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Saturday, December 5th, 2009
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1:09 pm - Draw, Podner
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To my English friends - good luck in Group C, except in the first match *evil grin*
current mood:  partisan
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| Friday, December 4th, 2009
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5:35 pm - My Vacation And Welcome To It
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Had to take a week off work since we now lose all unused vacation at the end of the year. Put a list together of things I needed to do, of which exactly one thing (putting plastic on the kitchen windows for the winter) got done.
( What I ACTUALLY did... )
Final result - I need another week of vacation...
current mood:  drained
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
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11:32 am - My Kind Of Engineer
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| Friday, November 13th, 2009
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1:57 pm - Now, THIS Is Funny.
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| Monday, November 9th, 2009
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2:26 pm - Geekdom Good, Schedule Bad
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In the Good category, I can haz D-Link DSM-510 Media Player. It isn't anywhere near top of the line - at this point I'm not expecting to watch much video using it, should that change I'll either have to upgrade my receiver to one with more HDMI inputs or else change this to a media player with Component Video Output. However, it works well using wireless if you (that would be I) obliterate the useless, slow, idiotic CD-RW managing, many-other-things-that-can't-be-said-politely Nero media software and change over to Twonky.
With appropriate updates to my Logitech remote, I have put away the original remote and everything works swimmingly. Glee!
In the Bad category, November has hit with a vengeance and a couple of can't-miss situations have come up for Windycon weekend. That means we won't make it to Windy this year. *sigh*
current mood:  geeky
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Friday, November 6th, 2009
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10:16 am - PvP - Still My Favorite
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| Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
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6:28 pm - What's In Venezuela? Foooooood....
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Even if I am pretty much stuck in the hotel or the office of $customer for security reasons, I have gotten to go out and eat a couple of lunches with traditional food.
And boy, has it been good.
Yesterday was MEAT, a steak the size of my head and a flattened chorizo-like sausage that was only the size of a cucumber. It was served with a roasted green pepper that was muy bueno, along with some vegetables that I requested so as not to go into cholesterol shock.
As penance, last night I worked out for an extra half hour and then ate vegetables for dinner.
Today was a meal that is usually considered the traditional Christams dinner:
Hallaca, very much like a tamale but not at all like one. The filling is a couple of orders of magnitude beyond a typical tamale, containing pork, beef, raisins, whole olives, and capers. It is then wrapped in cornmeal dough and steamed in a banana leaf. Oh, my, yes, yum.
Arepas, kind of a poofy soft corn tortilla. I had them plain for lunch but intend to have some filled ones in the hotel restaurant in just a little while. Drool.
Pan du Jamon, basically "ham bread", but more like a flatbread with ham, bacon, olives (no pits this time), and stuff rolled in it and cut. Being as I could be a piggytarian without much effort, it definitely hit the spot.
It goes without saying I paid my toll on the treadmill and the weight machines again when I got back to the hotel. Since I skipped breakfast today, I may be able to come out even. Or not.
And when I get home, I have heard rumors of a Venezuelan restaurant on the west side of Indianapolis near the world food market. Nom nom nom nom nom.
current mood:  hungry
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(comment on this)
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| Monday, October 26th, 2009
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3:22 pm - Thanks to the Pegasus Voters!
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| Saturday, September 26th, 2009
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10:59 am - Musings On The Age
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I suppose we all get a little blindsided when we reach the age where news from friends is almost as likely to involve death and pain as it is to involve love and joy.
It hasn't been too long ago, technology-wise, when we would learn about people with whom we had lost contact only through word along the grapevine that they had died. Now, with LJ and Facebook and so many other social networks, we can re-establish some of those conversations and relationships before the opportunity is gone. What a wonderful effect of such a muddled world.
Right now, I'm taking a moment from my life to wave at all of you out there and share *hugs* and let you know how glad I am to be in touch.
current mood:  contemplative
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(16 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
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12:15 pm - Made Me Smile
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| Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
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11:57 am - Hear, Hear
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Text of Obama's Schoolroom Talk
Laura Bush praises Obama, bemoans excessive partisanship (CNN)
There are kindergartners squirming in their seats behaving better than some of the so-called "adults" in this thing - that includes both "conservatives" who are afraid that vocal contact with Obama will spread some sort of "Socialist Flu" as well as "liberals" who forget they had exactly the same rhetoric when George HW Bush set up his speech in 1991 ("The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president, it should be helping us to produce smarter students," said Rep. Richard Gephardt, then the Democratic majority leader in the House of Representatives."And the president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action.'")
"Respect the President" doesn't mean "Respect the President if he agrees with me, screw him otherwise".
Now settle down, both of you, or I'm turning this car around and going straight home.
current mood:  annoyed
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(12 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, August 29th, 2009
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2:17 pm - On the Hounds of a Dilemma
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I don't usually talk much about the Pegasus Awards when I'm nominated. Just a personal quirk that isn't going to change - I've never been too comfortable with tooting my own horn.
This year I'm going to mention it, though for a rather bizarre reason.
Stray Dog Man has been nominated in the category "A Little Bit Country". This is, for those who are counting, its seventh nomination.
The only other song that I can find with seven nominations is Velvet, by the lovely and talented (and did I say lovely?) ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) tattercoats. It, as you may know, won in that seventh year.
Thus the dilemma.
Do I hope for the award (shya, right, against this level of competition? I laugh), which would be my first Pegasus of the Modern Era and a great honor?
Or, do I hope for a seventh loss, leaving me in sole possession of the coveted Susan Lucci award and tempting me to come up with some rather unique and very entertaining shtick?
It is, in other words, the classic "win/win" scenario.
I look forward to the denouement with worms on my tongue.
NB: As a public service I should link to the ballot, but I would ask you to please refrain from voting if you don't know what filk is or consider yourself a member of the filk community.
current mood:  mischievous
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(14 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, July 27th, 2009
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4:34 pm - Wanted - TEA
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| Friday, June 19th, 2009
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10:56 am - Idgy Vaughn at Eddie's Attic in Decatur GA
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For those on my flist within striking distance of Atlanta...
You. Will. Go. Hear. This. Musician.
She quite literally Kicks Real Live Ass.
Americana/Country artist Idgy Vaughn will be at Eddie's Attic in Decatur GA on June 25.
Here's some information from Austin PBS station KUT program Texas Music Matters.
I can't wait for her to get back this direction, she is amazing.
From her song "Mr. Wrong":
That engagement ring turned my finger green and the stone was dime-store glass -
My daddy wants to hold you down while my brothers kick your ass.
current mood:  envious
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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10:45 am - I Can Haz Painter
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Our painter - the one who has been supposed to be making our house Not Pink for almost a year - has literally had one of the worst years I've ever seen anyone have.
Divorce + employees being jailed + pneumonia + death in family + totaled work truck (lost control while coughing due to the pneumonia) - these are bad enough when you are employed by someone who gives you sick days, but horrible when you are self-employed and couldn't work much during the winter anyway. Having no income is bad, having no income and no way to get income because you are flat on your back - brrrrrr.
He borrowed a truck from a local plumbing company (the owner lives near where he used to) and is out on a ladder today picking up the to-the-wood scraping of the front of the house.
It would be worse if it wasn't for the fact that he does amazing and fast work when he is able to be here - the back of the house, which is only having loose paint scraped, is primed and ready to go. Windows needing replacement have been, roof work has been done as needed, and all done quickly and well.
If all goes as planned (we're hoping the change of vehicles is the automotive equivalent of turning your clothes inside out to hide from the Evil Spirits) it will actually be done before the one-year anniversary of the start of the project.
Fingers are crossed!
current mood:  amused
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
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5:01 pm - Happy Natal Day
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| Monday, June 15th, 2009
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6:47 pm - Trousers In Need Of Credit Counselling
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Second weekend in a row out of town, this time for good reasons (Grandson E's 6th birthday party and OS Elevations), but the pants are definitely bankrupt. I'll try to catch up as the week goes, but it is usually a losing battle.
Summer is lining up to be very busy, as my 50th birthday is becoming a "season" (the kids who teach have to come up the week before because school starts so damn early nowadays, the ones who don't teach already scheduled their vacation for the week of my birthday). I need to figure out how to adjust my vacation so as to spend significant time with everyone.
current mood: lethargic
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
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2:18 pm - End of an Era
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My maternal grandmother died peacefully in her sleep in Seattle on Sunday morning. Not a complete surprise, but most of us were convinced she'd make it to 100.
I can only hope I make it to 97 with the same attitude and mental resilience.
We weren't able to make it to Seattle for the services there tomorrow, but will be in Dallas with others in the family on Saturday for services and interment next to my grandfather.
current mood: blah
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(33 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, May 29th, 2009
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12:12 pm - Red Stick Rambler Joy
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Wonderful show from the Red Stick Ramblers at our Local Music VenueTM (the Fabulous Royal Theater) last night.
For a long time we only really went to one or two concerts a year and got most of our musical fix through filk or CDs recommended by friends. With a great place for concerts only 5 blocks away, an annual music series that focuses on acoustic genres we really like, and the provision of Good Beer, our concert-going has increased tenfold.
The series is over for the year, but the first outdoor concert of the summer looks like it will be June 20, with local artists doing a tribute to Bruce Springsteen. The same artists were a smash hit with their tribute to Bob Dylan last year.
current mood:  satisfied
current music: Red Stick Ramblers "Bloodshot Eyes"
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, May 25th, 2009
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10:00 pm - Finally Saw Star Trek
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I comfort myself with the reminder that, in my personal reality, nothing after Wrath of Khan ever really happened. Therefore, this is clearly nothing but a dream within a dream.
current mood: disappointed
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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