Today was the home opener for the Cardinals' 2008 season. And it was the first home opener in over three decades without Marty Hendin.
Marty was a great guy -- and I barely knew him. In fact, I only encountered him three times -- twice at the ballpark, with students from a partner university in Japan (Marty helped them meet So Taguchi -- a dream come true for all of them), and once at an UMSL basketball game. He was also involved in my department at the university -- he sat on the advisory board.
It would be fair to say that Marty's heart was in a lot of places. And a big part of it -- a large chunk of the Cardinals doodads that sat in his Busch Stadium office (a.k.a., Trinket City) for years -- is on display at UMSL.
A lot of things have been written about Marty since his death in January. And this afternoon, about an hour before the first pitch of the 2008 season, I found myself in the Millennium Student Center at UMSL, glancing at his collection of trinkets, remembering how generous he was to anyone and everyone he encountered.
I think Katie Felts (from KSDK) said it best when she said, "[Marty] always took great care of people."
While I could wish that I had the chance to know him better, I'm thankful that I had the chance to know him at all -- even on a limited basis.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Feeling Old.
I went to another wedding reception last night. I was a bit worried, at first -- I knew three people there who weren't in the wedding party, and none of them were at my table.
And this is the thing I hate about wedding receptions. I hate having to sit at a table and engage in awkward, forced conversation with total strangers. Luckily (for me, not my table-mates), there was an open bar. Also, because I'm no longer a binge-drinking college student, it takes a lot less alcohol to achieve the transformation from bashful awkward guy to charming conversationalist.
Anyway, I felt old at the wedding reception last night for two reasons:
1.) This was yet another piece of evidence regarding my lowered alcohol tolerance
2.) I realized that I'm pretty much out of single friends now, with a few notable exceptions. I think my wedding-attending era is coming to an end.
2a.) This can only mean one thing -- the divorces will soon begin.
And this is the thing I hate about wedding receptions. I hate having to sit at a table and engage in awkward, forced conversation with total strangers. Luckily (for me, not my table-mates), there was an open bar. Also, because I'm no longer a binge-drinking college student, it takes a lot less alcohol to achieve the transformation from bashful awkward guy to charming conversationalist.
Anyway, I felt old at the wedding reception last night for two reasons:
1.) This was yet another piece of evidence regarding my lowered alcohol tolerance
2.) I realized that I'm pretty much out of single friends now, with a few notable exceptions. I think my wedding-attending era is coming to an end.
2a.) This can only mean one thing -- the divorces will soon begin.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Holy Land Hype/How to Get Kicked Out of Jerusalem
A colleague of mine is visiting Jerusalem at the end of the year (over winter break.) While telling us about this upcoming trip at lunch today, he said, "I'm anxious to see what all the fuss is about."
He then said that he is very tempted to leave a note in the cracks of the Wailing Wall that says, "do not open until Christmas."
He then said that he is very tempted to leave a note in the cracks of the Wailing Wall that says, "do not open until Christmas."
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Wii.
I bought a Wii on eBay. According to the tracking info, it is currently somewhere in the Chicago area.
Nameless.
Somebody stole the name plate from my office door. I'm mad. What could they possibly do with it? The only person who could have any use for it at all is my uncle Bob. Or the other Bob Ell in Canada, and I hardly think he'd come all this way for a $2 name plate...
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter
This year, Easter is the earliest it's going to be for quite some time. In fact, it's safe to say that nobody alive today -- even the tiniest newborn babies -- will be around the next time Easter comes this early. But why does the date of Easter change each year?
Sit back, ladies and gents, while I explain it to you.
Easter happens on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which, in turn, is determined by waiting two weeks and one day after the end of the major networks' February Sweeps Week. Of course, television was not always around to help us make this determination -- that's why in olden times, calendar makers relied on the return of swallows to San Juan Capistrano, as the Equinox would have occurred four or five days before everything in town was covered in swallow shit. It is said that on the Spring Equinox, if you wake up very early, you can stand your drunk uncle up on both legs for as long as five minutes.
Legend has it that on Easter, the Easter Bunny leaves presents for good girls and boys beneath the jack-o-leek (pumpkins, sadly, are not in season this time of year, but leeks are). While the Easter Bunny hops around, spreading his own special brand of cheer, a close watch is kept on Jesus' tomb, where, if he sees his shadow upon resurrecting, there will be six more weeks of guilt.
So, now that you know the origins of Easter, I hope you all have a wonderful day surrounded by loved ones. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
Sit back, ladies and gents, while I explain it to you.
Easter happens on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which, in turn, is determined by waiting two weeks and one day after the end of the major networks' February Sweeps Week. Of course, television was not always around to help us make this determination -- that's why in olden times, calendar makers relied on the return of swallows to San Juan Capistrano, as the Equinox would have occurred four or five days before everything in town was covered in swallow shit. It is said that on the Spring Equinox, if you wake up very early, you can stand your drunk uncle up on both legs for as long as five minutes.
Legend has it that on Easter, the Easter Bunny leaves presents for good girls and boys beneath the jack-o-leek (pumpkins, sadly, are not in season this time of year, but leeks are). While the Easter Bunny hops around, spreading his own special brand of cheer, a close watch is kept on Jesus' tomb, where, if he sees his shadow upon resurrecting, there will be six more weeks of guilt.
So, now that you know the origins of Easter, I hope you all have a wonderful day surrounded by loved ones. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Flood.
As you may know, the Meramec River left its banks and headed for downtown Pacific this week. Fortunately, most of the businesses in downtown Pacific are north of the railroad tracks (which serves as a levee of sort). Unfortunately, that means that a lot of houses are south of the tracks.
Since I had Friday afternoon off work, I headed out to Pacific with my camera to see the rising waters for myself. You can see my pictures here.
This brought back memories of 1993. About half of my eighth grade class was unable to attend our field trip to Jefferson City because the Meramec was flooded and they couldn't get to school. It was a fun trip -- and my first and only Amtrak trip.
Anyway, for those of you wondering, Mom's house is just fine. Her house is so high up on a hill that if it were to flood, Pacific would no longer exist... Along with most of the rest of the immediate area.
Since I had Friday afternoon off work, I headed out to Pacific with my camera to see the rising waters for myself. You can see my pictures here.
This brought back memories of 1993. About half of my eighth grade class was unable to attend our field trip to Jefferson City because the Meramec was flooded and they couldn't get to school. It was a fun trip -- and my first and only Amtrak trip.
Anyway, for those of you wondering, Mom's house is just fine. Her house is so high up on a hill that if it were to flood, Pacific would no longer exist... Along with most of the rest of the immediate area.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Blah.
That's all. Just blah.
I want a Wii. And apparently I keep missing them by a few hours at every store I go to.
I want a Wii. And apparently I keep missing them by a few hours at every store I go to.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Go (insert mascot here)!
Actually, it's the Blue Devils, I think... Anyway, my (new) hometown's high school basketball team won the Missouri Class 3A Boys Basketball championship!
I'm glad my tax dollars have finally gone to something good. :)
I'm glad my tax dollars have finally gone to something good. :)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Master of My Domain
I bought a domain. No more .blogspot.com. No sir.
Welcome to www.hazyafterthought.com.
It's still filled with the same disappointments as before, though. :)
Welcome to www.hazyafterthought.com.
It's still filled with the same disappointments as before, though. :)
Arch Mistake
A Google search brought me to this page, an essay titled, "The Mistake at the Base of the Gateway Arch."
The summary of the article is this: the author's math geek friend was standing in line to go to the top of the Gateway Arch when he noticed an error on a plaque near the entrance. The plaque featured mathematical equations -- equations that an average person definitely would not understand -- that explained the engineering behind the Gateway Arch.
Okay, fine. Somebody in the sixties screwed up when having this plaque made. And nobody caught the mistake, because the people who work at the information desk beneath the Gateway Arch are, most likely, park rangers -- NOT mathematicians.
My favorite part of the essay is this:
When you enter the North Tram of the Gateway Arch, you see an exhibit on the science and engineering behind the Gateway Arch. In that exhibit, there's a white plaque which shows the mathematical equations used in designing the arch.
One of those equations is mistaken.
That's it. That's the mistake.
When Matt discovered this mistake, he found a staff person who had forms for filing complaints and mentioned this mistake. The staff person then responded, "I was never any good at algebra."
Fascinating. And I suppose that if someone discovered a misspelled word at the same plaque this same staff person would likewise plead innocent with "I was never any good at English."
This exchange cracks me up, because in my head, I'm imagining a completely disinterested Park Ranger sitting there thinking, "whatever nerd, just fill out the damn form already."
The essay goes on to complain about how many people are intimidated by math, and how, in the author's mind, this is wrong because (at least this is how I read the article) math isn't intimidating -- and then he showed us how unintimidating it is by including several complex equations.
My opinion is this: some people are better at logic-based things, like math and science. Some people are more creative, and they tend to be writers and artists. However, being a guy who spends 40+ hours each week immersed in academia, I can attest that in many cases, the higher someone's IQ, the less chance there is for them to be able to interact with average people.
It is clear that the person who found this error is highly intelligent. However, the person's reaction to it -- the inability and unwillingness to grasp the concept that not everyone understands mathematical equations, and the subsequent disdain for the perceived anti-math attitude (which was probably an attempt at diplomacy) -- only proves my theory that IQ and social prowess have a directly inverse relationship.
If they didn't, would Larry the Cable Guy be a millionaire? Would NASCAR exist?
That is all.
The summary of the article is this: the author's math geek friend was standing in line to go to the top of the Gateway Arch when he noticed an error on a plaque near the entrance. The plaque featured mathematical equations -- equations that an average person definitely would not understand -- that explained the engineering behind the Gateway Arch.
Okay, fine. Somebody in the sixties screwed up when having this plaque made. And nobody caught the mistake, because the people who work at the information desk beneath the Gateway Arch are, most likely, park rangers -- NOT mathematicians.
My favorite part of the essay is this:
When you enter the North Tram of the Gateway Arch, you see an exhibit on the science and engineering behind the Gateway Arch. In that exhibit, there's a white plaque which shows the mathematical equations used in designing the arch.
One of those equations is mistaken.
That's it. That's the mistake.
When Matt discovered this mistake, he found a staff person who had forms for filing complaints and mentioned this mistake. The staff person then responded, "I was never any good at algebra."
Fascinating. And I suppose that if someone discovered a misspelled word at the same plaque this same staff person would likewise plead innocent with "I was never any good at English."
This exchange cracks me up, because in my head, I'm imagining a completely disinterested Park Ranger sitting there thinking, "whatever nerd, just fill out the damn form already."
The essay goes on to complain about how many people are intimidated by math, and how, in the author's mind, this is wrong because (at least this is how I read the article) math isn't intimidating -- and then he showed us how unintimidating it is by including several complex equations.
My opinion is this: some people are better at logic-based things, like math and science. Some people are more creative, and they tend to be writers and artists. However, being a guy who spends 40+ hours each week immersed in academia, I can attest that in many cases, the higher someone's IQ, the less chance there is for them to be able to interact with average people.
It is clear that the person who found this error is highly intelligent. However, the person's reaction to it -- the inability and unwillingness to grasp the concept that not everyone understands mathematical equations, and the subsequent disdain for the perceived anti-math attitude (which was probably an attempt at diplomacy) -- only proves my theory that IQ and social prowess have a directly inverse relationship.
If they didn't, would Larry the Cable Guy be a millionaire? Would NASCAR exist?
That is all.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Relay For Life
Listen up, Blogosphere!
I'm doing Relay For Life. You should make a donation. Why? Because cancer sucks, that's why.
Love,
Me.
I'm doing Relay For Life. You should make a donation. Why? Because cancer sucks, that's why.
Love,
Me.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Gas.
Gas is now $3.09 a gallon in St. Louis, one of the places in the country where gas is the cheapest. That means that the cheapest gas in the nation is still three bucks a gallon.
That sucks.
That is also why I buy a Metro pass each month.
That sucks.
That is also why I buy a Metro pass each month.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Podcast
I think I mentioned this already, but I'm podcasting. And it seems to be going well.
I really like music. Not sure if you noticed. I also like nice weather, which we had today. And which we will have tomorrow. And even though it will be raining, it's supposed to be warm again on Thursday too.
Kat acquired a Wii for her brother, and has utilized the scientific method to determine its quality as a gaming system.
I have played Wii bowling more than once in the last few days.
These two things ARE related.
I really like music. Not sure if you noticed. I also like nice weather, which we had today. And which we will have tomorrow. And even though it will be raining, it's supposed to be warm again on Thursday too.
Kat acquired a Wii for her brother, and has utilized the scientific method to determine its quality as a gaming system.
I have played Wii bowling more than once in the last few days.
These two things ARE related.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Totally not worth it.
Take a look at this article.
When I read that, I was immediately reminded of how stupid I think huge weddings are. I was in a friend's wedding in October. The wedding was held in Lafayette Park, which apparently is a popular destination for taking post-ceremony pictures. Right before the ceremony started, a group of about 20 people -- a bride, a groom, nine groomsmen, and nine bridesmaids (all dressed in obnoxious bright pink dresses) walked by our area for pictures. The first thing I thought was, "honestly, who has nine best friends?"
My theory is this -- if you go beyond three or four attendants on each side, you're just showing off. Or, more likely, the parents are showing off.
I have seen a few of weddings that were thinly-veiled excuses for parents to show off the parents' wealth. It's ridiculous. It completely undermines what the wedding is supposed to be about -- love.
And how do you think the attendants feel in those situations? First of all, it's much less special to be one of ten groomsmen or bridesmaids than it is to be one of three. Secondly, the groomsmen and bridesmaids have to pay for their own dresses, tuxedos, etc. When someone asks ten people to be in their wedding, they're asking each person to buy an expensive dress or rent an expensive tux, they're agreeing to feed all these people at the rehearsal and reception... It's ridiculous.
Good thing I'm never getting married.
When I read that, I was immediately reminded of how stupid I think huge weddings are. I was in a friend's wedding in October. The wedding was held in Lafayette Park, which apparently is a popular destination for taking post-ceremony pictures. Right before the ceremony started, a group of about 20 people -- a bride, a groom, nine groomsmen, and nine bridesmaids (all dressed in obnoxious bright pink dresses) walked by our area for pictures. The first thing I thought was, "honestly, who has nine best friends?"
My theory is this -- if you go beyond three or four attendants on each side, you're just showing off. Or, more likely, the parents are showing off.
I have seen a few of weddings that were thinly-veiled excuses for parents to show off the parents' wealth. It's ridiculous. It completely undermines what the wedding is supposed to be about -- love.
And how do you think the attendants feel in those situations? First of all, it's much less special to be one of ten groomsmen or bridesmaids than it is to be one of three. Secondly, the groomsmen and bridesmaids have to pay for their own dresses, tuxedos, etc. When someone asks ten people to be in their wedding, they're asking each person to buy an expensive dress or rent an expensive tux, they're agreeing to feed all these people at the rehearsal and reception... It's ridiculous.
Good thing I'm never getting married.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The Evolution of my Communications
I was just doing some thinking...
In 1995, my parents bought a Packard-Bell desktop PC. It had a massive one gigabyte hard drive, 16 megabytes of RAM, and I believe the processor was about 166 mHz. With that computer, I started chatting online with my friends using mIRC. There was lots of trout-slapping that went on with that program, courtesy of the /me command. There were times I could go into one of the channels I frequented and see up to ten of my friends online at once. Ten!
I did that for a couple of years before switching to ICQ. On ICQ my contact list grew to over 100 people, and I think the most I ever saw online at once was maybe 25. I used that up until I got to college with a brand new Compaq computer (32 megs of RAM and a 2 gigabyte hard drive). Then I woke up one Saturday morning to find that Truman's network had blocked access to the ICQ servers. I made a brief switch to Yahoo Messenger... But ICQ remained at the front of my consciousness. I stuck with it through the fall of 1999.
The ICQ/Yahoo Messenger era came to an end when I started using AOL Instant Messenger when I started working in Res Life at Truman. Everyone on staff used AIM. EVERYONE. My contact list quickly hit 200 people. At the height of my AIM usage, I think I regularly saw 50-75 people online at once. This era hit its peak in 2002. Its decline (for me) lasted until 2004, when all but a few of my online buddies stopped logging in.
Then, for about 18 months, I was alone in cyberspace. I didn't chat with anyone, save for the occasional person who was logged on out of boredom. This is where my online chat history intersected with the history of my e-mail usage.
When we first got e-mail with the new computer, it was in the form of Eudora, an e-mail program that we downloaded from our ISP, along with Netscape. For a very long time, I used Eudora for my e-mail. Heck, I kept using it all the way to 2002. I believe that was about the time I made the switch to Yahoo -- because my Truman account received way too much spam. I used Yahoo for a year or so before switching to gmail in August of 2003. I was using Gmail when using Gmail was still novel and cool. I suddenly had lots of geeky friends wanting a Gmail invitation. I was a wanted man.
I still use Gmail. And I was getting used to living an internet chat-free life until I logged in one day to find that I could now chat with some of my fellow Gmailers right there in the window.
I was back in the chatting game.
Now I use Google Talk to chat with people. And it's nice. But as I noted yesterday, I just started using Skype, and I had my first video chat this evening. And I have to admit, it's pretty cool.
I can see a pattern -- my online contacts have used one form of chat before making the switch to the next best thing. It's a cycle. Here's what it looks like:
1995-1997: mIRC
1997-1999: ICQ
1999-2000: Yahoo Messenger
2000-2004: AIM
2004-2006: Nothing, really, save for the occasional Solitaire Showdown competition with Andy Stevenson via MSN Messenger.
2006-2008: Gmail/Google Talk
2008-????: I'm going to predict that the next era will be The Age of Skype.
So hey guys, Skype me already.
In 1995, my parents bought a Packard-Bell desktop PC. It had a massive one gigabyte hard drive, 16 megabytes of RAM, and I believe the processor was about 166 mHz. With that computer, I started chatting online with my friends using mIRC. There was lots of trout-slapping that went on with that program, courtesy of the /me command. There were times I could go into one of the channels I frequented and see up to ten of my friends online at once. Ten!
I did that for a couple of years before switching to ICQ. On ICQ my contact list grew to over 100 people, and I think the most I ever saw online at once was maybe 25. I used that up until I got to college with a brand new Compaq computer (32 megs of RAM and a 2 gigabyte hard drive). Then I woke up one Saturday morning to find that Truman's network had blocked access to the ICQ servers. I made a brief switch to Yahoo Messenger... But ICQ remained at the front of my consciousness. I stuck with it through the fall of 1999.
The ICQ/Yahoo Messenger era came to an end when I started using AOL Instant Messenger when I started working in Res Life at Truman. Everyone on staff used AIM. EVERYONE. My contact list quickly hit 200 people. At the height of my AIM usage, I think I regularly saw 50-75 people online at once. This era hit its peak in 2002. Its decline (for me) lasted until 2004, when all but a few of my online buddies stopped logging in.
Then, for about 18 months, I was alone in cyberspace. I didn't chat with anyone, save for the occasional person who was logged on out of boredom. This is where my online chat history intersected with the history of my e-mail usage.
When we first got e-mail with the new computer, it was in the form of Eudora, an e-mail program that we downloaded from our ISP, along with Netscape. For a very long time, I used Eudora for my e-mail. Heck, I kept using it all the way to 2002. I believe that was about the time I made the switch to Yahoo -- because my Truman account received way too much spam. I used Yahoo for a year or so before switching to gmail in August of 2003. I was using Gmail when using Gmail was still novel and cool. I suddenly had lots of geeky friends wanting a Gmail invitation. I was a wanted man.
I still use Gmail. And I was getting used to living an internet chat-free life until I logged in one day to find that I could now chat with some of my fellow Gmailers right there in the window.
I was back in the chatting game.
Now I use Google Talk to chat with people. And it's nice. But as I noted yesterday, I just started using Skype, and I had my first video chat this evening. And I have to admit, it's pretty cool.
I can see a pattern -- my online contacts have used one form of chat before making the switch to the next best thing. It's a cycle. Here's what it looks like:
1995-1997: mIRC
1997-1999: ICQ
1999-2000: Yahoo Messenger
2000-2004: AIM
2004-2006: Nothing, really, save for the occasional Solitaire Showdown competition with Andy Stevenson via MSN Messenger.
2006-2008: Gmail/Google Talk
2008-????: I'm going to predict that the next era will be The Age of Skype.
So hey guys, Skype me already.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
What a dick.
Prosecutors have charged a 19 year old man from Georgia with involuntary manslaughter for his role in the death of a 54 year old man in Crestwood.
I linked to the story above, but in the event that link expires (as Post-Dispatch links tend to do) here's what happened:
Two young adults were at a Starbucks in Crestwood, a girl and a guy. As is seen in a surveillance video, the girl left the Starbucks and walked outside. Then the guy, Aaron Poisson, stole a tip jar (containing about $5) and ran out of the store.
Another customer, Roger Kreutz, ran outside after Poisson, trying to stop him. Poisson hit Kreutz with his car. Kreutz died a couple of days later from head injuries.
My opinion is that Poisson is the scum of the earth. If Kreutz had not tried to do the right thing, this wouldn't be news. But what happened happened, and I think Poisson deserves the maximum possible sentence. Furthermore, I think his girlfriend needs to be charged as an accessory to the crime, as she was present for the hit-and-run portion of the crime.
What they did was stupid, cowardly, and pathetic. And I hope they get what they deserve.
I linked to the story above, but in the event that link expires (as Post-Dispatch links tend to do) here's what happened:
Two young adults were at a Starbucks in Crestwood, a girl and a guy. As is seen in a surveillance video, the girl left the Starbucks and walked outside. Then the guy, Aaron Poisson, stole a tip jar (containing about $5) and ran out of the store.
Another customer, Roger Kreutz, ran outside after Poisson, trying to stop him. Poisson hit Kreutz with his car. Kreutz died a couple of days later from head injuries.
My opinion is that Poisson is the scum of the earth. If Kreutz had not tried to do the right thing, this wouldn't be news. But what happened happened, and I think Poisson deserves the maximum possible sentence. Furthermore, I think his girlfriend needs to be charged as an accessory to the crime, as she was present for the hit-and-run portion of the crime.
What they did was stupid, cowardly, and pathetic. And I hope they get what they deserve.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
I hate chit-chat.
The cleaning lady comes by my office and says, "are you surviving this snow?"
I die a little bit inside when someone tries to engage me in small talk. It's pointless. It's inane. It's annoying. It's a waste of time. It leads nowhere. It's superficial.
And the cleaning lady never gets the hint that I'm not interested in chatting. I stare straight ahead at my monitor, listening to my ipod. But she persists.
She's not a bad person -- I don't dislike her. I just don't like to engage in small talk. Not with anyone. It makes me feel insincere and empty.
So, if you see me passing by, really, you don't have to talk to me. It's okay.
I die a little bit inside when someone tries to engage me in small talk. It's pointless. It's inane. It's annoying. It's a waste of time. It leads nowhere. It's superficial.
And the cleaning lady never gets the hint that I'm not interested in chatting. I stare straight ahead at my monitor, listening to my ipod. But she persists.
She's not a bad person -- I don't dislike her. I just don't like to engage in small talk. Not with anyone. It makes me feel insincere and empty.
So, if you see me passing by, really, you don't have to talk to me. It's okay.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Ready for the weekend.
My weekend starts in 12 hours and 22 minutes. That's right, I'm taking a half day. And then a full day on Friday. Why? Because sometimes you just need to not go to work.
Yesterday's massive snowfall created a tricky drive home... But that drive home yesterday morning (campus closed at 11 AM) was almost better than the stupid drive to work today. My theory is that people were more cocky this morning while navigating the roads they assumed would be clear.
Yeah, the roads weren't clear. Some were. But many others weren't.
I'm just glad I live in a city where the street I live on -- a side street -- is plowed. People who live in St. Louis proper (about 200 feet from me) don't get their side streets cleared. They just have to wait for the melting to occur. It sucks.
Yesterday's massive snowfall created a tricky drive home... But that drive home yesterday morning (campus closed at 11 AM) was almost better than the stupid drive to work today. My theory is that people were more cocky this morning while navigating the roads they assumed would be clear.
Yeah, the roads weren't clear. Some were. But many others weren't.
I'm just glad I live in a city where the street I live on -- a side street -- is plowed. People who live in St. Louis proper (about 200 feet from me) don't get their side streets cleared. They just have to wait for the melting to occur. It sucks.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
I'm on to you, PBS...
First of all, let me inform you that I do not have cable. Nor do I have satellite. I have a pair of rabbit ears. Therefore, my television programming options are probably more limited than yours -- especially since I live in a basement apartment.
While flipping through the channels tonight, I saw James Taylor performing on the local KETC, the local PBS station.
My first thought was not, "hey, there's a musical legend." No, my first thought was, "hey, it must be a fund drive."
Sure enough, I can own the DVD and CD of this particular performance in exchange for a $150 donation.
I'm on to you, PBS. I know the games you play. You NEVER show James Taylor unless you want something in return. The same goes for Blue Man Group. And anything else worth watching.
You always have an angle. If you don't want money, I'm left with nothing more than Antiques Roadshow and 38 year old episodes of the Lawrence Welk show. I see how it is.
PBS, if you really brought me this great programming as frequently as you claim to during your fund drives, maybe I'd give you some money. PBS, you're little more than a semi-annual tease.
While flipping through the channels tonight, I saw James Taylor performing on the local KETC, the local PBS station.
My first thought was not, "hey, there's a musical legend." No, my first thought was, "hey, it must be a fund drive."
Sure enough, I can own the DVD and CD of this particular performance in exchange for a $150 donation.
I'm on to you, PBS. I know the games you play. You NEVER show James Taylor unless you want something in return. The same goes for Blue Man Group. And anything else worth watching.
You always have an angle. If you don't want money, I'm left with nothing more than Antiques Roadshow and 38 year old episodes of the Lawrence Welk show. I see how it is.
PBS, if you really brought me this great programming as frequently as you claim to during your fund drives, maybe I'd give you some money. PBS, you're little more than a semi-annual tease.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Snow.
I'm sick of snow. Unless it serves a purpose.
Example: It snows nine inches tomorrow and causes me to be off work -- I'll love snow. OR, more realistically, it will snow nine inches and leave me stuck at work.
Blah.
Example: It snows nine inches tomorrow and causes me to be off work -- I'll love snow. OR, more realistically, it will snow nine inches and leave me stuck at work.
Blah.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Fun
It was nice outside today. Very nice. So nice that Kat and I went across state lines for the purpose of kite flying.
Because damn, it was windy.
Because damn, it was windy.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Bloggity blog...
I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast. What's that? Why yes, they were delicious.
____________
The H2O mop uses 1500 watts of steam cleaning power. Can steam cleaning power be measured in watts? Well, either way, apparently it's not as great as the infomercial claims.
____________
I'm going to try and grow some sunflowers this spring. This should be interesting, since I consistently forget to water the plant that, against all odds, is still green after two years. Seriously, I've only watered it about once a month for two years. And while it has never bloomed, it's definitely green. Weird.
____________
I'm thinking of selling my PS2. I don't really play it anymore. Any takers?
____________
I found a bunch of Zip Disks in my office yesterday. So, naturally, I posted them on Craigslist under the "free stuff" section. Because they don't have an "obsolete technology" section... yet.
____________
I went to Buffalo Wild Wings with my mom last weekend. She ordered a ridiculous amount of food. She also ordered a daiquiri. The daiquiri came first. Maybe that's why she ordered a ridiculous amount of food. Seriously, nobody should ever order the sampler there. It's basically what they dredge out of the deep fryer.
____________
Brock Olivo, who has never voted, is running for Congress. That is sad on its own. What's even sadder is that he'll probably win, seeing how he was a huge football star at our high school and even more so at Mizzou. He's a nice guy... I just don't see him as being the public servant type. Unless the public service involves Seeger Toyota commercials (a la Rick Horton.)
____________
Speaking of high school, I totally don't miss it. Believe it or not, I was way more awkward then.
____________
I have two AC adapters in my apartment that don't fit anything. Craigslist? Nah. Dumpster.
____________
In the past two months, I have acquired a new (to me) couch, a new DVD player (the old one wouldn't open), a new computer, and a postal scale. Yes, a postal scale. Why? Because I'm trying to sell some of my shit on half.com.
____________
Maybe I'll list the PS2 on half.com...
____________
Melissa, if you're reading this, I hope you feel better, and I promise to come over there soon -- possibly bearing boneless wings.
____________
The H2O mop uses 1500 watts of steam cleaning power. Can steam cleaning power be measured in watts? Well, either way, apparently it's not as great as the infomercial claims.
____________
I'm going to try and grow some sunflowers this spring. This should be interesting, since I consistently forget to water the plant that, against all odds, is still green after two years. Seriously, I've only watered it about once a month for two years. And while it has never bloomed, it's definitely green. Weird.
____________
I'm thinking of selling my PS2. I don't really play it anymore. Any takers?
____________
I found a bunch of Zip Disks in my office yesterday. So, naturally, I posted them on Craigslist under the "free stuff" section. Because they don't have an "obsolete technology" section... yet.
____________
I went to Buffalo Wild Wings with my mom last weekend. She ordered a ridiculous amount of food. She also ordered a daiquiri. The daiquiri came first. Maybe that's why she ordered a ridiculous amount of food. Seriously, nobody should ever order the sampler there. It's basically what they dredge out of the deep fryer.
____________
Brock Olivo, who has never voted, is running for Congress. That is sad on its own. What's even sadder is that he'll probably win, seeing how he was a huge football star at our high school and even more so at Mizzou. He's a nice guy... I just don't see him as being the public servant type. Unless the public service involves Seeger Toyota commercials (a la Rick Horton.)
____________
Speaking of high school, I totally don't miss it. Believe it or not, I was way more awkward then.
____________
I have two AC adapters in my apartment that don't fit anything. Craigslist? Nah. Dumpster.
____________
In the past two months, I have acquired a new (to me) couch, a new DVD player (the old one wouldn't open), a new computer, and a postal scale. Yes, a postal scale. Why? Because I'm trying to sell some of my shit on half.com.
____________
Maybe I'll list the PS2 on half.com...
____________
Melissa, if you're reading this, I hope you feel better, and I promise to come over there soon -- possibly bearing boneless wings.
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