll, so I used those to pay for the phone. He got his phone for free! How cool is that?
And, hey, if you're not following me on Twitter, well, then, you're in good company. I don't really update that anyway. :-)
Jun 4, 2009
Am I brilliant or what?
One of my 'other duties as assigned' came in the form of setting up three Wii's that we are using for summer workshops this year. Yes, teachers are learning how to use the Wii in their classrooms as a teaching tool - VERY cool stuff!!
Well, one of the items required is the Internet Channel. On the Wii, you have to 'buy' the channel for 500 points. Of course, you don't get any points when you buy a Wii, so you have to purchase points to spend. Points cards can be found at Wal-Mart, target, etc, or you can buy directly online through the Wii itself.
In my brilliance, I opted for door number two. I used the company credit card and bought 1000 Wii points (the smallest increment available). I assumed that at some point, I would be prompted for my email address in order to get a copy of the receipt. WRONG! The only receipt available was on the screen. So, in order to show the bookkeeper that I paid for the points, I grabbed my handy dandy phone and snapped a photo:
Well, one of the items required is the Internet Channel. On the Wii, you have to 'buy' the channel for 500 points. Of course, you don't get any points when you buy a Wii, so you have to purchase points to spend. Points cards can be found at Wal-Mart, target, etc, or you can buy directly online through the Wii itself.
In my brilliance, I opted for door number two. I used the company credit card and bought 1000 Wii points (the smallest increment available). I assumed that at some point, I would be prompted for my email address in order to get a copy of the receipt. WRONG! The only receipt available was on the screen. So, in order to show the bookkeeper that I paid for the points, I grabbed my handy dandy phone and snapped a photo:
To put it mildly, the bookkeeper was *NOT* impressed. But, what else could I do at that point, right?
40 of my favorite songs
Okay, I realize that limiting a list of all the kinds of music I listen to down to a list of 40 is going to be difficult. But, let's see where things go...
The problem with a list like this is that I am a HUGE Michael Jackson, Weird Al, and Asia fan. So, I will only list one song from each of them to start with, but if my mind goes blank, I'll add more of their songs to the list:
Okay, this was WAAAAAYYYY too hard to limit the list to just 40 songs. I may come up with a genre-based list (pop, country, rock, etc) because my mind was all over the place while making this list out.
The problem with a list like this is that I am a HUGE Michael Jackson, Weird Al, and Asia fan. So, I will only list one song from each of them to start with, but if my mind goes blank, I'll add more of their songs to the list:
- "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)" - Christopher Cross
- "Dirty Diana" - Michael Jackson
- "Fat" - Weird Al Yankovic
- "Wonderful World" - Louis Armstrong
- "Cleveland Rocks" - Presidents of the United States of America
- "Steelers Polka" - Jimmy Psihoulis ("Jimmy Pol")
- "Teenagers" - My Chemical Romance
- "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Green Day
- "Girls Just Wanna have Fun" - Cyndi Lauper
- "Music of the Night" - Phantom of the Opera
- "All Summer Long" - Kid Rock
- "Cowboy" - Kid Rock
- "Remember When" - Alan Jackson
- "Bible Belt" - Randy Travis
- "Back in Black" - AC/DC
- "Flying High Again" - Ozzy Osbourne
- "Paralyzer" - Finger Eleven
- "Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor
- "Heat of the Moment" - Asia
- "The Reason" - Hoobastank
- "Hanging By A Moment" - Lifehouse
- "Piano Man" - Billy Joel
- "Borderline" - Madonna
- "You Spin Me Round" - Dead or Alive
- "So Alive" - Love and Rockets
- "Welcome to the Jungle" - Guns N' Roses
- "Livin on a Prayer" - Bon Jovi
- "White Lines (Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster Flash
- "Breakin... There's No Stoppin Us" - Ollie & Jerry
- "You're Gonna Miss This" - Trace Adkins
- "Nothin Better To Do" - LeAnn Rimes
- "Fancy" - Reba McIntyre
- "Endless Summer Nights" - Richard Marx
- "Greased Lightning" - Grease
- "I Love You Always Forever" - Donna Lewis
- "My Life Would Suck Without You" - Kelly Clarkson
- "One" - U2
- "Heart of the Matter" - Don Henley
- "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" - Jim Croce
- "Takin Care of Business" - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Okay, this was WAAAAAYYYY too hard to limit the list to just 40 songs. I may come up with a genre-based list (pop, country, rock, etc) because my mind was all over the place while making this list out.
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