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Revving up; crashing down
Oct. 20th, 2011 10:18 pmLord, I am sooooo tired.
1. STEAMPUNK! Fun. Listened to bands. Talked to people. Took nice photos. Taught waltzing.
2. Didn't make it over the border to deliver the iPad to Amanda; but Loopy/Dagmaer found someone to do it. yay! no wireless in hospital. Boo!
3. Work...is getting more ridiculous. I've cut hours back to 50; but not noticed, because the new guy is still less...trying to get him to commit to more, but he does not see why.
4. Weight loss...fell off the boat.
5. Some anniversaries and news...time to go sleep a lot. Good night.
1A. Blizzcon? No, but FNW and Tiki and Jeannie!
2A. Plans are cooking.
3A. Management Hammer is coming, don't look like a nail.
4A. Work and weight, need to exercise every day.
5.A. Cancer should be destroyed, but that often destroys the person.
1. STEAMPUNK! Fun. Listened to bands. Talked to people. Took nice photos. Taught waltzing.
2. Didn't make it over the border to deliver the iPad to Amanda; but Loopy/Dagmaer found someone to do it. yay! no wireless in hospital. Boo!
3. Work...is getting more ridiculous. I've cut hours back to 50; but not noticed, because the new guy is still less...trying to get him to commit to more, but he does not see why.
4. Weight loss...fell off the boat.
5. Some anniversaries and news...time to go sleep a lot. Good night.
1A. Blizzcon? No, but FNW and Tiki and Jeannie!
2A. Plans are cooking.
3A. Management Hammer is coming, don't look like a nail.
4A. Work and weight, need to exercise every day.
5.A. Cancer should be destroyed, but that often destroys the person.
Sure Happy it's Thursday
Oct. 13th, 2011 08:15 amRolled out of bed this morning to head out to work out, checked work email...uhoh. Minor customer issue is now major customer problem. Again. We've dropped the ball. So much for the workout...
...it's really hard to motivate myself; 3 months in and I already want to scream "THAT WAS FUCKED UP LONG BEFORE ME" because I'm trying to fix issues that have been going for a year.
Need more fukitol. BUt if I take too much, I stop moving...
Saw Alton Brown speak last night, 5 quick facts:
1. He's abandoned BMW for Ducati; it's not a crisis if you can pay for your midlife toys. (My question)
2. He cooks his daughter breakfast whenever possible; if he has to leave early he puts it into the warming drawer he had installed under the microwave.
3. He feels there's an obsession on food rather than on the ceremonies and joys around it; we look for the perfect plated palatable pie rather than sharing with family, and it's a problem. (alliteration mine).
4. He's a fat addict...Hello, my name is John, and I'm addicted to weight...the discussion was very good at this point. McDonald's doesn't make you fat, your mindless eating (which they help with) does. Think, then eat. It's not a silver bullet take a drug do a diet thing but a way of life.
5. His hardest addiction to quit was Diet Coke--from 8 a day to 0, and it reset his tastebuds on the subject of sweet.
PILES of people asked question that he answers in his book...his favorite shows? the ones he worked with his family on. His favorite fast food? In CA, In n Out burgers. How do I make a crispy waffle? Buy a real waffle iron, and up the butter and sugar a little, and cook it a little hotter. How do I make gluten free french bread? ...you don't.
back to the work
...it's really hard to motivate myself; 3 months in and I already want to scream "THAT WAS FUCKED UP LONG BEFORE ME" because I'm trying to fix issues that have been going for a year.
Need more fukitol. BUt if I take too much, I stop moving...
Saw Alton Brown speak last night, 5 quick facts:
1. He's abandoned BMW for Ducati; it's not a crisis if you can pay for your midlife toys. (My question)
2. He cooks his daughter breakfast whenever possible; if he has to leave early he puts it into the warming drawer he had installed under the microwave.
3. He feels there's an obsession on food rather than on the ceremonies and joys around it; we look for the perfect plated palatable pie rather than sharing with family, and it's a problem. (alliteration mine).
4. He's a fat addict...Hello, my name is John, and I'm addicted to weight...the discussion was very good at this point. McDonald's doesn't make you fat, your mindless eating (which they help with) does. Think, then eat. It's not a silver bullet take a drug do a diet thing but a way of life.
5. His hardest addiction to quit was Diet Coke--from 8 a day to 0, and it reset his tastebuds on the subject of sweet.
PILES of people asked question that he answers in his book...his favorite shows? the ones he worked with his family on. His favorite fast food? In CA, In n Out burgers. How do I make a crispy waffle? Buy a real waffle iron, and up the butter and sugar a little, and cook it a little hotter. How do I make gluten free french bread? ...you don't.
back to the work
Friday 5; Projects coming off hold
Oct. 8th, 2011 01:28 am1. Paint the house.
2. Replace areas of the yard with california natives designed for the valley floor. Do it in zones, so it's not a HUGE project, more of zones. Different zones have different needs, such as Zone neighbor: something very trash resistant that can be cleaned easily, or Zone Front Window: A nice view. Steps one and two: pull existing unwanted brush (needed to paint house) and diagram yard for plan. Done date: ...End of October.
3. Change life. Now in iPad challenge. Individual steps: 1. Put reward dinner on calendar, invite people. 6 weeks, so mid november...erm....How about Tuesday, 11/29, "No Turkey Whatsoever" Fondue night? Chime in if you want in on it. 2. Clear kitchen of all non-program foods, exp. freezer. 3. Buy new foods, package in bags/etc in 1 serving numbers. 4. Make up workout kits (5) so there's never a scramble in the AM: pick up the bag and go. 6. Sign up for boot camp (done) 7. Make list (done) 8. Check off first, no seventh item (done). 9. Nap!
4. Again in zones, rebuild house in stages. List not in order: A) Finish cleaning back room. B) Paint back closet C) move washer/dryer back in D) Move/sort/throw LR and DR detritus into back room either into storage area, labelled, into trash, or into recycle/goodwill. E)
5. Implement 3/9. Goodnight!
2. Replace areas of the yard with california natives designed for the valley floor. Do it in zones, so it's not a HUGE project, more of zones. Different zones have different needs, such as Zone neighbor: something very trash resistant that can be cleaned easily, or Zone Front Window: A nice view. Steps one and two: pull existing unwanted brush (needed to paint house) and diagram yard for plan. Done date: ...End of October.
3. Change life. Now in iPad challenge. Individual steps: 1. Put reward dinner on calendar, invite people. 6 weeks, so mid november...erm....How about Tuesday, 11/29, "No Turkey Whatsoever" Fondue night? Chime in if you want in on it. 2. Clear kitchen of all non-program foods, exp. freezer. 3. Buy new foods, package in bags/etc in 1 serving numbers. 4. Make up workout kits (5) so there's never a scramble in the AM: pick up the bag and go. 6. Sign up for boot camp (done) 7. Make list (done) 8. Check off first, no seventh item (done). 9. Nap!
4. Again in zones, rebuild house in stages. List not in order: A) Finish cleaning back room. B) Paint back closet C) move washer/dryer back in D) Move/sort/throw LR and DR detritus into back room either into storage area, labelled, into trash, or into recycle/goodwill. E)
5. Implement 3/9. Goodnight!
Friday Five!
Oct. 6th, 2011 11:58 pm1. Friday five at work is helping the situation. But this week? The suck. I hate being at the bottom of the shitstorm, a lot, and that's where support often is. Add to that a 2up who can't think without powerpoint (seriously) and a 1up who can't commit, and 1/4 of my time going to to training my manager to be...FTS.
2. So I went to Evilmadscience.com and bought some Larson scanners. I gave most of them away to engineers at work (the group I call the GSDC (either Get Shit Done Club or possibly Grumpy Sarcastic Dinosaur Cabal. Shh. ). But I kept one, made it, and although I need practice, it worked. Love the instructions.
3. Tried to make it to Boot camp. Work got in the way. SUCK. Not only am I being counselled on not telling customers "That Shit's broke!" I'm staying until midnight to try an help. Um...Why? Nasty habits.
4. Have swept twice and mopped once, and after I wash the walls and clean the dog hair out of the fan, perhaps the room will not be so doggy in the back. But I kinda doubt it. Looking at it, gonna have to paint, probably.
5. Not doing any SCA, not really doing much at all. Sucks. But signed up for 6 week transform body, so it's BFL eating and work out 1 1/2 hours every morning starting at 6. I'm looking forward to it. So off to bed so I can do it!
2. So I went to Evilmadscience.com and bought some Larson scanners. I gave most of them away to engineers at work (the group I call the GSDC (either Get Shit Done Club or possibly Grumpy Sarcastic Dinosaur Cabal. Shh. ). But I kept one, made it, and although I need practice, it worked. Love the instructions.
3. Tried to make it to Boot camp. Work got in the way. SUCK. Not only am I being counselled on not telling customers "That Shit's broke!" I'm staying until midnight to try an help. Um...Why? Nasty habits.
4. Have swept twice and mopped once, and after I wash the walls and clean the dog hair out of the fan, perhaps the room will not be so doggy in the back. But I kinda doubt it. Looking at it, gonna have to paint, probably.
5. Not doing any SCA, not really doing much at all. Sucks. But signed up for 6 week transform body, so it's BFL eating and work out 1 1/2 hours every morning starting at 6. I'm looking forward to it. So off to bed so I can do it!
InconCIEVable.
Oct. 4th, 2011 09:30 am"I do not think he knows what that word means."
I can't perceive, conceive, or accept my current weight. So I signed up to win an iPAD.
Well, at least to lose an iPAD. Fit Body Bootcamp, which is energizing the south bay TeacherBards, have I joined.
Food: pretty standard Body for Life, I'm over on Myfitnesspal.com as johnrschmidt if you want to see how I'm doing.
Exercise: instructor led circuit training M-Th AM before work. I feel energized!
Goal: WIN THE iPAD! If you see me not eating right, remind me, WIN THE iPAD!
(It's a competition they have.)
Excelsior!
I can't perceive, conceive, or accept my current weight. So I signed up to win an iPAD.
Well, at least to lose an iPAD. Fit Body Bootcamp, which is energizing the south bay TeacherBards, have I joined.
Food: pretty standard Body for Life, I'm over on Myfitnesspal.com as johnrschmidt if you want to see how I'm doing.
Exercise: instructor led circuit training M-Th AM before work. I feel energized!
Goal: WIN THE iPAD! If you see me not eating right, remind me, WIN THE iPAD!
(It's a competition they have.)
Excelsior!
All Quiet.
Sep. 16th, 2011 04:50 pmMade it home before 8 3 nights this week.
aaaaaaaaaaah.
Will have a real life soon.
aaaaaaaaaaah.
Dance breaks will continue, too good for morale.
Not going to make much SCA stuff though, as long as I am on call 24/7.
Oh well.
aaaaaaaaaah.
aaaaaaaaaaah.
Will have a real life soon.
aaaaaaaaaaah.
Dance breaks will continue, too good for morale.
Not going to make much SCA stuff though, as long as I am on call 24/7.
Oh well.
aaaaaaaaaah.
In honor of Leigh Ann,
Aug. 30th, 2011 10:24 pmInspired by Risa, another woman of many wonderful qualities. Stole this from another web page.
Dear Jodi,
Thank you for arranging this luncheon for Sharon. I'm deciding what
to order, and I have a question.
What about us carnivores? I want meat. Red raw meat. I want them to lead
it in on a rope and I want it to "moo" when I bite into it. I don't want
anybody I know to see me eating "rice pilaf" or "chicken Fresco". In fact
I don't want anybody who knows anybody I know to see me doing so. I want a
dignified American meal of steak and potatoes by God, served with flagons of
blood-red wine. I want Hungarian red wine, with a picture of a cow on the
label. I want to think about Eastern Europeans making this wine for slave
wages and making it badly. I want the whole bottle. I want several. I want
it served on a white tablecloth and I want that tablecloth to be so soiled
when we're done that it can't even be used for rags. I want a meal to
remember, in the midst of bawdy company. I want someone to tell off-color
jokes and I want us all to laugh till we cry. I want some of us to discover
that the person we've mumbled at as we've passed in the halls these last
5 years is a sexual rogue. I want several people to fail to return to work
afterward. I want to see a disciplinary memo sent down from the director's
office in the wake of all this. I want the restaurant to refuse to serve
anyone from the Lab for the next two years. I want to generate gossip. I
want media coverage. I want arrests. I want some careers to be launched and
others destroyed. I want this luncheon to divide time into a before and
an after. Despite her acute embarrassment at all this, I want Sharon to
change her mind and stay.
That's what I REALLY want. I just KNOW you're going to tell me I can't
have it. So I'll get back to you with my food order.
Jim
Or, if you'd like it put more emphatically:
From: dfx@usis.com (dfx)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg,alt.mcdonalds,alt.flame,alt.politics.usa.republican,
alt.food.taco-bell, alt.food.mcdonalds, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh,
alt.culture.oregon, alt.agriculture.misc, soc.culture.indian,
alt.fan.jai-maharaj
Subject: Re: ANTI BEEF (Maharaj can kiss my meat eating ass)
Organization: MEAT EATING, EARTH KILLING, PUNK R0CK M0THER FUKERZ
jai@aloha.com (Dr. Jai Maharaj) writes:
> * Meat-eaters have higher blood pressure, are more
>hypertensive and violent. Public funds are used for research and
>treatment. Everyone is forced to pay the price of violence and
>crime. Meat-eaters hurt themselves, their families and others.
>
> Meat-eaters hurt everyone.
> Meat-eaters hurt everyone.
> Meat-eaters hurt everyone.
AND WE'RE DAMN PROUD OF IT T00, Y0U ST00PID FR00T L00P.
After reading Ja-I-have-no-clue's lame ass, crap filled, VEGATUBULZ R
PE0PUL T00 message for the 10,000th time in the last month, I was
inspired to leave the house and make a dramatic change in my eating
habits. As I pulled up to the McDonald's drive-thru and gazed at the
death infested menu which was so obviously responsible for breast cancer,
arthritis, Erik Estrada, racism, and every tragedy in the last 9,000,000
years, Jai's words really touched me and I had a change of heart. Instead
of my usual "Can I have a #3 combo with a coke, please?", I shouted,
"Y0 B1TCH! I WANT A FUKN QUADRO-P0UNDER W1TH N0 FUKN VEGETABULZ 0R SH1T
THAT GR0WZ 0N TREEZ!"
"Ok sir, you wanted a Quarter pounder, just plain, is that correct?"
"N0 B1TCH! I ZED I WANTED A FUKN QUADR0-P0UNDER! GET IT R1TE 0R DIE!"
"A what pounder?!"
"A FUKN QUADR0-P0UNDER!"
"Uh.. I don't think we have that. Are you sure you don't mean a quarter
pounder?"
"N0 I D0N'T MEEN A FUKN MEEZLY AZZ QUARTUR P0UNDER! HERE'Z WHAT I WANT -
2 FUKN D0UBLE QUARTER P0UNDERZ PUT T0GETHER 2 MAKE 1 QUADR0 P0UNDER!"
"Ooohhh.. you want *2* double quarter pounders then?"
"N0 B1TCH! I WANT 1 FUKN QUADR0 P0UNDER! TAKE THE 2 D0UBLEZ, PUT THEM
T0GETHUR AND GIV ME 1 QUADR0! U G0T IT YET BRAINIAK?"
"Oh! Ok.. I think we can do that. Would you like cheese on that?"
"FUK N0 B1TCH! I WANT 4 H0T SLABZ 0F C0W DETH 0N A BUN WITH N0 FUKING
HIPPIE AZZ VEGETABULZ! I ALZ0 D0NT WANT ANY FUKING LAME VEGAN FRIEZ
0R ANY TYPE 0F RECYKULD PAKAGING. N0 KUP, N0 BAG, N0 WRAPPERZ.. PUT
THE SHIT 0N THE WIND0W K0UNTER THING AND I WILL TAKE IT. AND TELL JAI
T0 G0 FUK A K0K0NUT T00!"
"Who?!"
"FUK IT & GIMME THAT WHICH IZ THE S0URCE 0F ALL EVIL... N0W!"
"Thank you. Please drive to the 2nd window."
For the record, I got my fucking Quadro pounder and it r0cked. I am
faxing McDonald's tomorrow and demanding that this awesome item be
permanently added to every McDonald's menu around the world.
I'm a meat eater.
I'm hypertensive.
I'm violent.
And if you get in between me and a plate of animal death, I will fucking
kill your pathetic ass and then go kill some trees in order to build a
coffin to bury you in.
DETH IZ IMMINENT. THE EARTH MUZT DIE. MEAT EATERZ ARE THE MAJ0RITY AND
WE'R FUKIN PISSED. GIVE US WHAT WE WANT 0R BE PREPARED T0 FACE THE WRATH.
Drunkfux . cDc - Cult Of The Dead Cow . Senior Vice Prez
ftp.eff.org : /pub/Publications/CuD/CDC
alt.fan.cult-dead-cow
Dear Jodi,
Thank you for arranging this luncheon for Sharon. I'm deciding what
to order, and I have a question.
What about us carnivores? I want meat. Red raw meat. I want them to lead
it in on a rope and I want it to "moo" when I bite into it. I don't want
anybody I know to see me eating "rice pilaf" or "chicken Fresco". In fact
I don't want anybody who knows anybody I know to see me doing so. I want a
dignified American meal of steak and potatoes by God, served with flagons of
blood-red wine. I want Hungarian red wine, with a picture of a cow on the
label. I want to think about Eastern Europeans making this wine for slave
wages and making it badly. I want the whole bottle. I want several. I want
it served on a white tablecloth and I want that tablecloth to be so soiled
when we're done that it can't even be used for rags. I want a meal to
remember, in the midst of bawdy company. I want someone to tell off-color
jokes and I want us all to laugh till we cry. I want some of us to discover
that the person we've mumbled at as we've passed in the halls these last
5 years is a sexual rogue. I want several people to fail to return to work
afterward. I want to see a disciplinary memo sent down from the director's
office in the wake of all this. I want the restaurant to refuse to serve
anyone from the Lab for the next two years. I want to generate gossip. I
want media coverage. I want arrests. I want some careers to be launched and
others destroyed. I want this luncheon to divide time into a before and
an after. Despite her acute embarrassment at all this, I want Sharon to
change her mind and stay.
That's what I REALLY want. I just KNOW you're going to tell me I can't
have it. So I'll get back to you with my food order.
Jim
Or, if you'd like it put more emphatically:
From: dfx@usis.com (dfx)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg,alt.mcdonalds,alt.flame,alt.politics.usa.republican,
alt.food.taco-bell, alt.food.mcdonalds, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh,
alt.culture.oregon, alt.agriculture.misc, soc.culture.indian,
alt.fan.jai-maharaj
Subject: Re: ANTI BEEF (Maharaj can kiss my meat eating ass)
Organization: MEAT EATING, EARTH KILLING, PUNK R0CK M0THER FUKERZ
jai@aloha.com (Dr. Jai Maharaj) writes:
> * Meat-eaters have higher blood pressure, are more
>hypertensive and violent. Public funds are used for research and
>treatment. Everyone is forced to pay the price of violence and
>crime. Meat-eaters hurt themselves, their families and others.
>
> Meat-eaters hurt everyone.
> Meat-eaters hurt everyone.
> Meat-eaters hurt everyone.
AND WE'RE DAMN PROUD OF IT T00, Y0U ST00PID FR00T L00P.
After reading Ja-I-have-no-clue's lame ass, crap filled, VEGATUBULZ R
PE0PUL T00 message for the 10,000th time in the last month, I was
inspired to leave the house and make a dramatic change in my eating
habits. As I pulled up to the McDonald's drive-thru and gazed at the
death infested menu which was so obviously responsible for breast cancer,
arthritis, Erik Estrada, racism, and every tragedy in the last 9,000,000
years, Jai's words really touched me and I had a change of heart. Instead
of my usual "Can I have a #3 combo with a coke, please?", I shouted,
"Y0 B1TCH! I WANT A FUKN QUADRO-P0UNDER W1TH N0 FUKN VEGETABULZ 0R SH1T
THAT GR0WZ 0N TREEZ!"
"Ok sir, you wanted a Quarter pounder, just plain, is that correct?"
"N0 B1TCH! I ZED I WANTED A FUKN QUADR0-P0UNDER! GET IT R1TE 0R DIE!"
"A what pounder?!"
"A FUKN QUADR0-P0UNDER!"
"Uh.. I don't think we have that. Are you sure you don't mean a quarter
pounder?"
"N0 I D0N'T MEEN A FUKN MEEZLY AZZ QUARTUR P0UNDER! HERE'Z WHAT I WANT -
2 FUKN D0UBLE QUARTER P0UNDERZ PUT T0GETHER 2 MAKE 1 QUADR0 P0UNDER!"
"Ooohhh.. you want *2* double quarter pounders then?"
"N0 B1TCH! I WANT 1 FUKN QUADR0 P0UNDER! TAKE THE 2 D0UBLEZ, PUT THEM
T0GETHUR AND GIV ME 1 QUADR0! U G0T IT YET BRAINIAK?"
"Oh! Ok.. I think we can do that. Would you like cheese on that?"
"FUK N0 B1TCH! I WANT 4 H0T SLABZ 0F C0W DETH 0N A BUN WITH N0 FUKING
HIPPIE AZZ VEGETABULZ! I ALZ0 D0NT WANT ANY FUKING LAME VEGAN FRIEZ
0R ANY TYPE 0F RECYKULD PAKAGING. N0 KUP, N0 BAG, N0 WRAPPERZ.. PUT
THE SHIT 0N THE WIND0W K0UNTER THING AND I WILL TAKE IT. AND TELL JAI
T0 G0 FUK A K0K0NUT T00!"
"Who?!"
"FUK IT & GIMME THAT WHICH IZ THE S0URCE 0F ALL EVIL... N0W!"
"Thank you. Please drive to the 2nd window."
For the record, I got my fucking Quadro pounder and it r0cked. I am
faxing McDonald's tomorrow and demanding that this awesome item be
permanently added to every McDonald's menu around the world.
I'm a meat eater.
I'm hypertensive.
I'm violent.
And if you get in between me and a plate of animal death, I will fucking
kill your pathetic ass and then go kill some trees in order to build a
coffin to bury you in.
DETH IZ IMMINENT. THE EARTH MUZT DIE. MEAT EATERZ ARE THE MAJ0RITY AND
WE'R FUKIN PISSED. GIVE US WHAT WE WANT 0R BE PREPARED T0 FACE THE WRATH.
Drunkfux . cDc - Cult Of The Dead Cow . Senior Vice Prez
ftp.eff.org : /pub/Publications/CuD/CDC
alt.fan.cult-dead-cow
http://www.roughtype.com/archives/2011/06/get_on_my_lawn.php
Those times, and those attitudes, feel like ancient history now. As computers shrank, they became a lot less threatening. Eager for their assistance, we welcomed them into our homes and then into our pockets. But the young are still the enemies of uniformity, and the Internet, as it extends its reach into all the nooks and crannies of our days, is looking more and more like an enormous conduit of conventionality. What are Facebook and Google but giant institutions, arms of the new establishment? What are smartphones if not high-tech leashes? Today, online databases hold more information about us than could fit on a mile-high stack of punch cards. Some kind of rebellion seems in order.
...and is happening, in many places. But we can't predict which way the rebellion will go.
Those times, and those attitudes, feel like ancient history now. As computers shrank, they became a lot less threatening. Eager for their assistance, we welcomed them into our homes and then into our pockets. But the young are still the enemies of uniformity, and the Internet, as it extends its reach into all the nooks and crannies of our days, is looking more and more like an enormous conduit of conventionality. What are Facebook and Google but giant institutions, arms of the new establishment? What are smartphones if not high-tech leashes? Today, online databases hold more information about us than could fit on a mile-high stack of punch cards. Some kind of rebellion seems in order.
...and is happening, in many places. But we can't predict which way the rebellion will go.
Projects, et al.
Aug. 9th, 2011 07:13 pmStill somewhat nervous by world news. I think it's the scare tactics they use...
Still trying to make sense of work. Soon I will be exercising full out, too. Bonus!
Projects:
Started full sour dills fermenting today. Added grape leaves and dill heads; we'll see how it goes.
Bacon: Batch 3, undersmoked, still in the freezer until I can resmoke it. I should either buy a smoker or rig a cold smoker; I have the knowledge, more or less, now. Got some pink salt thanks to Ivar and Juana.
Found the first DVD of "The IT Crowd" in the library. Feeling very sensitive today...
...work continues. Onward!
Still trying to make sense of work. Soon I will be exercising full out, too. Bonus!
Projects:
Started full sour dills fermenting today. Added grape leaves and dill heads; we'll see how it goes.
Bacon: Batch 3, undersmoked, still in the freezer until I can resmoke it. I should either buy a smoker or rig a cold smoker; I have the knowledge, more or less, now. Got some pink salt thanks to Ivar and Juana.
Found the first DVD of "The IT Crowd" in the library. Feeling very sensitive today...
...work continues. Onward!
Monday Projects
Aug. 1st, 2011 09:11 am1. Build a bulb clock--straight kit no hacking.
2. Rebuild armor kit, straps.
3. Fix the bike and either ride or sell it.
4. TIKI Drinkbot! Like the EMSL drinkbot 2...
5. ...house fixes...
Work Projects:
(work blog is separate.)
Have fun at Pennsic/looking forward to CoCo stories/back into the woods!
2. Rebuild armor kit, straps.
3. Fix the bike and either ride or sell it.
4. TIKI Drinkbot! Like the EMSL drinkbot 2...
5. ...house fixes...
Work Projects:
(work blog is separate.)
Have fun at Pennsic/looking forward to CoCo stories/back into the woods!
Project Parking
Jul. 18th, 2011 08:47 amNew Projects:
1. Balloon plus camera==neighborhood surveillance.
2. Diavolino kit plus blower plus temp probes plus servo=homebrew smoker controller (lots of these out there)
3. Organic porkbelly plus local honey plus local herbs==more bacon. Got the first two.
4. Diavolino kit plus valves plus tubes plus bottles plus cool retro cover= Rocket Cocktail machine. I think I want to go see Cosmobot for inspiration. http://web.me.com/spacemansam/cosmobotdrinkbot.net/Welcome.html (Cue Red Elvii "I am a Rocketman!")
Old projects:
1. Paint the damn house, already.
2. Put the drip on timer back on the front beds.
3. Fix the fence, especially near the garage.
4. Install the brake lines on the bike, and
5. Rehab battery/fuel systems on bike.
6. Rebuild SCA kit
Small
1. Bag a week of stuff.
2. Rearrange room
3. Fix bathroom
4. Reseal bathroom
5. who said they were small?
1. Balloon plus camera==neighborhood surveillance.
2. Diavolino kit plus blower plus temp probes plus servo=homebrew smoker controller (lots of these out there)
3. Organic porkbelly plus local honey plus local herbs==more bacon. Got the first two.
4. Diavolino kit plus valves plus tubes plus bottles plus cool retro cover= Rocket Cocktail machine. I think I want to go see Cosmobot for inspiration. http://web.me.com/spacemansam/cosmobotdrinkbot.net/Welcome.html (Cue Red Elvii "I am a Rocketman!")
Old projects:
1. Paint the damn house, already.
2. Put the drip on timer back on the front beds.
3. Fix the fence, especially near the garage.
4. Install the brake lines on the bike, and
5. Rehab battery/fuel systems on bike.
6. Rebuild SCA kit
Small
1. Bag a week of stuff.
2. Rearrange room
3. Fix bathroom
4. Reseal bathroom
5. who said they were small?
That's it.
Jul. 15th, 2011 05:29 pmToday I taught my last class for the Silicon Valley Tech Academy.
It was a great run, 5 years, teaching engineering at San Jose State with some great people. I'm going to semi-publicly thank Elise Englehardt, who got me the interview, the late Jay Pinson, who gave me the job, Jim Freeman, who gave me the Robotics course, and a PILE of assistants and students.
But...My goal of being a teacher hasn't worked in the current school system, and it's clear that things will get worse before they get better. I see wonderful new technologies that cost too much to deploy to schools where everything gets vandalized; I see engaged students, and students engaged in escape from the system. I have dealt with 14 year olds who can build amazing robots, and 15 year olds who get pregnant and work to trap me with complaints about inappropriate behaviour.
Done. That's it. And it's a complex thing, but...done.
Greg Garcia: you are great. Dawn: You made it good. Jen: Thanks for taking the chance, sorry for the mess.
I'll still teach things, but I don't think I'm formally a teacher any more.
It was a great run, 5 years, teaching engineering at San Jose State with some great people. I'm going to semi-publicly thank Elise Englehardt, who got me the interview, the late Jay Pinson, who gave me the job, Jim Freeman, who gave me the Robotics course, and a PILE of assistants and students.
But...My goal of being a teacher hasn't worked in the current school system, and it's clear that things will get worse before they get better. I see wonderful new technologies that cost too much to deploy to schools where everything gets vandalized; I see engaged students, and students engaged in escape from the system. I have dealt with 14 year olds who can build amazing robots, and 15 year olds who get pregnant and work to trap me with complaints about inappropriate behaviour.
Done. That's it. And it's a complex thing, but...done.
Greg Garcia: you are great. Dawn: You made it good. Jen: Thanks for taking the chance, sorry for the mess.
I'll still teach things, but I don't think I'm formally a teacher any more.
The beat goes on
Jul. 13th, 2011 06:33 pmProjects moving forward (no, not ...wait, what day is it?)
1. Robotic class going very well. Students will finish the project tomorrow, a day and a half early; we'll be into bonus robot designing. I'm pitching the class to be an enthusiastic intro, and following the 50 pounds of pots way.
2. Work continues with lots of possibilities, lots to learn. Yay!
3. I want a fish shaped blimp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C39Ap0HFsPA or something similar, that I can tether above my house with a camera in an RC sling on it to look at the neighborhood. Old dream, slightly updated. If I could power the thing off of solar fabric on the top, I'd be even happier...doubtful, though.
3. Cellbot!
4. Working out in the morning rocks.
5. Painting the house has to move up the queue.
1. Robotic class going very well. Students will finish the project tomorrow, a day and a half early; we'll be into bonus robot designing. I'm pitching the class to be an enthusiastic intro, and following the 50 pounds of pots way.
2. Work continues with lots of possibilities, lots to learn. Yay!
3. I want a fish shaped blimp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C39Ap0HFsPA or something similar, that I can tether above my house with a camera in an RC sling on it to look at the neighborhood. Old dream, slightly updated. If I could power the thing off of solar fabric on the top, I'd be even happier...doubtful, though.
3. Cellbot!
4. Working out in the morning rocks.
5. Painting the house has to move up the queue.
Friday Five, yes really.
Jul. 8th, 2011 10:02 pmWow. What a week.
1. Got my hair cut again, even shorter. Many commments on how nice it looks, and it's much cooler.
2. Seeing "Tales of the City" tomorrow, while many fabulous people go to "Le Petit Trianon". Have a great time, all!
3. 2nd week of work, getting a clue, good people, lots to do.
4. Class starts on Monday--ROBOTS!
5. Last shuttle launch. Best expression of it: http://leasticoulddo.com/comic/20110709 It won't be over until the wheels are back down on earth, but...it's sad, to see us listening to ranting and not aiming so much for the stars.
BONUS: RUSTY was at the meadery! What fun to see him, and also to meet Stein and get to show him around, and flirt with some fabulous women, and watch a plot being hatched! Oh, and the cool people at the end of the bar? evilmadscience.com !!!!
And a friend is Facebooking that he's just bought Terry Pratchett a beer! Woo!
1. Got my hair cut again, even shorter. Many commments on how nice it looks, and it's much cooler.
2. Seeing "Tales of the City" tomorrow, while many fabulous people go to "Le Petit Trianon". Have a great time, all!
3. 2nd week of work, getting a clue, good people, lots to do.
4. Class starts on Monday--ROBOTS!
5. Last shuttle launch. Best expression of it: http://leasticoulddo.com/comic/20110709 It won't be over until the wheels are back down on earth, but...it's sad, to see us listening to ranting and not aiming so much for the stars.
BONUS: RUSTY was at the meadery! What fun to see him, and also to meet Stein and get to show him around, and flirt with some fabulous women, and watch a plot being hatched! Oh, and the cool people at the end of the bar? evilmadscience.com !!!!
And a friend is Facebooking that he's just bought Terry Pratchett a beer! Woo!
Did you look? DId you see?
Jul. 8th, 2011 11:35 amhttp://gizmodo.com/5819368/watch-the-last-space-shuttle-flight-ever-updating-live?popular=true
Thoughts:
1985. That whaletennisshoebird has been hurled into space at supersonic speeds on shaky fireballs, bumped around in vacuum, and dropped into the trash of earth with a had landing at the end for 25 YEARS. Wow.
Houston control center: big screens, consoles, clutter, and flatscreens sitting on the desks. We're 25 years advanced in computer technology--look how far it's come. How far could control come if we built it today? The shuttle pushed advanced ceramics research, what could we do today with modern materials?
I was struck by how old some of the astronauts were.
The missions that are current for NASA are very much scientific and satellite based
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html
Some very fascinating ones.
I have a friend who promotes space tourism. There's 410 people who have put down deposits to Virgin Galactic, according to wikipedia. http://www.virgingalactic.com/ You can hear a lot more about this at any Yuri's Night Party and Moffet throws a good one.
A large amount of the next gen of work in space will be robotics (talk to Vytas) and especially telepresence with robotic behavioural backup. We won't see a lot of humans up there until some particularly pernicious biology problems are solved.
BTW, you can check out some of Vytas' thoughts--mostly on living in a cube--at
http://www.magicalrobot.org/BeingHuman/
Thoughts:
1985. That whaletennisshoebird has been hurled into space at supersonic speeds on shaky fireballs, bumped around in vacuum, and dropped into the trash of earth with a had landing at the end for 25 YEARS. Wow.
Houston control center: big screens, consoles, clutter, and flatscreens sitting on the desks. We're 25 years advanced in computer technology--look how far it's come. How far could control come if we built it today? The shuttle pushed advanced ceramics research, what could we do today with modern materials?
I was struck by how old some of the astronauts were.
The missions that are current for NASA are very much scientific and satellite based
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html
Some very fascinating ones.
I have a friend who promotes space tourism. There's 410 people who have put down deposits to Virgin Galactic, according to wikipedia. http://www.virgingalactic.com/ You can hear a lot more about this at any Yuri's Night Party and Moffet throws a good one.
A large amount of the next gen of work in space will be robotics (talk to Vytas) and especially telepresence with robotic behavioural backup. We won't see a lot of humans up there until some particularly pernicious biology problems are solved.
BTW, you can check out some of Vytas' thoughts--mostly on living in a cube--at
http://www.magicalrobot.org/BeingHuman/
Wierd.
Briefs: 1. Madbaker is a bastad. After I make the bacon, he whispers in my ear the ease of making Pancetta. Oooooh, gotta try that. Bastad!
2. The bacon came out extremely good. Hot smoked at 180 for two hours; one honey cure in apple chips, one honey cure in cherry chips, one herb cure in apple, one herb cure in cherry. Notes: Wow, this stuff is tasty. The hot smoke cures it, so it was great coming out of the slicer. Kristen's trick of freezing it for 20 minutes made it easy to cut. Didn't rinse the herb off, and the salt got in the way of the smoke, but still adequate smoking. No taste difference between the two smokes. Next experiment: cold smoke, different herb mix, maple syrup perhaps for the sweet. But that'll have to happen after I eat this bacon, and that may take a while, or not. I'll feed anyone who asks bacon.
3. New job moving, good so far. Lots to learn!
4. Cut my hair into a buzz cut. Like it. Highlights how heavy I am, though.
5. Started bootcamp, did two days, wrenched my ankle moving boxes, should be good for boot tomorrow. Woot for boot!
6. Health insurance will kick in in two weeks, then I can start fighting earnestly again.
7. Best birthday card: The Spock Monkey from Branwen.
8. Charles Stross' latest, "Rule 34", is fun, insightful, and topical, but not as much of a page turner as his other books. Too many ideas, not enough immediacy for me, but I think it's also a love note to Edinburg and I don't know the city. Makes me want to go drink in a few pubs there, though. And it might also be that the book was good enough to give me a small nightmare. So it's a good book, but has one truely bad character. (Or is it one?)
9. LJ may be dead (Hi Cathyn!) but will G+ replace it?
Briefs: 1. Madbaker is a bastad. After I make the bacon, he whispers in my ear the ease of making Pancetta. Oooooh, gotta try that. Bastad!
2. The bacon came out extremely good. Hot smoked at 180 for two hours; one honey cure in apple chips, one honey cure in cherry chips, one herb cure in apple, one herb cure in cherry. Notes: Wow, this stuff is tasty. The hot smoke cures it, so it was great coming out of the slicer. Kristen's trick of freezing it for 20 minutes made it easy to cut. Didn't rinse the herb off, and the salt got in the way of the smoke, but still adequate smoking. No taste difference between the two smokes. Next experiment: cold smoke, different herb mix, maple syrup perhaps for the sweet. But that'll have to happen after I eat this bacon, and that may take a while, or not. I'll feed anyone who asks bacon.
3. New job moving, good so far. Lots to learn!
4. Cut my hair into a buzz cut. Like it. Highlights how heavy I am, though.
5. Started bootcamp, did two days, wrenched my ankle moving boxes, should be good for boot tomorrow. Woot for boot!
6. Health insurance will kick in in two weeks, then I can start fighting earnestly again.
7. Best birthday card: The Spock Monkey from Branwen.
8. Charles Stross' latest, "Rule 34", is fun, insightful, and topical, but not as much of a page turner as his other books. Too many ideas, not enough immediacy for me, but I think it's also a love note to Edinburg and I don't know the city. Makes me want to go drink in a few pubs there, though. And it might also be that the book was good enough to give me a small nightmare. So it's a good book, but has one truely bad character. (Or is it one?)
9. LJ may be dead (Hi Cathyn!) but will G+ replace it?
4 new starts...or old starts...
Jun. 28th, 2011 12:12 pm1. New job: Yes, it's a good crew of people, and I like the technology. No, it's not easy, and I'm live on the systems on Thursday when the normal Tech Support guy is off. Yes, I will succeed. No, I won't be much around for a few months (not a big change here, haven't been much around.)
2. New workout: Boot Camp ala Leah and Evony is fun, easy to keep doing, energetic. My ankles hurt from the surfaces, need to spend some time on rehab...wait, see #1.
3. New Haircut: Well, it's my old 8 Year old haircut, short and fuzzy. Fun!
4. New Roomie, old Friend: Fabu to get to see the witty and urbane Adriane! Plus, I have stolen 2 of her Mexican cokes. Mmmmm. Real Sugar!
2. New workout: Boot Camp ala Leah and Evony is fun, easy to keep doing, energetic. My ankles hurt from the surfaces, need to spend some time on rehab...wait, see #1.
3. New Haircut: Well, it's my old 8 Year old haircut, short and fuzzy. Fun!
4. New Roomie, old Friend: Fabu to get to see the witty and urbane Adriane! Plus, I have stolen 2 of her Mexican cokes. Mmmmm. Real Sugar!
What did I accomplish?
Jun. 18th, 2011 01:07 pmIt's true that teaching is mostly thankless drudgery, in the respect that there's no daily "aha" wins, and a lot of the time, your actual accomplishment cannot be measured. It's like weeding the garden every day--if you don't accomplish your task, things still grow, just not as well.
I was at a meeting for the Summer Tech Camp I teach at, this being probably the last one (many reasons), and one of the other teachers noted that a past student of the Robotics course wanted to come back and assist. I welcome this; it's always good to have more help, it's great to relearn old material, and the experience of coming back helps the other students.
This particular student was so inspired by the open-endedness of robotics and the fun of it that he has gone on to more robotics, so the class was a success. More than I had hoped.
As was pointed out, probably by Dave Orphal, teaching the facts is not enough. And teaching enthusiasm is what I want to do.
July 11th, I teach the next session of Robotics.
I was at a meeting for the Summer Tech Camp I teach at, this being probably the last one (many reasons), and one of the other teachers noted that a past student of the Robotics course wanted to come back and assist. I welcome this; it's always good to have more help, it's great to relearn old material, and the experience of coming back helps the other students.
This particular student was so inspired by the open-endedness of robotics and the fun of it that he has gone on to more robotics, so the class was a success. More than I had hoped.
As was pointed out, probably by Dave Orphal, teaching the facts is not enough. And teaching enthusiasm is what I want to do.
July 11th, I teach the next session of Robotics.
Adventure in food: Half Sours
Jun. 17th, 2011 01:30 pmWhen I asked Deena what sort of pickles she would like, she said "Half-sours". I'd never seen a half sour, but the wonderful book "The Joy of Pickling" (by Linda Ziedrich, The Harvard Common Press, ISBN 978-1-55832-374-2, which I got from the Sunnyvale Library) had a very simple recipe. I prepped and spiced the cukes into a quart plastic container, then brined them with a low-strength brine (1 TBS salt per cup) and put a bag full of more concentrated brine on top to weigh the pickles down.
It worked, Deena says they taste right, but the brine got very cloudy. Is that normal in these types of pickles? I don't know. They taste fine, though.
I dreamed of making sourkraut again last night.
Tomorrow I pull my pork bellies out of the cure and smoke them. Wulfric (Mad_Baker) is right, it's the easy way into charcuterie. If this works, I think the next step is to make some bacon for GMatt and Xtal.
It worked, Deena says they taste right, but the brine got very cloudy. Is that normal in these types of pickles? I don't know. They taste fine, though.
I dreamed of making sourkraut again last night.
Tomorrow I pull my pork bellies out of the cure and smoke them. Wulfric (Mad_Baker) is right, it's the easy way into charcuterie. If this works, I think the next step is to make some bacon for GMatt and Xtal.
