Gnarly dude.

From xkcd. Reproduced under the Creative Commons 2.5 license.

-iRob

"Everywhere I go I'm asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher."
-Flannery O'Connor

The Injured Stormtrooper

found on YouTube.

iRob

Uncultured Swine

WARNING - The below contains spoilers for The Golden Compass. and the Lord of the Rings movies. You have been warned.

I went to see this last night with friends. Being the uncultured swine that I am, I hadn't read, nay, had not heard of this story until I first saw the previews some time ago.

Similarly, several years ago I knew of the existence of 'Lord of the Rings' but I was not familiar with the story, or that the three books were one continuous story arc, etc. So you can imagine the understanding slowly creeping into my brain when I had been in the theater nearly three hours and Sam and Mr. Frodo were getting ready to enter the mountains. And Sam and Mr. Frodo (Sir) discuss all they have left to do and the trials ahead.

I don't want to ruin anything for you but I will tell you at the end of this movie you do experience a "Mr. Frodo Situation" as I have taken to calling it.

Someday I would like to see a movie and wonder if they might make a sequel.

-Rob

P.S. I did like it, but let me make sure I have this straight - Russians and the Catholic Church are bad, Gypsies and the British are good?

Fruit!

I ate an orange yesterday. It's the first one I've ever eaten. I liked it.

I'm not really a fruit fan. Or a vegetable fan. O.K I don't really like much of anything. But this was good. I had another today.

-iRob

"Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died."
-Steven Wright

A serious conversation.

-iRob

"Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!"
-Matt Frewer

Best Rock Band Names

I need to get Rock Band for my PS2. More to the point, I need to play this with friends. (I'm looking at you Dr. H.)

Top band names currently in consideration:

• Pocket full of mustaches
• Caffeine addiction situation
• Hopeless Situation Warriors

What am I missing?

-iRob

"Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't."
-Mark Twain

#$%^.

Crap.

So here I am, browsing Xkcd when I come across this comic. I laughed out loud, and had a sense that it was strangely familiar, but I'd never been to the site before so I dismissed it.

Then I noticed that they use the Creative Commons license, so I started reading up on it. I learned the rules and decided it would be a good idea to post it here.

Then I realized why that sounded like such a good idea. (Sorry, Dr. H.) I have the memory span of a flea, apparently.

So as my self prescribed atonement, allow me to present a Tribute to Slashboing. Here is that blog displayed on every piece of hardware I own that is capable of surfing the net, all at once:


Clockwise from top left: My home computer system (WinXP, Firefox), My Nintendo DS with Opera Browser, My laptop running Ubuntu Linux and Firefox, and my Motorola RAZR V3c Cell Phone (Openwave Mobile Browser).

P.S. It's not my fault Slashboing has ten letters and therefore is not a perfect square.

Peace out, yo.

-iRob

"When a Wizard is tired of looking for broken glass in his dinner, he is tired of life."
-Terry Pratchett

All quiet on the Northern front

Hey,

Lately I haven't felt as though I had anything worth saying. So I haven't.

Cheers,
-iRob

"Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped."
-Elbert Hubbard

The truth will out.

from Xkcd.com. Posted under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License

-iRob

Things that sound like things.

In the house where I used to roommate, sometimes when you turned off the water in the kitchen sink the pipes would make a noise that sounded exactly like J making a dissapointed "Oh." noise.

Here is a youtube video of a cabinet that sounds exactly like Chewbacca.



So what have you heard?

-iRob

"In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra."
-Fran Lebowitz

Memeage - courtesy of Good ol' Rae

If you comment on this entry...

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll challenge you to try something.
3. I'll pick a colour that I associate with you.
4. I'll tell you something I like about you.
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory about you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something I've always wanted to ask you.
8. You must post this on yours.

-iRob

"Sex at ninety is like trying to shoot pool with a rope."
-George Burns

iCat v. 2.0

We have a new kitten! His name is Casey.

I'm not really sure how we made the transition from 'We won't have another cat after Princess" to "Let's buy a kitty!" but it was fairly rapid. Mostly now that we are both working full time we wanted someone to keep Princess happy, but I'm happy without a justification.

He was a Pets For Life rescue cat. An orphan at a very young age he was looking for a good home. Of his litter he was the one that was the most cuddly with the other cats and we sort of fell for him.

Of primary concern was how well Princess would adapt. Initially there was much hissing (on her part), but gradually they became friendlier and two weeks later they are hanging out together and playing. It's really a special sight. (We were very worried about the level of hostility she was showing, but it will be O.K.

He's a pretty unusual guy - He's black on top but if you brush any of his hair in any direction you can see that he's white underneath. Completely white, with only the tips of the hair actually black. When he's wet he looks like an angry sock.

So of all the cats in this world we managed to get two low-fidelity screeching whiners. I've never seen such vocal cats before and now we have two of them. He's not shy about demanding what he wants (food, attention, freedom) and asks at all hours. (That's why he sleeps in another room.) It makes for a large commotion.

We didn't really work out all of the details in advance - (Princess can only eat special food) and it's a challenge to keep them separate. As far as we can figure, Casey has never been alone before - In addition, there has never been anything he can reach that was not his to play with / eat / poop in. 'Boundaries' are proving to be a difficult concept.

So far I think I've figured out a few "Casey" concepts:

1. Mine?
2. Mine!
3. A litter box seats two comfortably.
4. Stuffed mice are not toys.
5. Coathangers and electric wire are toys.
6. Mommy's hair is a fun place to nest.
7. Mine?!

-iRob

Making Soup

Said by me, to J, in the kitchen a few minutes ago after some drama:

"Have you considered the advantages of running the blender with the lid on?"

-iRob

Kitty!

Casey, Day 1
Originally uploaded by Maximum Occupancy

So that kitten we played with ended up becoming family. We've had him for a week now and he's a handful.

I'll write more on this subject later but for now: Kitty!

-iRob

"2 is not equal to 3, not even for large values of 2."
Grabel's Law

Eloquence

Today J and I were at a shopping plaza doing some errands and we were deciding how to arrange the rest of our day. We had decided that we were getting a bit hungry but wanted to go to the pet store first to play with some new kittens that they had in. We figured out what order to do it in and then it was settled.

So how do I phrase it?: "Alright then, let's go to the pet store and get something to eat."

Smooth.

-iRob

Yay! Friday!

...that is all. :-)

What is it, General?

I can't even get my head down for some much needed rest without Veers pestering me about the comscan report. It's bad enough he woke me, now I have to hear that Admiral Ozzel came out of light-speed too close to the system?

Typical.

-iRob

"What is thy bidding, my master?"
-Darth Vader

Rules

Said to me today, in seriousness:

"Don't put that cheese in your pants."

Sigh.

-iRob

"I have the heart of a child. I keep it in a jar on my shelf."
-Robert Bloch

Robo-Boogie

"Can't we talk to the humans? A little understanding could make things better. Can't we talk to the humans and work together now?"

"No. Because they are dead."



-iRob

"Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat."
-John Lehman

The Roof! The Roof! The Roof is on fire!

Literally.

Well $#!%. For anyone who hasn't heard yet, J and I have been displaced. Our apartment building caught fire on Friday around 1:00pm. Although the building was not completely destroyed, it has been declared uninhabitable. (Dang.)

I got a call from J who was home at the time. It was parade day so she was home - a fact which probably saved our cat. She was next door at her mother's place when the excitement started. By the time she knew what was going on the fire department was there and were denying people entrance to the building - with our cat inside.

I was working when she called, and I dropped everything and left. One thing about this is that J stays extremely calm in emergencies. Deadly calm, actually, so when she said that the building was on fire it was in a very even tone, and I didn't know exactly what to make of it. I wasn't super concerned until I saw the smoke.

The smoke was visible from Crowchild and 17th Avenue - Several miles up the road from the building. That's when my heart sunk. It was only more dramatic and frightening the closer I got. It was like a giant arrow pointing down at our building, probably dozens of meters high.

Once I found J she told me that the cat was trapped inside. We were very worried because although the fire seemed to be on the far side of the building it was on our floor and spreading quickly. I didn't know what to do, so I found a firefighter and explained the situation. After I explained where the unit was, (farthest corner from the fire) and showed him a stairwell far from the fire he agreed to go get the cat. When I started listing her possible hiding places he decided it was fastest to escort me to the fourth floor to get her myself. So we headed upstairs.

It was very noisy and warm, but I couldn't see any fire from where we were. (It would have been around the corner, down the hall.) The hallway was dark but there was still power to our apartment. Oddly, the smoke detector was not sounding - despite having been set off by shower steam several times previously. People were yelling but it didn't seem to be the panicky yelling of a trapped person but rather the controlled yelling of people doing serious work. The smoke was thin enough that it was still possible to see everything normally, but it stung a little to breathe. The cat was under the bed, but didn't seem at all concerned. With the normal amount of effort I was able to cram her in her carrier and we were on our way.

Or so I thought. Before leaving, the Firefighter asked me what had until then always been a rhetorical question: "We are not coming back. This place may well burn. If you want to take anything with you, you have to choose right now.". I ran from room to room but for the life of me nothing occurred to me. J was outside and I was carrying the cat, all I wanted was out. So I said so and we left.

(With 20/20 hindsight, I suppose my medication and J's bridesmaid dress would probably have been acceptable choices. Whoops.)

Once we were clear of the area I stopped and snapped some pictures with my phone. (See my flickr page here for more.) We had to move several times because the wind kept changing directions, and the smoke and mist from the hoses washed over us. Eventually we left the scene when it became apparent that we were more underfoot than helpful. By that time I was pretty tired of waiting to see if our place would burn anyway.

We ended up at sith@heart and A's place, with the clothes on our backs and an angry box of cat. The three of us smelled somewhat of beef jerky, but we were welcomed warmly. We were invited to stay, loaned fresh clothes and told if we needed anything to simply ask. I am extremely, extremely grateful to S@H and A and all others who have offered help in this difficult time. We feel very honored to have such wonderful friends. (Thank you.)

We've also contacted our insurance company to notify them and start making arrangements. They've been extremely helpful and I highly recommend State farm to anyone in the market for more insurance. Ours covers emergency expenses such as clothes, food, emergency accommodations, etc. Also having all of our possessions cleaned, and anything that was lost or damaged replaced. Once the building was declared safe to enter, an appointment was made for a restoration company to come pack up and collect our belongings. The electronics were disassembled and aired, the dishes washed, and the fabric dry cleaned. We feel very well taken care of, even if it is a bit disconcerting to see seven strangers pack up and move in 4 hours what it took us nearly a month to accomplish.

Rumor has it that around nine people in the building didn't have insurance. The Red Cross is setting up a relief fund for those cases. Considering the price of not having it, it's a bargain. Social services has set up a kiosk in the sister building for people having trouble or needing counseling.

In a market that has less than 0.5 percent vacancy, I'm actually amazed that we were able to get as many apartment viewings as we were. (5 in 2 days, mostly thanks to J's mom.) 3 were terrible, 1 not too bad, and 1 was really good. (We took that one.) It needed some love, (a smoker once lived there) but with a little work it turned out great. We took possession the following Saturday, and for a while we lived on an air mattress and two folding chairs. (Very zen.) It's in a high rise overlooking West Hills, around a mile from the place that burned. The rest of our items were delivered later the next week, and we've been slowly unpacking ever since.

The official story is that there was some peat moss that started to smoulder, and ignited a propane tank, lighting the fire. I call it the 'Exploding Dirt Conspiracy Theory'. Sigh.

I've kept up to date with my 365 days project, but that has meant a lot of camera phone pictures without access to my computer or my camera. The lines of communication were always intact, as we only had cell phones and email anyway. Shaw has been out to install our Internet access. Use my Gmail account please, as I don't plan on keeping the others forever.

Stay tuned for updates.

-iRob

P.S. This marks 100 posts. Woo!

"First things first, but not necessarily in that order."
-Dr. Who

Day 003

Ok - I couldn't resist. Behold my +5 Stapler of Attaching. BEHOLD IT!!!!!




-iRob

Begin Countdown Now.

365.. 364.. 363..

Inspired as I often am by my good friend Dr.Haggis' Blog SlashBoing, I have decided to half-ass a totally new project.

The 365 Days project is a Flickr group with the general goal of taking a 'self portrait' of oneself daily for a year.

The rules are broadly interpreted and mostly self-enforced. The idea is that you have to be in the photo. Whether it's your shadow, reflection, a photoshop trick, whatever, is largely debated. Also whether you have to take the shot yourself or can just compose it. (Or 'shots' - plural. The one above took 4 different shots, the 3rd taken by holding the camera under my chin.) I haven't decided if I'm going to follow any rules beyond - "Yup, that's a self portrait of me all right. Toss it up.". I'll think about it.

If you want to visit me at Flickr, go here. If you want to subscribe to my RSS Feed, the link is here. If you couldn't care less, go here.

Notable pics may get their own blog entry, the everyday "I'm a lazy sod" pics will not. But they should be online with regularity.

Well, that's it for me. What did you do today?

-iRob

[Edit] - Sorry for the multiple publish counts, I just can't let stupid spelling mistakes lie. - R

"My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes."
-Ronald Regan

Dodged a bullet

My chair tried to kill me today.

Just as I was sitting down only a few moments ago there was a sound like a gunshot and shards of black plastic sprayed across the room. A very bullet-like object whizzed into the corner and smacked against the wall. I ended up on the floor, resting on my shapely posterior - by way of my skull.

Turns out there appears to have been a problem with the knob on the bottom that houses a spring. One problem it currently is experiencing is a lack of attachment to the chair. I believe this knob used to be used to adjust the resistance encountered when leaning back into a reclined position. I never actually used it myself but I have made this assumption based on the new 'feature' the chair has acquired - A trap door.

To all appearances the chair is normal, and rests in an upright position. When a person, (Let's call him 'Unsuspecting Rester') sits down, all semblance of verticality ceases and the person does a back flip. Quite a good one for an amateur, actually. (I got a 7.4!)

Let's see - hm. O.K. It would appear that I'm still able to adjust the tension of the back by twisting the nut that remains, (giggle) however the nut and bolt themselves are greasy (see previous) - I don't want it to drip onto my new carpet. For now I'll put some paper towel down there.

For your viewing pleasure, here's all that I could find of the knob portion. The biggest chunk was still under my chair, and the slightly smaller one was in the corner behind my printer. (Let's call it the 'second gunman'.) I'm currently constructing my theory about the smaller 'accomplices' that were strewn roughly evenly across the entire room.

I don't want to throw away a $160 chair for one minor issue, especially since it's largely cosmetic. (Even if the chair is a murderous bastard.) There is a very small chance of my fingers getting caught in the exposed spring but I'm more worried about the grease getting on the carpet. I don't know where I can find a similar knob and the knob itself looks to have acted like a sort of wrench for the nut. I don't really need to adjust it but I would like it covered. Any thoughts?

You win this round Chair...

-iRob

"A gentleman is a man who can play the accordion but doesn't."
-Unknown

Smoke Signals

I have a new email account.

It's with Gmail, which is totally 1337. It is among the coolest web apps I've ever encountered, if not the coolest. It takes some getting used to as it totally changes the way you think about email, but once you get used to the idea of tagging and archiving instead of sorting and deleting, it's wickedawesome. To the max.

I can check it on my cell phone anywhere I have a signal. (This may be connected to the fact that my cell phone battery dies daily now.) I can download it to my computer, POP3 style. And for most ISPs, (not mine) you can have it check your home email account too.

All my current addresses forward to that, but it's better if you send it directly to the new addy @gmail.com. I've started giving it out, but I know I haven't reached everyone yet. If you should have it and don't, ask me for it. If you have it but shouldn't, well - give it back.

Cheers,
-iRob

Groovy Bith

Was in a Subway today grabbing dinner for iJenn. The music that was playing was the cantina music from A New Hope.

Seriously cool.

R

Resurfacing.

As the universal greeting of my last post implies, I'm back.

I've been without Internet access of any reliable nature for the past few month. I'd rather have been without water, or possibly air, but there you have it.

I started my new job on March 26, and moved into our new apartment last weekend. Between then I was living on the kindness of strangers. Special thanks to Dr.Haggis + Veritate, sith@heart + A, Dr.Smith + LaughingMagpie, and C. Your generosity was appreciated.

I'm going to be working through some extremely dated news for a while, as my communication lines were only restored yesterday. Life is better than it has been. Some more recent news: We're all moved in, if not yet settled. A huge thanks to all who helped, on both ends of the trip. I will miss Edmonton but it's good to be home.

That's it for now, stay tuned!

-iRob

“Absence from those we love is self from self - a deadly banishment.”
-William Shakespeare

Bah weep granah weep ninni bong!

In Bloom

Hey,

I'm in bloom. I paid my money and now have limitless WiFi at Starbucks. I'll have to drink a lot of espresso, but hey - I'm willing to make sacrifices.

Lilacs are in bloom too. I noticed them on 4th street outside the coffee shop. That means the festival is coming soon.

I probably won't be here but I encourage you to go. There's a lot to see, and when else can you wander down the middle of the street?

Cheers,

-iRob

*No Signal*

Today is the first day I woke up in the condo which will be my home for the next month. It is provided by a generous friend who bought it recently but will be travelling and unable to use it until mid June.

It benefits us both as he is more comfortable knowing that there is someone looking after the place, and I have a private place to myself for the next few weeks.

I'm grateful for his generosity but there is one thing I would change - The condo has no internet access of any kind. I think as someone who is naturally at home with technology I would rather be without water. Or air.

That means I'll be hard to get a hold of for the next while. Calling me is best, although I can read my email on my cell phone. (It's somewhat more tricky to write back.)

So posts will be infrequent for the time being, but I'll log in when I can.

Peace out, yo.
-iRob

Brought to you by the good people at Starbucks.

May the fourth be with you

Happy (belated) Star Wars Day!

Brought to you by: C3PO's. A delicious part of this nutritious breakfast.



C3PO's - A New Force at Breakfast.

-iRob

"I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died."
-Richard Diran

4.7 Kilopwns

Apparently, I've got game.

I have completed 4 runs for a total of 10.84 km. My average pace is 6'57" per km. My last run was 4.7 km.

This info is courtesy my shoes. You see, they talk to my iPod. Then it talks to the interweb which tracks when I run and how often, far, and fast.

(No - really. I'm serious.)

I have decided to get into running. This is a venture I previously entered into when J was in field school in the Caribbean. I found myself bored in a beautiful summer with nothing to do and lonely. So I bought a $10 pair of runners and went to it. After a while I developed a condition called Shin Splints. Of course, as I was young and ignorant I did not know that there was such a condition or that I had it. I simply believed that it was a muscle protesting because it hadn't been used in a while. (Obviously the solution was to run harder and faster.) Fun times. I had trouble walking for well over a month after that little adventure. Don't do as Donny Dont does.

But I digress.

A large part of the problem was my shoes. Now that I know this, on the recommendation of several friends I have paid a visit to the Running Room to get analysed. This apparently consists of taking off my shoes and walking around while they watch closely. Then they tell me what category of shoe I need. (Motion Control, Cushioning, Stability, etc.)

Apparently I do two bad things, I pronate (turning my feet outwards giving my footprints humorous appearance) and I roll them in as I walk. Apparently the two problems cancel each other out, so there's not much they can do to correct me. (They gave me a 'Cushioning' shoe. Comfy.)

So I brought the shoes to the counter to pay, and that's when the fun started. "OK.. don't pay for those yet." Said the clerk. "Pardon?" says I. "Here, take this." she says, handing me a coupon for 75c off 'Vector' brand meal replacement cereal. "Go down the street to the Safeway and buy a small box of this.". "Pardon?" I repeats. Apparently that cereal currently features a coupon on the box for 20% off all purchases at the running room. (!) So I did as I was told, and got cheap cereal and cheaper shoes.

The box also carries a coupon for a free $40 high-tech running shirt. There is also no limit to the number of shirts they will hand out, one per cupon. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that when the cereal went on sale for half-price the following weekend I went a bit critical... Reports are still coming in but we suspect I now own 5 identical running shirts. (Damn my frugal nature.) I'm now living entirely on breakfast cereal but it's worth it.

So as I'm finally about to buy the shoes and walk out with my free shirt, the clerk mentions (almost as an afterthought) "Oh, you don't happen to own an iPod Nano, do you?". "...yes..." says I....

Here's the deal: The shoes have a special pocket for a little electronic pod, about the size of a quarter but 1/4 inches thick. The pod never needs charging, and continuously communicates wirelessly to a small receiver that attaches to your ipod. This part is also around the size of a quarter. The iPod itself needs no update, as the software that is pre-installed on it natively supports this hardware, it is Plug and Play in the purest sense. It is extremely versatile and provides you with constant updates on your speed, caloric burn rate, distance travelled, proximity to your preset goals, etc. When you next sync the iPod it transmits this data to the Nike+ ("Nike-Plus") server and you are able to view your progress history and goals online. There is even a widget for it you can have on your desktop.

Oh - and it FREAKIN' TALKS.

Apparently it was 38 dollars. I know this because that's when they told me to stop throwing money on the counter as fast as I could. (from the "I'll start putting down money, you tell me when it's enough." dept.) I'm glad it wasn't expensive because I don't think leaving without it was optional.

I've gone out twice with the Running Room free group run and twice on my own. I've met some really nice people and am having a lot of fun. (Leave info in the Comments for this post if you want to join me, it's Wed at 6:30 and I do the 'Beginner 5K run'.) I know that I have run 8.6K of my goal to run 30K over 4 weeks. I'm currently 0.1K ahead of schedule, I've run 4 times in 2 weeks, and that I am the biggest geek ever. I really like running and my shoes are a toy. I couldn't be happier if they were made of candy.

(Well, maybe. Mmm.. candy.)

-iRob

"When your computer knows where your shoes have been, the stage is set for the revolution my friends."
-Old Cuban Proverb

Steam punkery

This is pretty cool.

For a full understanding of Steampunk, see Wiki. The short version for your perusal: A sub genre of fantasy and science fiction, the defining feature of which is modern to futuristic devices and apparatus created using steam-era technology. (Usually in a Victorian-retro-style culture.) This includes but is not limited to robots, weapons, jet packs, space ships, etc.)

The photo featured at stage left is an IBM Model "M" Keyboard. (A model noted for it's durability and enjoyable tactile stimulation.) It has been thoroughly disassembled and reworked, and has begun it's existence anew, as Steampunk.

I'll admit I thought this was freaking sweet, until I saw the Steampunk Clockwork Stratocaster.

Now to party like it's 1899.

(for Dr.Haggis)

-iRob

"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."
-Niels Bohr

My hump, my hump my lovely little lumps. (Check it out)

Update.

My Condition is not what I thought it was.

Apparently what I (and assorted other healthcare professionals) misdiagnosed as a cyst, is actually a bone in the wrong place. Specifically, a Scaphoid bone. (I think)

The plastic surgeon that I (finally) got to see after several months of waiting took all of 30 seconds to tell that it was not in fact the inflammation that I thought it was, but rather a bone that was simply more protrusive than was comfortable. He didn't specify what bone, so I'm guessing based on the Wiki pictures I've found. He said that a possible (but drastic) solution would be to open me up and 'grind down' the bone, although that can cause more trouble than it fixes. (shudder!) The alternative is that he can give me an anti-inflammatory injection, which will help with the pain.

He did, and it has. I'm going on several months now, pain free. My mobility is still not great, but I'm guessing that's just something I get to live with. What wasn't covered in the 5 minutes he spent in my presence (more time of which was spent talking to his students than me) was what I do when this wears off. I assume I would go see my family doctor, as I don't know that I'd need to go see him again for that. Also didn't mention the name of the medicine he injected me with. Or possibly he did and I didn't catch it, as it would have been a largely meaningless collection of random phonemes.)

It's amazing what we will allow, when the person who wants to inject you has 'Dr.' in front of their name.

-iRob

"Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance."
-William Shakespeare

This statement is false.

(Think about it.)

-iRob

"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers."
-Oscar Wilde

Open letter to Blockbuster Video

Dear Blockbuster Video,

I recently rented a DVD, which I was very much looking forward to watching. I brought it home, had dinner, got into my pyjamas, fixed a snack and a drink and settled down to watch.

The movie was fine until the video quality went downhill. I tried to ignore it, until it became unplayable. It would not fast forward past the problem area, and it would not play on either my DVD player or computer.

So late at night, in the dark, and in the snow, I got dressed again and drove the 3 kilometers to your store, where the customer service rep. was kind enough to exchange the video. Then I drove home again, got back into my pyjamas and housecoat, and attempted to resume the movie where I had left off.

Then the second disc froze. At the exact same place. After examining the disc, I found that yes, it appears to have a very similar scratch around 1/4 inches from the edge. After much frustration I was able to pass that section of the disc, and continue with the film.

As a reasonable and intelligent human being, I understand you have little to no control over issues such as these. I understand that once the DVD leaves your store, you cannot affect how it is treated. I know that you rent hundreds of thousands or millions of movies from a store yearly, and there is no feasible way to verify that they are undamaged when they are returned to you.

As an average consumer, I don't care. What I care about is that I need to interrupt my evening to return a defective product to your store. It was not only a defective product, it was a defective experience. I went from completely absorbed by the story I was watching to complete abject frustration, in around 20 seconds. And over the past year, 2/3rds of the movies I have rented from you had issues.

I am a young male who is technology focused. I enjoy movies and electronic entertainment. I am one of your key target demographics. I am not willing to put up with this level of frustration from a company. I have alternatives. I am not alone.

-iRob

Self Destruct

If you ever find yourself experiencing thyroid trouble, and they put you on lifelong medication for it, I don't recommend ever missing a day.

I've been clinically dead for around twelve hours now, with no end in sight. I realized I had missed one too close to the next day's to catch up. I hope this goes away now that I've taken today's.

Blah. Must sleep now.

-iRob

"As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality."
-Albert Einstein

I've got class!

License-wise, anyway.

Something came up yesterday that made one thing obvious - My life at work will be a lot easier if I'm able to drive our shuttle bus in an emergency or for maintenance.

Apparently that requires a Class 4 license.

So, I went yesterday on my lunch hour and got the right books from a local registry. I read them once and returned there, wrote the test and aced it. (Woot.) I booked a road test for today, and then went to a walk-in clinic for a medical, which is required.

I passed everything just fine, although I did flunk parallel parking. I'm a little embarrassed about that, so, you know, keep it to yourself.

Oh - and if you ever need someone to drive your commercial vehicle for hire, taxi, bus, or ambulance, I'm all over it.

-iRob

"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others."
-Groucho Marx

Spork of Destiny

Squee!

I finally got one! Behold my glorious "+3 Spork of pwning"!

For those uninitiated in such things, it is the unholy love child of a Spoon and Fork. (Spoon + Fork = Spork. Not to be confused with Knork.) This particular model is made out of titanium, the world's coolest metal. It's the ultimate utensil for the Geek on the Go.

It was a gift from my lovely J, whom I both adore and miss very much.

Oh, and if you don't get why it's cool, you probably never will.

Peace out, yo.


-iRob

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
-Napoleon Bonaparte

Mare hey add hey lid tell lam.

...Ids fleas were wide ass know.

If you can read this, you probably may note that each word is a properly spelled word in English, but is being used without it's meaning, rather purely phonetically. It's actually rather neat.

That line was from a FoxTrot comic where Jason was trying to outsmart his Apple spelling checker. According to the comic, he succeeded.

I was reminded of it when the 'Random' button on Wikipedia brought me to this article: Ladle Rat Rotten Hut. It was written in 1940 by a french professor at that time, Howard Chase.

I'm particularly fond of the line:

"Wail, wail, wail!" set disk wicket woof, "Evanescent Ladle Rat Rotten Hut! Wares are putty ladle gull goring wizard ladle basking?"

for

"Well, well, well!" said this wicked wolf. "If it isn't Little Red Riding Hood! Where's our pretty girl going with her little basket?"

I wonder if he is credited as the creative inspiration for 'Mad Gabs'?

-iRob

"Will yum air ream he?"
-Card from Mad Gabs

Tie died.

My tie died. I scratched it on a rough counter and pulled some threads out. And the pattern went with them, now it's unwearable. That was three weeks ago.

I liked that tie so much that I went back to the store in Edmonton to replace it last time I was there. This week the same thing has started happening to it, and I haven't scratched it on anything.

Two weeks ago I learned not to wear my new boots to my new job, as I managed to scuff the hell out of them just walking around the job site. They won't look 'new' again, no matter how much I polish them.

Three days ago my brand new (replacement) iPod developed 2 deep scratches right on the face, apparently on the soft fluffy lining of the coat pocket reserved solely for the safety of the aforementioned iPod.

On Wednesday I switched my Cell phone to a Calgary number. I couldn't get any of my choices for a custom number, and ever since then my wireless Internet doesn't work. Telus tech support doesn't know what's wrong or when it will be fixed, even after 90 minutes on the phone with me.

Today I caught my favorite dress shirt (the blue one with the french cuffs) on a rough piece of metal in a door frame, and tore a small hole in it. I can fix it, but it will always have a mark.

I have a miserable cold, and my sinuses are pounding. I've worked 24 hours out of the past 48, and I miss J with all my heart. My cheerful demeanour is faltering.

I need a hug.

-iRob.

"More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly."
-Woody Allen

Settling in

Hey,

So I've been keeping more or less busy at my new job. The work is interesting and I'm learning a lot, but I don't have a permanent home just yet. I'm still being sent where they need me, which is fine.

I've invested some time and money in the Star Wars Starship Battles Miniature game, and it's really fun. It has a short learning curve and a huge range of possibilities for variation. I have enough pieces for two player games, so if anyone is interested in learning or playing, give me a ring.

Cheers,
iRob

"What if this weren't a hypothetical question?"
-Anonymous

Down Time

Hey,

I've been kickin' it with Dr.Haggis and Veritate, and working a lot. Have been learning a lot about facility management, and having some fun.

Today was the first day I was on my own. I'm covering for another person on leave, and the person who was originally covering and training me is now on vacation, so it's just me. It was a good day, as I more-or-less know what I'm supposed to be doing, but there are a few things I'm not sure of yet. That's O.K. as there are other managers at other sites I can call and they are always pretty helpful.

Been pretty tired lately and will try to start posting again soon.

iRob

"A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled."
-Sir Barnett Cocks

iWork

Hey.

So I had my first day today, which went well. The job isn't exactly what I expected, but that's not totally bad. It's less people and more hands-on work, but that's fine at my stage in things.

It's pretty hectic, but considering what I'm used to that's not even a small concern. My office will be near my responsibilities, meaning my office is underground in the parkade, but that will be O.K. After all, between the fluorescent lights and the lack of windows, my old cube may as well have been underground anyway. The dust will take getting used to, but I will get an air filter or something.

More important is that it looks like the work will be interesting, and I like the people I'm going to be working with. I got to meet my boss today (previously had only spoken over the phone) and he seems to be a really good guy. I met my area manager in my interview, and today was paired up with one of my peers, the parking manager for a different building. All of these people are easy to talk to, accepting, and patient. I'm looking forward to my time with them.

All in all I'm still getting used to everything and it will be a learning curve, but it's going to work out fine. By the time I have an apartment down here I will be an old hat at this.

That's it for now, I'm exhausted and need a nap.

-iRob

Hope

So at this particular moment, in addition to being between jobs, I'm also of 'no fixed address'. Woke up early at Dr. Haggis & Veritate's, and have 2 hours 43 min before I'm due to start a job that I have no experience in.

I'm pretty nervous - If for *any* reason this job doesn't work out I'm hooped, but I guess I just have to make sure it works out. I'm usually fairly good at most things I try to do, and I'm going to give this one all I've got.

Wish me luck.

-iRob

"As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality."
-Albert Einstein

Unemployed

Hi team,

So for anyone left unaware, I'm currently between jobs. Not in a worrisome way, as I have a new job in Calgary that I start on Monday, but since my last day at Dell was yesterday, it's a bit unnerving.

There is something surreal about leaving a job you've been at for a couple years. People crawl out of the woodwork to tell you how much you will be missed and how enjoyable you were to work with. I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm not going to see most of those people again. Oh - I'll try to keep in touch, but everyone always does. I will be very busy with my new job/apartment/life fairly soon, and it will be weirder and harder to email my old work friends. I know that and so do they. The people I see outside of work are different, and that will be much easier.

So since our apartment is ready in June and my new job starts tomorrow, I'm relying on the charity of many good friends, Dr.Haggis and Veritate, sith@heart and A., Petranef, Laughing Magpie and Dr. Smith, Kr and Sa, Chris, and J's mom, and many others who have all given me extremely generous offers for places to be while I wait and work. Without all of your support this would be a great deal more difficult and expensive.

It will be hard enough with living out of a suitcase and being away from J for these 8.5 weeks. The longest we've been apart was the 3 months when she first came to Edmonton. The idea was that I would stay in Calgary and work, but I (very fortunately) was laid off and came to be with her in Edmonton. She will join me in June when her job starts in Calgary and the apartment is ready.

So I guess I should consider myself fortunate at this point to be between jobs. After all, the new job is very exciting and a great deal more challenging. Besides, after tomorrow I will be of 'no fixed address' (Gah!)

-iRob

"When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken."
Benjamin Disraeli

And the winner is:

Dr. Haggis!

The answer to yesterday's post is....

Zest (r) Tangerine Mango Twist (tm) scent Moisturizing Body Wash, with Energizing Refreshment.

-iRob

"Lather up a clean, fresh feeling."
-Zest moisturizing body wash

Worlds scariest ingredients

Hey,

Let's play a game. What is this?:

Ingredients: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-10, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Orange #4.

I don't really know what's scarier: The eleven sylable monstrosity 'Methylchloroisothiazolinone' or the simple-yet-ominous 'Orange #4'.

-iRob

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-Abraham Lincoln

Neologism

Have you noticed how many new words are present these days? Specifically I refer to taking two words and combining them in interesting or unusual ways. I submit the following examples

Man + Panties = Manties (NSFW)
Giant + Enormous = Ginormous
Web + Log = Blog
Idiot + Democracy = Idiocracy

These word combinations are called neologisms. Pulled from the Wiki entry: "...is a word, term, or phrase which has been recently created ("coined") — often to apply to new concepts, to synthesize pre-existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more contemporary."

I submit for your approval: Smacuracy. (Smack + Accuracy)

-iRob

"I pwned him with a high degree of smacuracy! w007."
-iRob

Glands

I'm pretty tired.

In fact, I'm always pretty tired. It seems that I never sleep well, that I get up groggy and am ready for bed early. I'm always the first one nodding off at a party, and I'm always the last one awake when camping or overnighting. And I've been this way for a very long time.

Apparently I have an excuse.

I went to the doctor on Wednesday to get checked out. He asked when the last time was that I had had a proper physical, and any answer that starts with "Ummm.. It would maybe have been... sometime in nineteen.." is the wrong answer. So I got all poked and prodded and checked out, etc.

He sent me for some tests, and checked off about 1/3 of the crazy sheet of 'what to test my blood' for. (Gave me the works, apparently.) They said that they would only call me if there was something abnormal and they needed to discuss it.

Then they called me. Apparently there was something abnormal and they needed to discuss it. (!)

I have a thyroid problem. What that problem is, they don't know, but apparently the way that they test for thyroid issues is by measuring how much thyroid activation hormone my pituitary gland is producing. Apparently the 'high' end of normal is '4.1'. I am at '6.66'. (The devil gland!) Don't ask what the numbers mean because I don't know myself.

What that means in general terms is that my brain is saying to my gland, 'More! No, really! MORE MORE MORE!', and usually it would do that because it's not receiving the hormone it is ordering. (And a side salad.)

The doctor gave me two possible explanations: One is that my immune system is bored, and is treating the gland itself like a disease. (as in: it is producing antibodies that are harming it now, and will eventually destroy it completely.) The other possibility is that there is something wrong with my thyroid gland. (A cyst, growth, cancer, etc.) That would be somewhat more serious, although I'm assured that it is a) Unlikely, and b) Treatable. (Still makes me nervous.)

Since it is overwhelmingly likely to be 'door number one', he prescribed me some medicine. I have an ultrasound in two weeks to be on the 'sure' side, but we're going to approach it as if it's an immune system issue.

So now I have a small bottle of pills. The advantages of this are 1. it's 99%+ effective, 2. The side effects are generally minimal, and 3. The drugs are very inexpensive. The downsides are 1. The directions as provided by the doctor and elaborated on by the pharmacist are, "Take one daily, for ever."

Blah.

But more 'blah' to be dopey and grumpy and not be able to concentrate. Doubly 'blah' to not know why. If this is something treatable I will be in a happy place, regardless of cost and inconvenience. It would be nice not to be exhausted after a normal day of work, especially considering the frequency I experience 'crazy, stupid, busy, stressful, annoying, 'kill me now' days at work.

It takes 4-6 weeks of this pill before I can expect to notice anything, and in 2.5 months I get checked again and have levels adjusted if needed. And then fairly infrequently for the rest of my life.

I'll let you know.

-iRob

"I got the bill for my surgery. Now I know what those doctors were wearing masks for,"
-James H. Boren

Brotherhood

I don't know who this is, but they rock.

It's a little hard to make it out from my hastily -snapped cameraphone picture, but back in December I managed to catch this outside the farmers' market a block from our apartment.

It's the Rebel Insignia, in the window of a blue Dodge truck. Most likely it's someone I know, and I would be willing to bet that they spend time on the boards, but in reality I don't know who it could possibly be. In fact, it's even possible it's one of the men in white. (And women. Yes, I can hear you, sith@heart.)

Seeing this on a random vehicle in a parking lot gave me an instant feeling of community with the stranger who drives this car. It's amazing how Fandom brings people together. This is someones little way of saying to the world - I'm a geek. I'm proud of it.

It's not Star Wars, but I really think I'm going to order that sticker I wanted for my hood. (in White) After all, it's my car, and I'm a geek, and I'm proud of it.

-iRob

"The dead might as well try to speak to the living as the old to the young."
-Willa Cather

iBought

iReplaced my iPod which iBroke because iDumb.

-iRob

"Everyone has a purpose in life. Perhaps yours is watching television."
-David Letterman

Quack!

Tourist - What the heck was that?! Something just ran past here in a blur!!
Farmer - Don't mind that. It was a duck with four legs. They're super fast.
Tourist - Why does it have four legs?
Farmer - We breed them like that so we can get extra drumsticks. It's much cheaper.
Tourist - Wow. So how do they taste?
Farmer - Don't really know, nobody can catch one.

-iRob

"Quack!"
-Stumpy the four legged duck.

Old News

This always happens when I plan a big post. I procrastinate, and don't end up doing it until I can hardly remember the event I was planning on posting about.

We went to Invermere a few weekends ago, for a weekend cabin getaway. Got to visit with friends, eat good food, and visit the hot springs. (Was treated to the cabin by sith@heart, to whom we are quite grateful.)

It was the first road trip of my new car, weighing in at around 1160Km, and I got to try it out on the highway for the first time. It performed quite nicely. It is now officially 'broken in'. As opposed to my old car, which is simply 'broken'.

It was quite the drive, in the snow and after dark, and the mountain roads. Had I known what I was getting into from the start, I may have been more hesitant. However it worked out O.K. and we had a fun time with friends old and new.

That's it. Just thought you should know.

-iRob

"No matter what side of the argument you are on, you always find people on your side that you wish were on the other."
-Jascha Heifetz

Yeah, Baby!

w00t!

-iRob

Brains...

Had a bad dream last night.

When I was a kid, I experienced night terrors. The idea there is that I'm screaming in terror but don't remember a dream later. Also don't remember screaming.

It's always been rare for me to remember my dreams, and even more rare for me to have bad ones, but last night it was about zombies. That's right, zombies.

I don't scare really easy, in fact I've lately realized that I really don't find any movies scary. I've been trying to find movies that really frighten me, but mostly they're just silly or gory.

Last night was different. Dreams are vivid, and personal. I wanted to go to the Calgary Zombie Walk, and I smile and laugh at people dressed as zombies at conventions, but last night was awful. It sounds silly, until you dream about everyone you know being eaten.

-iRob

"Oh, fine. Last week it's 'I wish I could find a boy who was interested in my brain and not my body', and now you're all like 'Aaaugh Zombies!'. Seriously Shel. Make up your damn mind."
-Amy, Scary Go Round

Of Love and Leis

Hey,

Went to a Luau on the weekend down home in Calgary. Our very good friends Laughing Magpie and Dr. Smith hold it each year to celebrate their birthdays, life, and friendship in general.

It was a wonderful evening of friendship, food, drinks and music. We partied with wild retro-futuristic abandon, and watched 50's "B" sci-fi horror into the wee hours. (This of course being the Luau of the Atomic Age.)

I'm not very good at describing fun parties, but luckily I don't have to. (Link. Link.) Enjoy.

Thanks to you both for such a wonderful time!

-iRob

Doppleganger

This is really, really creepy.

This is not a picture of me. Now, while I flatter myself that I may someday look like that with my shirt off, you have to admit that at first glance this is pretty startling.

As I said, it's not me. Rather, it's Harry Potter. Strange, considering I look nothing like Harry Potter. However, it would appear that I look a great deal like Daniel Radcliffe.

Upon closer inspection the differences increase. His lips are thinner than mine and his eyebrows are bushier, but his forehead, jaw, nose, ears, and hair are pretty darn similar even for all that. It was enough to give J. the willies when she first saw it.

What do you think? Near or Far? Imagination? Or do I get to say I 'look like a movie star' from now on?

-iRob

"A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read."
-Mark Twain

I am a damned fool.

There are things I truly, deeply, hate about myself. One, is that I always think I know the best way to do anything. And 9 times out of 10 that bites me in the ass.

I have now completely destroyed my beautiful iPod nano. I'm nearly in tears over it.

It was starting to show it's wear, and I thought I would shine it up a little. (I take pride in keeping my toys looking nice.) So I did what I always do when I need to shine something made of plastic, I got out my container of acrylic polish. I've used it before, and it always keeps my nano looking nice and new.

Not this time. This time I managed to get a little dribble of polish in the click wheel, which made it partially stop functioning. I couldn't believe it - The slider still worked but one of the four touch points didn't respond. I panicked.

So I found a video online that showed how to disassemble them, and I opened it up thinking that I could clean it up inside. It wasn't just mucked up, it was damaged. And when I tried to put it back together I damaged it further. It will never function again. I haven't even had it a year.

I'm so sad, and so ashamed. I can't keep anything nice for any length of time. The worst part is that I'm not careless with my things, but am trying to care for them well. I've stripped paint off of the Saturn trying to remove tree sap, and I've scratched my bathtub trying to clean some old stains. I try so hard to take care of the things I treasure properly but I always end up doing more harm than good.

I'm going to replace it, because:

1. I've often admired the new version of the nano. It fixes a lot of things that bothered me about mine, but I didn't see a reason to upgrade. Not for that price, anyway. I always would have liked one, but had no intention of replacing mine.
2. Every time I want to listen to my iPod but can't, I will feel small and hot and stupid. I'd rather just pay the money and not go without than put myself through that every day.

I don't even know why the scratches bothered me anyway. It's hardly ever outside one of the many, many protective cases I bought. And now I sit, exhausted, upset, and feeling very, very foolish.

-iRob

Layers

I went to put something in the dryer in my building today, which is something I rarely. do. (I find that dryers tend to wear clothes very quickly.)

Luckily I had the foresight to check the lint trap before using the machine. There was quite an impressive strata of lint in there.

It was over 1/2 inches thick, and was at least 4 distinctly different colors. I think it was last emptied long before I was born. I think I saw Trilobites from the lower Paleozoic era deep down in the 'burgandy' layer.

Sure not looking forward to the next time someone tries to burn down my building. The laundry room is 3.5 feet from our door.

-iRob

"I don't mind what language an opera is sung in so long as it is a language I don't understand."
-Sir Edward Appleton

This is only a test

I'm toying with a new way to create posts. Don't mind me. Normal operation will resume shortly.

That is all.

-iRob

New Ride

Hey,

Got me a new toy. Promised you a look so here goes:

This sexy new thing is my new 2007 Hyundai Accent. I ordered it on my birthday, and it came in about two weeks ago.

It is an awesome car. I finally decided to stop waiting for the primary buffer panel to fall off my gorram ship, and get something with a little more style.

I bought it with the idea that it was going to be great to not have to worry about the Saturn any more, and what happened? Jenn wanted the Saturn. Sigh. Oh well, at least my responsibility lies only within 'boyfriendly duties' (eg. advise, minor maintenance, occasional yelling at mechanics, etc.) and does not extend to financial obligation. So it works out, and I'm happy as long as it doesn't self destruct with her inside.

She was supposed to be red. That was my first choice. One, because I really liked the red, and two, because I was ready for a change. (The two blue cars look slightly funny parked next to each other, but maybe it's me.)

So I told them that I wanted a car that was 1) Red. 2) A Standard. 3) The 'Premium' package. (All the goodies.)

So they said no problem, and the car they found already had some of the gizmos I wanted. (Mud flaps, locking wheel nuts, etc.) So fine, a week later they say that the car is ready. Now, normally they make appointments for you to pick up the car and go over the paperwork, and the only time they have is tomorrow. O.K. I go in early to check it out anyway, just to see it.

I park my Saturn next to a new car and I think: "Wow! That car is nearly identical to the one that I ordered! But it's not mine, because it's not the premium model.... ...oh shit."

So I was correct, and they screwed up. The car comes in 4 levels of niceness: Crap, Less crap, Nice, and Really Nice. I ordered Really Nice. They brought in Less Crap.

That was bad enough. Then they tried to push the car on me which was worse. They were talking about how much money I could save, and that they would put lots of the extras from the Really Nice one on it. (Mag wheels, heated seats, fog lights, etc.) I refused. I wanted those things from the factory. This dealership doesn't even know what cars they sell. (the salesman argued at first that it was the premium model.) I wouldn't trust them to change the tires, let alone install airbags. I am going to own this car for years - I don't want to save 25 bucks per payment, I want the car I want. I'm never going to be happy if I compromise, so to hell with it.

But they didn't want me walking away either, so they asked what color I wanted besides red. (What?!) Apparently they couldn't get the car in red due to unspecified production issues. Sigh. Fine. I eventually compromised on the blue, after they threw in a few cheap extras to make me happy. (Rubber floor mats, a bug shield to be installed later.)

The color has grown on me. I actually think that it's possibly nicer than the red, although I'm still deciding. Apparently the red is a cop magnet, so that's probably good, although I drive like an excitable old lady nowadays anyway.

It's "totally pimped out", as the kids now are saying. It has Aluminum Alloy Wheels, 4 wheel disc brakes, Front, Side and Skirt airbags, Remote keyless entry and alarm, power doors, power windows, power everything, 8 way adjustable seats, ABS, illuminated mirrors, A/C, Heated seats, Heated mirrors (?), Fog lights, cup holders everywhere, and a whole host of neat gizmos that I'm still trying to figure out. I don't know what most of that is, but it sounds very impressive. I understand heated seats and A/C. It's very important that my ass is maintained at the proper temperature.

The inside is basic but pleasant. It's not two-toned leather or anything fancy, just simple black plastic and cloth. However it looks like it will wear reasonably well, and goes with anything. It's surprisingly roomy for such a small car, (6 inches shorter than my Saturn, but taller and the same width) and what really sold it was that it 'fits me'. By that I mean that my arms rest nicely when I'm driving, the steering wheel is the right distance for my arms, the pedals are the right distance for my legs, the shift knob rests right below my hand, etc. It sounds picky, but those are the details that make the driving experience fun. It's also true that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. Taking this thing on the highway is a hoot.

It survived it's first major road trip and passed with flying colors. (More on that later.) I was lucky enough to get to break it in on the highway, and I did everything right so far as I know. I kept the RPM between 2k and 4k, I varied the speed a lot, I didn't let it idle, etc. My dad says it's important, and I believe him. I asked him why this is, and he muttered some magic about 'compression coils' and 'flux capacitors' and whatnot, but he's right about this sort of thing more often than he's wrong, and much more often than me, so I do as I'm told.

Oh, and it's cheap. It cost me within 2k of my old car where I bought that one used, and it's a billion times better. With a modest down payment my monthly damage clocks in at just under 300 buckazoids. And the insurance is cheaper than my old car, because that's a coupe and this is a hatchback! (HA!)

Anyway, enough about that for now. I will keep you updated as to the further adventures of the Robmobile, and I will also let you know when my custom licence plate gets delivered. (bonus cookie for the first person who guesses correctly.) I be out.

-iRob

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid."
-Han Solo

I... Live... Again...

What up?

Filing project is complete. Took part of yesterday off to recover, life more or less back on track. Have many events to report, and will start posting again.

Sneak peeks:

1. New Ride
2. Road Trip of Destiny
3. Random Musings

See you soon.

-iRob

"I have suffered a great deal from writers who have quoted this or that sentence of mine either out of its context or in juxtaposition to some incongruous matter which quite distorted my meaning , or destroyed it altogether."
-Alfred North Whitehead

Busy, busy.

Hi team,

Haven't posted in a while, getting increasingly behind in providing cool news. Will make a sincere effort to get back on track, but in the meantime worked 8am to 9pm today with no end in sight. Probably will be working the weekend too, will write more when sanity returns.

As an aside, what I'm doing is filing. Filing that I can do quickly, without much effort or paying attention, but in huge quantities. I have literally 2500+ files to search for one document, remove that document if present, and then move to the next file. It's going to be around 35+ hours of work. So I bring my laptop in there with me and watch movies while I work. So far I've watched Star Wars III, Army of Darkness, and the Gridiron Gang. Any suggestions for the next ones?

Cheers,
-iRob

"Alright you primitive screw heads, listen up: This, is my BOOM STICK!"
-Ash, (Army of Darkness)

Fun with Glico

I've discovered something. Well, truthfully I think I always knew this, but before now I've never consciously acknowledged it.

I can consume an unlimited quantity of Pocky in one sitting.

I think I may have a problem.

-iRob

Good Greif!

I nearly forgot I had this thing. Holy $#!^.

O.K. My bad. I have lots of news though, so check back later. Some things I can say on here, others... ...not yet.

So stay tuned!

-iRob

"A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized."
-Fred Allen