re-nerd

I put the taped glasses and the bow tie back on for an reprise of my nerd role - this time for shots for a training course/manual. It's spring break around here, so not many people on campus. But since we took most of the shots outside, I still saw a lot of people.

It was silly - and still fun. I'll be posting some links as soon as the photos are online.

I also had some other ideas if we want to do future updates - here are the titles...

Mission: Nerd-possible
Nerds Gone Wild - On Location!
Son of The Nerd
Nerd Wars: Rise of the Nerd
Pimp My Moped
Dancing with the Nerds - or Nerd Idol

And now that I've de-nerded, it's time to get back to work...

radio free crazy, bard's tale, glue

I listen to the radio on the way to work in the morning and decided to switch over to an AM station that I saw on a billboard for Radio Free Ohio. Unfortunatly, the "voice of reason and truth" is just as crazy and irrational as the people they oppose. So, I put in a CD.

I read an interesting article yesterday that compared George Bush politics to "1984". The whole "War is Peace" seemed to strike a cord - more than a little scary.

Playing a new game the past few days - "The Bard's Tale". Pretty cool role playing game of sorts with some interesting features. First, no inventory. Everything you find gets instantly turned to money that you can use to buy weapons, but only one of each type at a time. You also get to summon creatures with magic songs to help you out - and you have a pet dog. I think this is the first time I've played a game where the main character had a pet. The dog helps out in combat a bit, scares birds, and digs up bones. Might be my favorite part of the game, actually.

I did a little more glueing with the origami model - it's slow going. I have to do a lot of planning before I start any area and I'm trying to work form the inside out. It's tricky, but I'm doing okay. I also think I may have undercounted yet again - but we're not going to speak of that.

Well, guess that's it for now...back to work...

dream, hair, fog-free, near dark, tub, taxes, eyes

I had a dream over the weekend that my grandfather on my Dad's side was alive again. Some kind of genetic quick-cloning kind of thing. He was in a good mood and was helping us get ready for a family picnic. He keep freaking out my grandmother, especially when the phone would ring and they would both pick up differnt extensions in the house. While he and I were talking, he got up to get a couple of beers (both for himself) and we talked about making plans to go visit his grave. I think we were both a little weirded out by the notion, but he figured it was something he needed to do.

I also dreamed I rode a bike to Pittsburg to drive someone to a concern. Don't know what either of those mean.

In other news, I've been letting my hair grow out in preperation for a reprise of the "nerd" role. It's been delayed until this week and I'm way over-due for a cut. To the point that, over the weekend, someone bumped into me in Target and my hair reacted defensively and gave my "attacker" a wedgie. Okay, so, that's not even remotely true - but I did turn someone to stone with a glance. Okay, that's not true either - but I do need to get it cut.

Finally found a fog-free mirror this weekend - and not some phoney or fake thing either. This is the real deal, with the water running down the back to keep the mirror warm and consquently, fog-free. Not just fog resistant, like those cheap-ass mirrors with a fog-free "coating" that lasts about 1.09 showers. So, with my new mirror installed, I shaved in the shower last night and noticed two things:

1. I have far more gray in my beard than I would have admitted to. But, it's there and the mirror magnified all of them.

2. I have really nice eyes. Which I'd been told, but seen that close up and magnified in my new mirror, well, it's a differnt perspective. Yeah, it's a little vain - but note that I started out with the negative first - gotta keep things in balance.

Also over the weekend I re-watched "Near Dark". A sort of vampire movie, but they never say "vampire" and they never show fang. When asked how old he is, the oldest vampire among them says - "Let's just say I fought for the South. We lost." Classic.

In still more random news... my tub is draining slowly again. Last nights shower ended with water in the tub just covering my feet. Time for more drain-o, it seems.

I worked on my taxes over the weekend. I used to use telefile, but they've shut that down. So, I tried the efile route - and was really pissed when I realized there was a charge for doing it. And my carefully itemized deductions were less than the standard - and therefore, worthless. And since I didn't have last year's with me, I had to print and sign a form to finalize the whole thing. Morons. Why would I go to all the trouble and fill everything out if it wasn't my own taxes?

And finally, I'm headed to the eye doctor this friday. Thinking about new glasses - and maybe switching to those for a while. Which is a little dumb considering I'm headed into sunny weather, but what the heck.

And that's about it - I've got two meetings today, both of which I'm dreading. And I've got a lot of web-pages to make, so it's time to get back to it...

64 glued

I watched "Darkness" last night - and while not as scary as it could have been, I still shouldn't have watched it alone. The plot was a little needlessly cryptic, and then totally in your face, but overall, not a bad flick.

While I was watching the movie and eating a turnip (well, it's what I was doing, okay?) I also got out the glue and put the first 64 units together. Based on this - it's going to be 27 inches cubed.

I thought about getting photos taken at various points of the assembly, but really, it's not that big of a deal. The indivudal units are easy to build and the construction, while a little tricky in the formulation, shouldn't be a big issue. It'll still look really cool, but a play-by-play isn't needed.

Well, that's about it...lots to do today, so I should get back to it...

the beginning of the construction

Yesterday evening I laid out the 64 units that will make one face of the giant origami construction. It looks like, if I'm at all clever, that it will go together pretty smoothly. I can already see the shape in my head, it's just a matter of putting it into place. I've not made much progress on the origami angels - pretty much everytime I have an "ah-ha" break-thru, the next step has me totally stumped.

Work has been busy this week - gotta go snag some lunch then head to a meeting. It's a little hectic when you're the expert on everything. Sheesh!

later...

made for TV - and human morality

I watched the made for TV remake of The Poseidon Adventure over the weekend. It was one of the most ham-handed morality plays I've seen in a long time - totally over the top. Right down to the Evil Terrorist falling into the fire under the catwalk - followed shortly there-after by the Home-wrecking Massuse who's only crime was sleeping with Steve Guttenberg. His character was - of course - reunited with the rest of his family in a hallmark moment. Which made sense since it was a hallmark film.

One reviewer on IMDB said that you could almost see when the various cast members would die - and who would make it out alive - right from the start of the film. Sort of like someone coughing in Act One of a shakespearian play - and knowing they'd be dead of the pox by Act Three.

So, what's the point? Do we really need this kind of morality shoved down our throats yet again? This movie came out in 2005, shouldn't we know better by this point? And if we don't, will this be the movie that suddenly makes us better human beings?


I've read a lot of books - a huge number. And a few of those have involved introducing some kind of influence into humanity that forces us to be better people. Chemical, virus, or whatever - the goal is to make us more peaceful. Now, these are all Sci-fi, so of course something terrible has to happen. In a Stephen King story, everyone gets stupid. In Serenity, everyone either gets so peaceful they stop breathing or gets so agressive they turn into monsters.

But, can any amount of religion, politics, or social engineering really make a differnce anymore? Are there enough made for TV movies out there to influence us?

Maybe we need to risk it. Find a way to make us peaceful and good to each other. And then force it on everyone - take choice out of the equation. If it isn't universal, those that aren't affected would quickly go totally world domination on the rest.

I don't have enough of a bio-chemical background to do this myself, but I wonder if anyone is already working on this. Seems like things are getting worse out there.


Well, enough of that for now. Starting to bring myself down. Time to get back to work...

god of war, parody, oil change, scanners and Olive Garden

First up - I finished up the God War video game. It was an awesome ending - really well executed and visually amazing. I tried some of the bonus features and got my ass kicked, but even going back through it again will be fun. I also played a little Need for Speed, set a couple of track records and had my Porche 911 up over 190 mph. It was sweet.

Day before yesterday I went and got my oil changed. While I was waiting I listened to the radio and heard a parody of sorts for McDonald's of an Alltel commercial. The alltel commercial is in heavy rotation on Yahoo Music and features Brenda - who likes things "Brendalized". It's deeply annoying. So, McDonald's has their own version of Brenda - who, instead of her cell phone plan, wants her burger "Brendalized". I was almost physically ill - but I choked it back since I didn't want to "hork" in my own car.

Went to Olive Garden for dinner last night - a brief report...

1. If you want light sauce on your pasta, tell them "no sauce" - since a request for light sauce resulted in a gallon of the stuff on my spagetti.

2. The music there consisted of recordings of whistling and accordians. I am not joking, though I wish I was.

3. A sorority alumni group took over the collected tables nearby. They were loud and annoying. I heard one "chick" remark, when ordering wine, that she wanted the wine like they serve at church.

Ever seen the movie "Scanners"? A fairly stupid film - but some of the characters in there have the abilty to make people's heads explode by concentrating.

If I had a power like that - well, let me just tell you right now that I would use it for evil. Totally. I'd be corrupted in a heartbeat - heck, it wouldn't even take that long.

Evil Power Assigner: "Anthony, we're going to give you the power to make people's heads blow up - though it will cost you your immortal sou..."

Me: "Cool, sign me up,"

EPA: "But you realize that it will cost you your sou..."

Me: "Yeah, yeah, immortal soul. Got it. Where do I sign?"

EPA: "You'll also get nosebleeds everytime you use your power."

Me: "I have tissue right here - what are you waiting for? Hit me,"


KA-BLAM! (chuckle)

That's it for now...back to work...

miscount

So, this weekend, I was re-consttructing my diagram for the big project and though I thought I was done - it first appeared that I'd gone way over what I really needed. Instead of 768 - I only needed 576. I studied on the problem for a while - then realized my mistake. I saw where the 192 were supposed to go - then realized I had missed an additional section.

I was short by 96. So, I bought some more paper and got to folding. Managed to fold the rest that I needed on Sunday while watching a movie.

So, I'm finally caught up - 864 units folded. I'm ready to begin putting it all together. Not sure when I'm going to start that - or exactly where it's going to go.

In other news - I went for a walk and bought new shoelaces.

a minor problem

I reaffirmed, yesterday, that I have a problem and the problem is this:

I can't get a straw out of it's wrapper.


Well, okay, yeah, sure I can eventually extract the straw, but not in the cool "clutch the straw in a death grip and slam it on the counter until the wrapper gives way"

My method usually involves laboriously tearing the top flap and then tearing a small chunk of the wrapper away until I can actually get a good grip on the straw.
Whenever I try to do it like the cool kids do, one of two things happens:

1. Nothing

2. The straw bends - or occasionally breaks as well.

I don't know what the secret is or the mystery behind my failure. I think.... yes, I think I might be a loser. I even looked on the net for help - all I can find are the really cool kids shooting the straw wrappers like paper darts of doom.

And now it's time to go get some lunch and face my failure again. Should I risk a broken straw - or should I just take my time and suffer in silence?

Or maybe I'll just get a bottle of soda. Yeah, that's the ticket. Screwtop bottles - those I can handle.

The moral of the story... clearly, I need more sleep.

later...

zombies

Almost forgot. I had a dream last night that I was at my grandmother's house in Illinois and we were in the backyard - being freaked out by the literal army of zombies slowing heading our direction. I got the family that was with me inside and started to batten down the hatches.

There was a knock at the front door and it was a friend of my grandmother's - fortunately not zombified. I let her in and as I closed the door she said that her family was still in the van. I opened the door and sure enough - there was a mini-van full of people, just sitting there. I motioned for them to come inside and watched as they laboursly got out of the van. They were all wearing huge winter coats and carrying pastries, juice, and coffees.

Most of them got up on the porch and then just stood there - watching the zombies walk slowly up the street. I totally lost it at this point and started grabbing them by their coats and literally throwing them into the house. The lady on the stairs, who seemed more slack-jawed than the rest, was watching the zombies get closer and closer to her. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to reach her in time and decided that if she didn't move on her own and a zombie grabbed her - I was going to leave her and get my ass in the house.

The rest of the losers finally inside, I grabbed at her and managed to pull her inside with a few seconds left to close and bar the door - then realized I'd left all the potential weapons in the now inaccessible garage. I yelled at them for a few minutes in the living room and told them that if any of them did anything stupid, I'd cut them up and throw them back out there. They just looked at me and sipped their beverages.

Then I woke up - with a headache - and pissed off. Word to the wise, if the zombie horde ever rises up - you had damn well better listen to me when I tell you to move. 'Cause I'll leave you to them if you're worried about spilling your cappichino.

later...

language, swearing, paper, and a headache...again

Yesterday, while standing in line - which I just really enjoy, of course - the guy at the front of the line was having trouble placing his order. He was from somewhere else and his english wasn't strong. The clerk ended up having to void out his order and start over.

It got me thinking about languages - and why there are so many of them. I wonder how much time has been lost and how many problems have been created by not being able to understand each other. And even stranger is how languages tend to diverge with regional dialects. Might be interesting enough for a master's thesis.

I was also thinking about swearing - and what a strange concept it is. Some people would use the most foul language as part of their everyday conversation - and another might be on the phone to the FCC at the mildest utterance. Kids use the word poop, dookie is a viable slang term, crap is gaining acceptance - but "sh*t" is still a bad word. All of them mean to defecate. Is it the audience? If so, it's not universal. Is it the tone? I could shout "Defecate!" the next time my computer freaks out and my colleagues would laugh. If I shouted, "Sh*t!" - I would be scolded. I think this is a topic that deserves more thought - but I've got other things to cover.

I think I've miscounted my paper - I've only got a small stack left and it "feels" like I should have more. I think I'll need to count again tonight - don't want to run out mid-assembly.

I ordered a game from Amazon.com - God of War. I've borrowed and played it before and it was a blast - but I haven't been able to find it for under 45 bucks. Amazon had it for $19.99 - and it should be waiting for me when I get home. Yea!

Though I'm not sure I should play it right away. The cluster headache came back last night around 9:30. I was in bed not long after that - and got awakened by a phone call at about quarter after 10 from a friend. I wanted to talk - but explained that I was hurting and really couldn't. So, we kept the converation short and I eventually went back to sleep.

The headache is still with me this morning - lurking behind my right eye. I'm taking it slow and easy today and I'm hoping that it fades out.

And that's about it...time to get back to work...

700 units and a pile of paper

I'm up to 700 units folded for my big project - and I think I can finally say I'm in the home stretch at this point. Of course, I still have to put it together.

My angel project was also worked on last night - and things did not go so well. I made a breakthru on one of the steps - though it seemed counter-intuitive when I tried it. And then slammed to a halt with the next step. Sometimes I can look ahead at the next step and determine how they got there. In this case, it looks they used a differnt piece of paper.

The other model that I worked had instructions written in Spanish - and I had better luck with that one. Go figure.

The headache is mostly gone - though I still get traces of it lurking around.

Can't imagine why - work has been stressful. Got some issues with some co-workers who shall remain un-named that are bringing me down. I guess it's time to sharpen the wooden stake and go hunt me some soul-sucking vampires.

In slightly more hopeful news...I just recently read that babies are natually helpful. Gives me a little hope for the species. Too bad we seem to outgrow it.

Well, that's it for now...back to work...

catching up again

It's been a few days since I've blogged - got a bit to catch up on.

1. Last weeks headache. I'm prone to headaches (it's all that thinkin I do, dontcha know?) - so having one is almost no big deal. This one, however, lasted about 36 hours. It was only really bad for a few of those hours, but it was enough to keep me home from work for a day. And that was a very boring day - since DVD's and Video games were both out. And I tried to keep reading to a minimum too. So, lot of paper-folding.

2. Which brings me to topic two - the big origami project. I'm up to 680 modules folded. Which means I've got about 88 to go before it's time to start putting it all together. I'm not sure what happened to my notes - might have to recreate them before I start.

3. The Flash is still not back on the stands. I haven't bought any comics at all since they stopped making the flash. Rumor has it that they'll start the new Flash series in the summer by killing off the current Flash and replacing him. Wankers. DC Comics is going to get a harsh email from me, I think.

4. Coca-cola is coming out with Coke Blak. In addition to not being able to spell - it's also going to be a mix of Coke and Coffee. I can imagine going to a returant and having to ask for my coke plain. Wankers.

5. Came into work yesterday to check on a project and work on a few things. Wasn't as productive as I could have been, but I think it was still worthwhile.

And that's about it for now...back to work...